Responding to the Fire Industry Association the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP Minister of State for Security today 14 April 2020 gave the following information.
“Many roles within the fire and security industry provide vital support to critical services as well as relieve pressure on the emergency services. I recognise that the businesses and organisations encompassed by the FIA provide products and services which provide essential safety to people as they go about their daily lives. The Government is grateful for the sector’s continuing efforts at this challenging time.
Such employees engaged in this critical task will need to continue to perform their work. However, equally important in the fight against COVID-19 is that as many people as possible remain at home and that those who go to work follow Public Health England guidelines.
I ask therefore, that your industry considers carefully which of its employees absolutely must continue travelling into work to enable companies to continue providing their vital services, and what possible steps can be taken to facilitate staff working from home. For those workers who cannot work from home, the guidance is clear that they are allowed to travel and attend work if it is safe to do so and they, and other members of their household, are not symptomatic.
With regards to school places, the guidance published by the Department for Education advises schools that they should continue to offer provision to the children of critical workers. I would expect schools to consider staff in those essential roles in the fire industry to be critical workers. However, in view of the need to ensure the most vulnerable children are protected and the finite number of places, the final decision on this matter rests with the schools. We ask individuals, employers and schools to make sensible judgments about the policy. “
More information may be found at www.fia.uk.com