North York Moors: Angela Rayner ‘really sorry’ about wildfire impact
Angela Rayner has said she is ‘really sorry to hear’ about the impacts of wildfires on the North York Moors.
Angela Rayner MP, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has said the Government is “working closely with fire and rescue services” to provide targeted support following major wildfires in North Yorkshire.
The fire at Langdale Moor, in the North York Moors National Park near RAF Fylingdales, broke out in August last year and at its height covered nearly 25 sq km.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, September 3, Ms Rayner said she was “really sorry to hear about the situation in the North York Moors and the circumstances surrounding the funding package”.
It comes as Labour and Conservative politicians have criticised the Government for failing to provide compensation to local businesses, farmers and landowners affected by the largest wildfire in North Yorkshire’s history, and accused it of abandoning the rural community.
Speaking in Parliament, Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, welcomed the Government’s “decisive action over the summer to tackle wildfires, particularly by placing a temporary ban on disposable barbecues”.
She said: “Last year a huge wildfire caused massive damage to the North York moors near Whitby. The farming community played a vital role in supporting firefighters, but they are still out of pocket over a year later, having suffered significant losses.
“Will my right honourable friend look at introducing grant schemes to help those affected by wildfires, similar to the ones available for major flooding events,” the MP asked.
However, Ms Rayner, who returned to Government in July after Andy Burnham became prime minister, said she was “working closely with fire and rescue services to ensure that support is targeted at those facing the greatest operational pressures, and we will set out further details in due course”.
She said: “The current focus is about ensuring that the support reaches the areas that need it most urgently, but I will take back what my hon. Friend says.
“As I said, the prime minister is looking forward to the wildfire summit this autumn, so hopefully we can make progress there.”
In June, a £3.2 million funding package was granted by the Government to the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) for work including the restoration of peatland species and repairs to public footpaths.
While the restoration support was welcomed, local MPs said there was “a glaring hole in the Government’s announcement”.
Conservative Party Chairman and MP for Thirsk and Malton, Kevin Hollinrake, previously said: “Not a penny is going to the farmers, landowners and businesses who watched their livelihoods burn and who worked alongside our fire and rescue services for six weeks to save the moor.
“Had this been a flood, the Farming Recovery Fund and the Flood Recovery Framework would have been triggered within days. Because it was a wildfire, the people who suffered the losses are being left with nothing.”