Current status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out how the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) defines “tolerable” risk, and what its position is on the deployment of this yardstick by the SFRS.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is conducting a Service Delivery Review (SDR) to enable the organisation to respond to current and future risks. SFRS acknowledges that it cannot eliminate risk but it aims to reduce risk to a point where it is manageable, proportionate, and consistent with its legal and statutory duties, strategic aims, and the benefits that the proposed changes in the SDR are expected to deliver.
If SFRS considers the risk to be manageable, well understood, controlled and proportionate it can consider this tolerable. Throughout the SDR, SFRS has identified associated risks to demonstrate sound process and methodology to its approach. This allows SFRS to have informed data led considerations, based on evidence, robust modelling and professional judgement to maintain crew, partner and public safety while delivering organisational improvement within its allocated budget.