Hansard

I am pleased to take part in this debate. Like other members, I pay tribute to Ewan Williamson, who gave his life serving his community.

The motion and amendments simply state our expectations of our firefighters and fire service. I had not imagined that any member might want to criticise or oppose such sentiments, but I had forgotten about our colleague Jim Tolson. In a democracy, though, he is right to say what he feels.

As it is nearly five years since Parliament considered and passed the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and given that we are now moving towards the second fire and rescue framework, it is right that we assess progress, highlight the areas that need to be refined or improved, and acknowledge areas where we are not making the intended progress or improvements in delivering our fire and rescue service.

Although I am pleased to take part in the debate, it is always difficult to speak at the end of any debate, as other members have already covered most of the areas and highlighted many of the concerns.

I place on record my admiration for the men and women of the fire and rescue service, whose job most of us would find too dangerous and demanding. Whether full-time or part of the retained service, those firefighters are always ready to put their lives on the line to serve and protect our communities. I also pay tribute to the men and women who serve either full-time in Cumbernauld fire station or in the retained service in Kilsyth. They do a grand job engaging with the community and helping to educate young people in schools and people in their homes about the dangers of fire and the small interventions that they can make to protect them and their families. Like those in Angela Constance's constituency, the firefighters in my community have to respond to very dangerous situations on the A80. They do a very important job and I thank them for their work.

The FBU raised a number of concerns about the consultation paper. I believe that, as far as the service in Scotland is concerned, it is fundamental that employers and the minister listen to firefighters' first-hand knowledge and experience before the final document is agreed to.

As other members have discussed various issues in some detail, including governance, standard response times, equality and fairness, and ring fencing, I will in the short time that is available reinforce the importance of training, which has also been mentioned. The point applies to any service, but the fact is that if we value the employees of the fire and rescue service—which we do—we must equip them with the best possible skills.

I am told that the Scottish Fire Services College at Gullane in East Lothian delivers excellent training courses to new entrants to the service, and that recruits return to their various fire and rescue authorities enthusiastic, fit, ready and well prepared to do the job that is asked of them. However, according to firefighters, the absence of a national training strategy means that, from that point on, training on identical subjects is delivered differently across the service depending on local determination. That is unacceptable, and the delay in introducing a national training standard must be addressed immediately. I have not been persuaded by the minister's comments on that issue this morning. I realise that training has to be carried out at station level and that the service has to respond to local communities' needs, but we also need to respond at national level.

In my opinion and in the opinion of the trade unions, training, health and safety and the general development of the workforce in our fire and rescue service are of paramount importance. Given that we expect those workers to respond to any emergency, whatever it is, and given that they do respond, we should in return provide them with training to a national standard. Firefighters work as a team in dangerous situations, relying on each other not only for their own safety but for the safety of the people they seek to assist. As a result, it is not unreasonable to expect training across Scotland to be consistent.

I acknowledge that eight different authorities serve eight different communities but, regardless of where boundaries lie, their business is to respond to emergency situations. Indeed, fire and rescue crews certainly have to cross boundaries to respond to large-scale emergencies. My constituency is on the boundary between Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service, both of which have on numerous occasions carried out cross-boundary work. Firefighters should expect the person who is working at their side to be trained to the same level because, as I have said, they depend on each other in dangerous situations.

In conclusion, the service must have continuous training to a national standard. I know that the minister has already engaged with the FBU, which in this respect has raised an important issue. We must listen to the firefighters, who after all are on the front line, and develop a system that allows them to serve our communities and in which they can have confidence.