AS concerns were expressed over fire service manpower and stations provision last week, MSP Claire Baker asked an urgent question in the Scottish Parliament.

This follows reports that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service planned to close fire stations and cut firefighter numbers in an attempt to balance the books.

But Community Safety Minister, Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle Ewing, told the Holyrood Parliament that no decisions had yet been made about what transformations of the service would look like.

According to leaked papers, Scotland’s national fire service is facing “the greatest financial challenge seen in decades.” The Chief Fire Officer last midweek admitted that the current model is “unsustainable” and could not last beyond the current financial year.

Ms Baker's warnings follow an Audit Scotland report in 2015 that found the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service face a £43-million-pound budget gap by the end of this decade.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Claire Baker, raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament by asking only the second ‘urgent question’ since its introduction following the 2016 election.

Lodged in the morning the story broke, the issue was taken in the chamber that afternoon.

Following the question, Kelty's Claire Baker MSP said: “When the Scottish Government created the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service they promised to protect frontline services.

“However, since its formation in 2013 there are 700 fewer firefighters, £53 million cut from their budget in real terms and 60 to 100 on-call pumps sit unavailable each day.

“Now we learn that there are to be station closures and the loss of even more frontline firefighters. The SNP’s claim to protect our fire services frontline now lies in tatters".

Ms Baker added: “Any changes must be carried out in response to evaluating risk and responding to new challenges the force may face in the future.

“Yet reports point to these changes being made as the result of a squeeze on resources. This is unacceptable. The dedicated and hardworking staff within our fire services deserve our full support.

“With fire safety so fresh in our minds following the tragic events of Grenfell Tower in London, it scarcely seems believable that our Fire Service is facing having to make further cuts.

“Our emergency services should not bear the brunt of further austerity. These leaked proposals must be published as a matter of urgency and the Scottish Government must be forthright in what stations they plan to close.”

Community Safety Minister Annabelle Ewing told MSPs there had been no compulsory redundancies and no fire station closures since the SFRS was formed in 2013.

She said: "The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is currently exploring how it should develop to meet the new and emerging risks facing our communities, including how transformation of service delivery could see it do more for the people of Scotland.

"No decisions have been made on what that transformation would look like and the transformation process will involve liaison and discussion with staff, partners and the public."

The Minister said the Scottish Government had increased the overall operational budget for the SFRS this year by £21.7m and discussions were ongoing over next year's budget.