Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004

[F1 18B Limits on charging under section 18A(1) E+W

(1) Section 18A(1) authorises charging for extinguishing fires, or protecting life and property in the event of fires, only in respect of fires which are at sea or under the sea.

(2) Section 18A(1) does not authorise charging for emergency medical assistance.

(3) Section 18A(1) authorises charging for action taken in response to a report of a fire or explosion only if section 18C applies to the report.

(4) Section 18A(1) does not authorise charging for rescuing individuals, or protecting individuals from serious harm, in the event of an emergency.

(5) Section 18A(1) does not authorise charging for action taken in response to—

(a) emergencies resulting from events of widespread significance,

(b) emergencies which have occurred as a direct result of severe weather, or

(c) emergencies resulting from road traffic accidents.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), section 18A(1) does not authorise charging for action taken under section 6.

(7) Subsection (6) does not prevent charging for the giving of advice, other than advice of the kind mentioned in section 6(2)(b), in relation to premises where a trade, business or other undertaking is carried on (whether for profit or not).

(8) Section 18A(1) does not authorise charging for action taken by a fire and rescue authority in its capacity as an enforcing authority for the purposes of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 ( S.I. 2005/1541).

(9) Nothing in subsections (1) to (8)—

(a) applies to charges for providing under section 12 the services of any persons or any equipment,

(b) affects the operation of section 13(3) or 16(3), or

(c) affects any provision for payments to a fire and rescue authority contained in arrangements for co-operation made between that authority and—

(i) a public authority that is not a fire and rescue authority, or

(ii) any person, other than a public authority, who exercises public functions.

(10) The Secretary of State in relation to fire and rescue authorities in England, and the Welsh Ministers in relation to fire and rescue authorities in Wales, may by order disapply subsection 18A(1) in relation to actions of a particular kind.

(11) The power under subsection (10) includes power to disapply for a particular period.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 18A-18C inserted (18.2.2012 for specified purposes, 1.4.2012 in so far as not already in force) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20) ss. 10(2), 240(4)(f) (with s. 10(5)); S.I. 2012/411, art. 2(d); S.I. 2012/887, art. 2(f)