FLOOD RESPONSE AND FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE

That this House recognises the tremendous efforts of the Fire and Rescue Service in responding to the major floods in 2007; notes however the finding of the Pitt Review that the public and rescuers were put at unnecessary risk by the current lack of clarity over who is responsible for emergency response to flooding; recognises the Pitt Review's very strong backing for the Fire and Rescue Service to have a statutory duty for flood rescue; welcomes the Government's positive response to the recommendation of the Pitt Review that there should be a fully funded national capability for flood rescue, with fire and rescue authorities playing a leading role, underpinned, as necessary, by a statutory duty; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce legislative proposals for a statutory duty on the Fire and Rescue Service for flood rescue, supported by funding for adequate equipment and training.