To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the adequacy of fire service cover in Cornwall; what discussions she has had with the Fire Brigades Union on this matter; and if she will make a statement.

Fire and rescue authorities are required by the fire and rescue service national framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan, which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP enables the authority to tailor cover to fire and other incidents to local circumstances—evaluating where risk is greatest and allocating resource accordingly.

It is not the role of Ministers to intervene in the operational proposals of an authority's IRMP. That is for elected members of the authority concerned to determine following full consultation with the local community The local authority is best placed to act on the professional advice of principal officers and to balance the competing local demands on available resources for the benefits of the communities that it serves.