The second edition of State of Fire and Rescue was published in March. Political Editor Catherine Levin spoke to HM Chief Inspector Sir Tom Winsor about progress with the recommendations and tried to figure out what will end up in the promised Fire Reform White Paper.

March was a busy month for fire announcements, with the Home Office publishing the long-awaited review of police and crime commissioners as well as the response to the fire safety consultation that included how to legislate for some of the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations. HMICFRS added to the pile by publishing State of Fire and Rescue 2020, its annual assessment of fire and rescue services.

With the opportunity to talk to Sir Tom Winsor the day after publication, it is a case of what to focus on when there is only 30 minutes available. That is why the conversation centred on the recommendations, not because they are new, but because they are unchanged from 2019 and the links with the rest of the recent announcements makes them even more important than before.