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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the actuarial reduction for a firefighter who retires earlier than normal pension age under the proposed new pension scheme for firefighters is calculated from the state pension age and not the scheme’s normal pension age.

Penny Mordaunt

Under the terms of the Proposed Final Agreement for the firefighters’ pension scheme 2015 in England the actuarial reduction for a firefighter who retired earlier than the scheme’s Normal Pension Age but at the age of 57 or above would have been calculated from the Normal Pension Age. The actuarial reduction for a firefighter who retired between the ages of 55 and 57 would have been calculated from their state pension age. However, in the light of responses received to the second consultation on the firefighters’ pension scheme 2015, the Government decided to reinstate its offer, first made in June 2013, under which all actuarial reductions in the case of early retirement are calculated from the Normal Pension Age. This decision was communicated in a letter to Chief Fire Officers and Chairs of fire authorities on 9 July 2014. The letter can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms and I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether a formal valuation of the existing firefighters’ pensions schemes has been carried out since the Government Actuary’s Department published its formal valuation in 2009.

Penny Mordaunt

The Government Actuary’s Department is currently undertaking a valuation of the firefighters’ pension schemes in England as at 31 March 2012, which is expected to report later this year. There have been no other valuations of the schemes since 2009.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the terms are of the firefighter pensions offer agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive.

Penny Mordaunt

The pension arrangements to apply to firefighters in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Northern Ireland is not covered by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 which requires a Normal Pension Age of 60 to apply to firefighters in England, Scotland and Wales.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the suitability for other negotiations of the accrual rate for pension entitlement used within the offer agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive in negotiations on firefighter pensions.

Penny Mordaunt

The pension arrangements to apply to firefighters in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Northern Ireland is not covered by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 which requires a Normal Pension Age of 60 to apply to firefighters in England, Scotland and Wales.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has tasked the National Board with setting guidelines on making decisions on ill-health retirement for firefighters.

Penny Mordaunt

The rules governing entitlement to an ill-health pension are set out in the firefighters’ pension schemes regulations. A firefighter is entitled to an ill-health pension if they are permanently incapacitated from undertaking their role. Decisions on ill-health retirement are taken by the fire and rescue authority in the first instance and the authority is bound by the opinion of an Independent Qualified Medical Practitioner. A firefighter may appeal against an authority’s decision on an issue of a medical nature to a board of medical referees.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the annual administrative costs of the firefighters pension scheme 1992 and the new firefighters pension scheme 2006.

Penny Mordaunt

The Firefighters’ Pension Schemes are administered locally by individual fire and rescue authorities. No assessment has been made of the administrative costs of the schemes by this Department.