Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Monday 10th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Pat Glass (North West Durham) (Lab)]

2. What progress his Department has made on resolving the dispute over firefighters’ pensions.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

11. What progress his Department has made on resolving the dispute over firefighters’ pensions.

[Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)]

14. When he next plans to meet firefighters to discuss their pensions.

--- Later in debate ---

[Penny Mordaunt]

There has been extensive debate and consultation on these matters. I have dealt with any outstanding issues in the past few months, including those of the transition of armed forces pension schemes into the firefighters’ pension scheme and fitness protections. The regulations have now been laid, and it is evident from the questions coming from the Opposition that they do not understand the scheme. It is an excellent scheme, and to say otherwise would be to do firefighters a disservice.

[Alex Cunningham]

In a letter to the shadow fire Minister on 5 September, the Minister stated:

“I am conscious that we will only have the ideas for the service to meet future challenges and aspirations if firefighters are engaged and feel an ownership for the service. Trust and good morale are key to this.”

How does refusing to change a single word of the regulation improve morale, and how does refusing to negotiate improve trust?

[Penny Mordaunt]

The irony of the hon. Gentleman’s question might be lost on him, but I am sure that it will not be lost on many Members of the House. There have been several changes to the scheme since it was originally published, including improvements on the 2006 scheme—introduced by Labour—which introduced retirement age at 60, disproportionately penalised firefighters who want to retire early and offered no protections on fitness. We have addressed those issues in the new scheme.