Reductions To Frontline Emergency Services

EDM number 1052 in 2012-13, proposed by Alan Meale on 07/02/2013.
Categorised under the topics of Economic situation, Emergency services and Fire services.

That this House is aware that because of the current economic climate and the Government's adopted policies to deal with its consequences, today every fire and rescue service in England is facing cuts to their budgets for at least the next two years because of central Government grant reductions; recalls the Prime Minister's promise whilst visiting a local fire station in Carlisle, Cumbria on the eve of the 2010 General Election, that he intended to protect frontline emergency services from any such cutbacks; notes that since then 1,500 firefighters' jobs have been lost; further notes that current proposed reductions in financial support are likely to result in a further 70 fire stations being closed, others downgraded, with the loss of many essential appliances; believes that such cuts will cost lives, put the safety of people and their communities at risk and cause vital work on fire prevention, rescues, flood intervention and other threats and emergencies to be undermined; and calls on the Government to immediately call a halt to such cuts and instead to fulfill the Prime Minister's promise to protect the frontline.

This motion has been signed by a total of 23 MPs.