Tag: Lyn Brown

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.

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 the Government Actuary’s Department has considered what accrual rate for the proposed 2015 firefighters’ pension scheme would allow retirement at 55 without an actuarial reduction.

Penny Mordaunt

A reformed firefighters’ pension scheme that provided for early retirement before the Normal Pension Age of 60, without an actuarial reduction, would be unlawful under the terms of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish his Department’s risk assessment of the potential under-resourcing of fire and rescue services during strike action.

Brandon Lewis

The levels of crewing available for each authority, whether or not during periods of strike action, are dependent upon a number of factors. These include the duty system being worked locally, availability of on-call firefighters and, during strike periods, local contingency arrangements, which are the responsibility of each fire and rescue authority. The Department collects details of appliance availability from local fire and rescue authorities on a confidential basis. The arrangements for business continuity planning during strike action are kept under review by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.

The principles of the recall to duty protocol, published as National Joint Council for Fire and Rescue Services Circular NJC/09/13, were agreed between the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, the Fire Brigades Union and the National Employers. Appendix 1 applies to fire and rescue authorities in England and makes clear that the Chief Fire Officers are responsible for arrangements locally, in accordance with their service’s major incident policies. I am confident that should there be a major disaster, striking firefighters would return to work.

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 administration costs of the proposed 2015 firefighters’ pension scheme.

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many crew were available in each fire and rescue authority area during the 24-hour strike on 12 June 2014; and how many crew are available in each area on non-strike days.

Brandon Lewis

The levels of crewing available for each authority, whether or not during periods of strike action, are dependent upon a number of factors. These include the duty system being worked locally, availability of on-call firefighters and, during strike periods, local contingency arrangements, which are the responsibility of each fire and rescue authority. The Department collects details of appliance availability from local fire and rescue authorities on a confidential basis. The arrangements for business continuity planning during strike action are kept under review by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.

The principles of the recall to duty protocol, published as National Joint Council for Fire and Rescue Services Circular NJC/09/13, were agreed between the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, the Fire Brigades Union and the National Employers. Appendix 1 applies to fire and rescue authorities in England and makes clear that the Chief Fire Officers are responsible for arrangements locally, in accordance with their service’s major incident policies. I am confident that should there be a major disaster, striking firefighters would return to work.