Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (England)

Jake Berry Excerpts

Monday 15th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Helen Jones (Warrington North) (Lab)]

When the Minister has finished lecturing the House, will she kindly tell us why, if there is no alternative to what she proposes, the dispute has been settled in various parts of the United Kingdom, within the same financial envelope? Why can she not even say how much this unnecessary dispute is costing the public?

[Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) (Con)]

rose—

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will take an intervention from my hon. Friend.

[Jake Berry]

Let me return to the pertinent point—today’s debate is important and members of the fire service who are in the Gallery will want to hear it. I visited Rossendale Rawtenstall fire station and had a meeting with the Fire Brigades Union. Its two main areas of concern are, first, someone’s ability to be redeployed in the service at a similar level of pay and pension contribution if they fail the fitness test; and, secondly, some members of the fire service are disproportionately affected by having 20 years of service but not being 45 at the date specified. Will the Minister provide further assurances?