Motion
Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service
S6M-19124 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Clark, Katy
Lodged on
29 Sep 2025Heard / answered on
01 Oct 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 01 Oct 2025
That the Parliament expresses concern at the cuts proposed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS); recognises the Cuts Leave Scars campaign, which was set up in 2023 in response to a decade of underfunding by the Scottish Government; notes the loss of over 1,250 firefighter jobs across Scotland since the establishment of the SFRS in 2013, leading to pumps being unavailable as a result of too few firefighters to crew them; regrets that, as a result of cuts, call handling times have increased in control rooms and response times have increased from 6 minutes and 51 seconds to 8 minutes and 20 seconds, which risks lives in Scotland; notes with concern the plans to close 13 stations and permanently withdraw 10 appliances, and encourages the Scottish Government to work alongside the SFRS and the Fire Brigades Union Scotland to ensure that there are no further cuts to firefighter numbers or fire cover and that safe crewing levels are guaranteed.
Backed by
Supported by 1 additional MSP
Lab 1
Lodged by
Clark, Katy
(Scottish Labour).
- Sweeney, Paul (Lab)
Final vote on motion (as amended)
01 Oct 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
56Against
53Abstain
3Not voted
17Amendments incorporated
- S6M-19124.2 Brown, Siobhian — carried 55/52: As an amendment to motion S6M-19124 in the name of Katy Clark (Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service), leave out from “expresses” to end and insert “recognises that, whilst house fires have reduced by over 20% since 2013, due to the climate emergency, incidents and risk of flooding and wildfires have significantly increased; further recognises that the recent Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's (SFRS) Service Delivery Review aims to ensure that the service can respond to these changing risks and that the right firefighters and appliances are in the right place at the right time; notes that no decisions will be taken until an independent analysis of the public consultation has been carried out and that any changes would be implemented over a five-year period; agrees that all public services need to provide efficient and effective services that deliver value for the public purse, and encourages the Scottish Government to continue to work alongside the SFRS and the Fire Brigades Union to ensure that Scotland has safer communities.”
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament recognises that, whilst house fires have reduced by over 20% since 2013, due to the climate emergency, incidents and risk of flooding and wildfires have significantly increased; further recognises that the recent Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's (SFRS) Service Delivery Review aims to ensure that the service can respond to these changing risks and that the right firefighters and appliances are in the right place at the right time; notes that no decisions will be taken until an independent analysis of the public consultation has been carried out and that any changes would be implemented over a five-year period; agrees that all public services need to provide efficient and effective services that deliver value for the public purse, and encourages the Scottish Government to continue to work alongside the SFRS and the Fire Brigades Union to ensure that Scotland has safer communities.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-19124.2: leave out from "expresses" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-19124 in the name of Katy Clark (Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service), leave out from “expresses” to end and insert “recognises that, whilst house fires have reduced by over 20% since 2013, due to the climate emergency, incidents and risk of flooding and wildfires have significantly increased; further recognises that the recent Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's (SFRS) Service Delivery Review aims to ensure that the service can respond to these changing risks and that the right firefighters and appliances are in the right place at the right time; notes that no decisions will be taken until an independent analysis of the public consultation has been carried out and that any changes would be implemented over a five-year period; agrees that all public services need to provide efficient and effective services that deliver value for the public purse, and encourages the Scottish Government to continue to work alongside the SFRS and the Fire Brigades Union to ensure that Scotland has safer communities.”
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 5 contributions reference this
-
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Chamber
· 01 Oct 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-19124, in the name of Katy Clark, on protecting Scotland’s fire service. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 01 Oct 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
The next question is, that amendment S6M-19124.2, in the name of Siobhian Brown, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19124, in the name of Katy Clark, on protecting Scotland’s fire service, be agreed to.…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 01 Oct 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
The next question is, that amendment S6M-19124.1, in the name of Sharon Dowey, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19124, in the name of Katy Clark, on protecting Scotland’s fire service, be agreed to. A…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 01 Oct 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
The next question is, that motion S6M-19124, in the name of Katy Clark, on protecting Scotland’s fire service, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 01 Oct 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 01 October 2025 [Draft]
The result of the division on motion S6M-19124, in the name of Katy Clark, on protecting Scotland’s fire service, as amended, is: For 56, Against 53, Abstentions 3. Motion, as amended, agreed to, T…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-19124Selected itemCarried 56/5329 Sep 2025 · Motion For Debate · Clark, KatyThat the Parliament expresses concern at the cuts proposed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS); recognises the Cuts Leave Scars campaign, which was set up in 2023 in response to a decade of underfunding by the Scottish Government; notes the loss of over 1,250 firefighter jobs across Scotland since the establishment of the SFRS in 2013, leading ...
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S6M-19124.1Linked amendment/itemDefeated 54/5630 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Dowey, SharonAs an amendment to motion S6M-19124 in the name of Katy Clark (Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service), insert at end "; recognises that the Scottish Government’s mismanagement of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has resulted in an £800 million operational backlog that has mostly resulted from the failure to bring stations up to m...
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S6M-19124.2Linked amendment/itemCarried 55/5230 Sep 2025 · Amendment · Brown, SiobhianAs an amendment to motion S6M-19124 in the name of Katy Clark (Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service), leave out from “expresses” to end and insert “recognises that, whilst house fires have reduced by over 20% since 2013, due to the climate emergency, incidents and risk of flooding and wildfires have significantly increased; further r...