Recently I’ve received quite a few concerns regarding EDM 454 and the pensions’ scheme for firefighters. As a member of the party that introduced the state pension for the first time way back in 1908, I know how important it is to protect people from poverty in old age. Firefighters provide the British public with a vitally important service and consistently put themselves in danger in order to protect us. I fully appreciate that the physical stresses of doing this require a careful evaluation of what constitutes a fair and reasonable pension age. With people living longer, though, I think it is vital that government does look again at how we deliver the changes that are needed to ensure that pensions remain sustainable and affordable for the long term. The key is to strike the right balance. After two years of negotiations and changes, firefighters will still get one of the most generous public service pensions available - £26,000 a year after a full career, including the £7,000 state pension. Someone in the private sector would have to contribute twice as much to get the same pension. The changes to firefighters pensions will see firefighters treated in the same way as the army and police, similarly physical occupations. The Medical Director of Working Fit was commissioned to review the Normal Pension Age (NPA) as part of the fire service reforms. His report found that the majority of firefighters can work until age 60, provided they are sufficiently fit when recruited, maintain a healthy lifestyle and undertake a similar level of fitness training to that which is recommended to members of the general public. The report also found that women were also able to serve until age 60, provided they too were recruited at the right levels of fitness. Dr Williams concluded that even for firefighters who do lose fitness, the vast majority are able to regain their fitness levels following remedial training. If a firefighter is unfit due to a qualifying medical reason, then they are eligible for ill-health retirement. Operational and staffing matters are left to each fire and rescue authority to manage, including providing redeployment opportunities where they are able to do so. In May 2012 the Government published a Proposed Final Agreement on reforms to the Firefighters Pension Schemes in England. After further detailed discussions, this offer was revised in June. This new offer included lower employee pension contributions from 2015, a better pension for firefighters retiring from age 55, and a Joint Working Group to look at the FBUs concerns on fitness management. No one will be forced to work longer and firefighters will still be able to retire from age 55 with a fair pension. A greater proportion of firefighters are protected from pension reform changes than any other large public service workforce and it is worth noting that one in three firefighters already have a retirement age of 60 due to the pension scheme changes implemented in 2006. 60 was also the original NPA, set in the fire service in 1925. In addition, an independent review found that, based on current practices, 100 per cent of firefighters who remain physically active will still be operational at age 60. I hope it is helpful in setting out my position on this issue.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:33:23 +0000