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In the last few days of the current Parliament, the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee has written to the Home Secretary to report the findings of a recent inquiry that leaves the Committee ‘in no doubt that the fire and rescue service in England is institutionally misogynistic, racist and homophobic.’
Dame Diana Johnson MP said that her Committee had intended to publish a full report into their findings but due to the general election instead offered the Home Secretary some of their key conclusions and recommendations.
Based on talking to victims, reading reports and taking evidence from different organisations, the Committee said there are systemic failures that prevent discrimination from happening, hold perpetrators accountable and provide redress for victims.
“The culture in the fire and rescue service — the way that some people who work within the service think it is acceptable to behave — is lamentable.
“No one should have to endure bullying or harassment within the workplace, least of all people who repeatedly put their lives on the line for the public good.”
The inquiry, established earlier this year, focused on the culture of the fire and rescue services in England and was driven by a review carried out by the fire inspectorate and other independent reports into culture in London Fire Brigade, and in Dorset and Wiltshire. In January, a report into culture in South Wales led to the the removal of the fire authority, the early retirement of the chief and introduction of four Commissioners to provide oversight.
In a series of, at times tense evidence sessions, the Chair and her Committee scrutinised the decisions and work of the fire inspectorate as well as various fire organisations, including the National Fire Chiefs Council and the Fire Brigades Union. Shortly after appearing in front of the Committee, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority Chair, Rebecca Knox stood down from her position having been criticised for not talking to victims of bullying in her own service.
“There are systemic failures throughout the fire and rescue service to prevent these forms of discrimination from occurring, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to provide support and redress to victims.”
The Committee urged the government to ‘conduct a review of the processes in place to deal with poor leadership and issue an enforceable set of standards if necessary, and that it put the Core Code of Ethics for Fire and Rescue Services in England on a statutory basis.’ It also said that the fire inspectorate should have enforcement powers to enable it to do more than simply recommend change – something that the Chief Inspector of fire, Andy Cooke set out strongly in his recent State of Fire report.
Addressing the leadership role of the Fire Brigades Union, the Committee said the union should ‘make it clear that non-disclosure agreements should never be used in settlements with employees who have been subject to bullying and harassment, ensuring victims are not prevented from speaking out.’
The role of fire and rescue authorities is also referenced in this letter, but the recommendations for improving their scrutiny functions are much weaker and the tools for change limited to strengthening guidance and reinforcing existing roles and responsibilities. Earlier in this Parliament, the Government’s policy direction looked to Police and Crime Commissioners taking on the governance functions but to date only five have done so.
The Home Affairs Committee has published the transcripts and written evidence submitted to its inquiry into culture in the fire and rescue service. The letter from Dame Diana Johnson can be found here.
