Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 January 2026
15 Jan 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
I thank Maggie Chapman and all the members who have contributed to this important debate.
As the minister with responsibility for fire and rescue, I express my appreciation for the staff of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who work tirelessly to keep our communities across Scotland safe. I welcome to the public gallery representatives of the FBU, along with representatives of the Fire and Rescue Services Association whom I met this morning when we had some very helpful conversations.
I want to get a few points across about the service delivery review first, because the debate is very broad. As we know, the nature of the emergencies to which the SFRS responds has changed significantly over the years. As an example, the number of dwelling fires has reduced by more than 20 per cent since 2013.
I heard what Richard Leonard said about his conversations. I do not know whether the figures that he mentioned are accurate, but that is not the information that I have been given. The statistics show that there has been a 33 per cent reduction in non-fatal fire casualties between 2009-10 and 2023-24, but there has been a 32 per cent reduction in fatal fire casualties over the same period. It is very important that we get that across.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-20218, in the name of Maggie Chapman, on a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service fit for the...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I am grateful to those who supported my motion to allow this debate to go ahead today. I led the Scottish Greens’ first members’ business debate in this sess...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I stand with Ms Chapman’s comments about our immense gratitude to those who risk their lives for us. Hawick fire station is at risk of having its full-time-...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back, Ms Chapman.
Maggie Chapman
Green
I will come on to the service delivery review in a moment, but it is important that we recognise and acknowledge that the staff who work for the Scottish Fir...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Last year, the Health and Safety Executive issued an enforcement notice to the SFRS about welfare facilities at three fire stations in Shetland. There were n...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Again, I can give you the time back, Ms Chapman.
Maggie Chapman
Green
Absolutely, we need to make sure that we are investing in the decontamination facilities that all firefighters need. I will speak particularly about the FBU’...
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Maggie Chapman for securing the debate. In her motion, the member quite rightly mentions the DECON campaign, and I very much associate myself with h...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I will start off with a couple of apologies. First, I apologise to Maggie Chapman. If I had known how you were going to address the debate and how it was goi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Please pass your apology through the chair, Mr Mountain.
Edward Mountain
Con
I also apologise to members for having to slip away before the end of the debate. I forewarned you of that, Presiding Officer, and agreed it with you in adva...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Maggie Chapman for lodging the motion in Parliament, which I am delighted to support. A few weeks ago, one Friday afternoon, I sat down with firefig...
Lorna Slater (Lothian) (Green)
Green
I thank my Green colleague Maggie Chapman for securing this debate. I also express my thanks to Scotland’s firefighters and their support staff for their con...
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I begin by reiterating my support for the motion and my gratitude to the thousands of firefighters and support staff who keep my constituents, and all of us,...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I, too, thank my colleague Maggie Chapman for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I also recognise the dedication, professionalism and courage of ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Before I call the next speaker, in order to allow other members to participate, I am prepared to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3, to extend...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank Maggie Chapman for securing today’s debate, because it could not be more important. As colleagues from across the country have highlighted, we ...
Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
I thank Maggie Chapman for securing this much-needed debate. The estate of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is not fit for the future. According to the F...
Katy Clark (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Maggie Chapman for securing this important debate on whether the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is fit for the future. I welcome the focus on resp...
The Minister for Victims and Community Safety (Siobhian Brown)
SNP
I thank Maggie Chapman and all the members who have contributed to this important debate. As the minister with responsibility for fire and rescue, I express...
Richard Leonard
Lab
I had a look this morning at a graph on page 18 of the incident statistics document. If the minister looks at the statistics, she will see that they show tha...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Minister, I can give you the time back.
Siobhian Brown
SNP
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I am just going on the information that I have in front of me today. I will write to the member about that point. I wo...
Maggie Chapman
Green
I do not think that there is anybody in the chamber, including among the representatives of the SFRS and the FBU, who does not think that there needs to be s...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We are going to need briefer interventions, if they are to be taken.
Siobhian Brown
SNP
I totally appreciate and understand what the member says. I have regular meetings with the SFRS, which has made it very clear to me—I know that this has come...
Katy Clark
Lab
The minister must be concerned about not only the continued increase in response times, but the prediction that they are going to increase if current policie...
Siobhian Brown
SNP
Of course—I will come to response times further on in my speech, if I may. Deputy Presiding Officer, can I get some time back?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back for the intervention.