All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group elects new chairman

The All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group meets on a regular basis and considers important fire safety and rescue issues with appropriate specialists in these fields, consulting widely with other related agencies to create a safer built environment. The Group also contributes to fire safety events both inside and outside Parliament, while always seeking to raise issues of concern to Government through dialogue with serving ministers.

In his post-election address to members at the recent EGM of the Group, Bob Blackman noted: “It’s fair to say that, when I joined this Parliamentary Group some two years ago, I brought with me some previous experience and detailed knowledge about fire safety and rescue. I served on the Fire and Emergency Planning Authority in London when I was a London Assembly member, so I do have significant knowledge of that aspect and, of course, I have been a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee for the last 11 years.”

Blackman continued: “I was a Councillor before I became an MP so I harbour a good working knowledge of how the Fire and Rescue Service works and, indeed, all of the problems it has to deal with at the moment. Slowly but surely, we’re winning the fight with the new Department of Levelling Up, Communities and Housing, which I think will be a big improvement.”

He then stated: “None of us wanted to be in this position because obviously losing Sir David Amess has been terrible for everyone concerned. I knew David extremely well. He was such a good man. He reached out to everyone and made everyone thoroughly welcome in the House of Commons. It’s such a tragic loss that he’s no longer with us.”

Blackman has determined to do his “ level best” to ensure that the good work of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group is continued.

Dennis Davis, executive officer at the Fire Industry Federation, has conveyed the organisation’s best wishes to Blackman for his new role.