Baroness Blake of Leeds has been appointed the Government's new Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Resilience, taking responsibility for fire policy, building safety and emergency resilience.

Her appointment brings several major areas of fire safety policy under one ministerial portfolio, including the Building Safety Regulator, building remediation, the Government's response to the Grenfell Inquiry and fire and rescue operations.

The new role comes as the sector continues to face significant challenges, from building safety and remediation to increasing pressure from extreme weather and wildfires.

A broad fire safety brief

Baroness Blake's responsibilities cover much more than fire policy alone.

Her portfolio includes building regulations, the Building Safety Regulator, the remediation of buildings and the ongoing response to the Grenfell Inquiry. She will also oversee resilience, recovery and emergencies, alongside net zero and energy efficiency.

This puts building safety, fire protection and wider emergency preparedness within a single ministerial brief at a time when each is facing growing demands.

Rising pressure on fire and rescue services

The appointment also comes during a challenging period for fire and rescue services across the UK.

National Fire Chiefs Council data shows that services in England and Wales responded to 1,132 wildfires between January 1 and August 16, 2026. That has already exceeded the 1,017 recorded throughout the whole of 2025.

Recent wildfire incidents have caused damage to homes across the country, while military personnel have been called in to support firefighting operations.

With fire services facing pressures from both everyday incidents and increasingly complex emergencies, the new minister will have many challenges to address.

For the fire safety sector, Baroness Blake's appointment will be closely watched as the Government continues its work on safer buildings, stronger resilience and the future of fire and rescue services.

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