Current status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what the status is of the negotiations on the part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service with the Fire Brigades Union on the pay uplift required following the in-principle agreement on role expansion for firefighters.
The in-principle agreement between the Fire Brigades Union and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on an expanded role for firefighters in Scotland includes a significant uplift in pay in exchange for carrying out the new duties. The challenging fiscal position has meant that the increases in funding provided to SFRS since 2022 have been in support of front-line services but have been insufficient to provide additional funding to support the expanded role proposals. Whilst a broadened role for firefighters remains a priority in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland, the overall funding position means there are currently no detailed negotiations taking place.