Make Perth the permanent home of the new Fire & Rescue Service headquarters: that was the call from MSP Murdo Fraser today in the Scottish Parliament after he raised the issue in the Debating Chamber. During Ministers’ Question Time, Murdo Fraser asked the Scottish Government whether it will consider the interim operating base at Perth community fire station as the permanent base for the proposed single Fire and Rescue Service. In response, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Roseanna Cunningham MSP stated: “It will be a matter for the Scottish fire and rescue service itself to decide in due course and I am sure that it will look at all the available options very carefully. Until then, Perth community fire station will provide a convenient, cost-effective venue from which a small senior management team can lead the new service from 1 April 2013.” In the Chamber, Murdo Fraser continued to make the case for Perth, responding: “I am sure that the Minister agrees that, with its central location in Scotland, its good transport links and its affordable accommodation, Perth - which I hope this year will be confirmed as our seventh city - is the ideal place to host the national Fire and Rescue Service headquarters. “Does the minister also agree that as far as efficiency and service continuity are concerned, it makes a lot of sense to establish the permanent base in the same location as the temporary base?” Roseanna Cunningham stated: “I can confirm that in considering possibilities for interim headquarters we looked very closely at precisely the issues that the member highlighted and, in the end, only a fairly small number of communities ticked all the boxes. I have absolutely no doubt that the new Scottish fire and rescue service will look at exactly the same issues and, for all I know, might reach the same conclusion.” Afterwards, MSP Murdo Fraser said: “It is welcome news that the interim headquarters for the Fire and Rescue Service is Perth and it is clear to me that Perth would make the ideal location as the permanent base for the headquarters. It was important to put on record Perth’s attributes as a central location with good transport links when considering the permanent base of the headquarters. “In the meantime, Perth & Kinross will be an excellent host to the Fire and Rescue Service’s interim headquarters and I hope that we see the base stay here permanently.”