Meeting of the Parliament 20 January 2016
The VAT issue was well known before the police forces merged and before the fire and rescue services merged. I gave my explanation on the number of firefighters, which Mr Allard was arguing about. I have no more to say on that. However, I think that it is appropriate that we are addressing the issue of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s budget.
The Public Audit Committee, of which I am a member, has looked at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, which is trying to make substantial savings. The key message in Audit Scotland’s report of May last year was that the service did not have a long-term financial strategy—such a strategy is urgently required—and that there was a potential funding gap of £42.7 million. We should forget the VAT issue, be realistic and look at the state that the service is in.
Given that, last year, staff costs amounted to 79 per cent of the service’s budgeted gross expenditure, it is understandable that the FBU, staff and the SFRS are concerned about the fact that the service is having to consider more serious front-line cuts in order to address the significant funding gap. Between 2012 and 2020, there will be a 31 per cent real-terms fall in the budget. Who is responsible for that? Mr Allard should know. Net savings of £328 million are expected by 2027. That is all in the Audit Scotland report.
When the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s chair and chief officer came before the Public Audit Committee, I spoke about retained firefighters. David Stewart will understand that we have a higher number of retained and voluntary firefighters in the Highlands than anywhere else in Scotland. In the Inverness area alone, vacancies of more than 30 per cent were highlighted at the time.
Retained firefighters’ wages and conditions of service were set up in the 1950s. Given that people must give a commitment of 90 to 120 hours, Pat Watters and Alasdair Hay promised that they would review the position and come back to the Public Audit Committee by November 2015. We are still waiting. I see the minister indicating that that has been done. I certainly have not heard that and I was the one who asked about the matter, but the review is an opportunity for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to look forward.
Now that I have criticised Pat Watters and Alasdair Hay, I will commend them for taking initiatives such as the one with Highlands and Islands Airports, whereby firefighters at the airports are qualifying to work as retained duty system firefighters. Another success is in Lochinver, where the station had significant problems in maintaining crew numbers. After extensive local consultation, 12 potential new entrants came forward.
It would take too long to look at all the vacancies throughout the Highlands, but if that exercise can be done in Lochinver, it can also be done in places such as Bettyhill, Bonar Bridge, Buchie, Cannich, Forres, Grantown and many others that have between five and 10 vacancies. That is becoming a serious level.
As we approach the single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s third anniversary, I put on record my respect and admiration for every person at the front line and every member of staff. They must be commended for their recent wonderful and fabulous work, which was carried out sensitively, throughout areas of Scotland that were affected by flooding.
17:37