What discussions has the Cabinet Minister had with the Ministry of Defence regarding the establishment of a permanent wildfire-fighting helicopter capability in the United Kingdom?
The Prif Weinidog raised the possibility of developing a military aerial firefighting capability with the Prime Minister at the COBR meeting on 12 August. I expect further discussions about that in the coming months.
However, the deployment of existing military assets is solely a matter for the Ministry of Defence. When a request for military assistance is made, it is likewise for the MOD to determine whether that request can be met, and if so, which assets to deploy.
The commercial capability to undertake aerial firefighting in the UK is currently very limited, and in recent weeks demand has significantly exceeded supply in Wales and elsewhere. I and my officials have had extensive recent discussions with the Fire and Rescue Services about this issue, but the only sustainable solution is likely to mean increasing civilian or military capabilities at a UK level.