DEVON AND SOMERSET FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
February 4, 2008 11:38 AM
In support of the Fire Service I recently asked the following Parliamentary Questions:
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: Finance
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service funding for 2008-09. [183087]
Mr. Parmjit Dhanda MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State): During the consultation for the 2008-09 to 2010-11 Local Government Finance settlement, the Department received two representations, both from the authority, regarding funding for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority.
Since the consultation deadline of 8 January 2008, the Department has received three further letters regarding funding for Devon and Somerset FRA, one from the authority and two from hon. Members. The main issue in all these representations relates to the changes to the funding of the firefighter pension scheme that occurred in the 2006-07 settlement.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will assess the impact of the proposed grant settlement for Devon and Somerset Fire Service for 2008-09 on fire service cover and public safety in Ilfracombe. [183089]
Mr. Dhanda: Formula Grant is an unhypothecated block grant, and authorities have no restrictions as to how they use their formula grant allocation on the services they provide.
Fire and Rescue Authorities are required by the Fire and Rescue National Framework to have in place and maintain an Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP process is about developing local and flexible plans to manage the risks of fire and all kinds of other emergencies, based on up to date local evidence, which will provide communities with a better targeted service and improved value for money. Each authority is responsible for determining its policies and standards for prevention and intervention in the light of the risks identified.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: Pensions
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will assess the impact of changes to fire-fighters' pensions on Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service as compared to other fire services. [183088]
Mr. Dhanda: The new financing arrangements for firefighters' pensions were designed to counter the yearly volatility in pension expenditure and to ensure authorities' budgets reflect the cost of providing their services. The benefits should be judged over a period, not just a single year. All fire and rescue authorities have been provided with pensions top-up grant to cover
deficits in their pension funds in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The deficits are expected to increase over the next three years with corresponding increases in grant.
The New Firefighters' Pension Scheme 2006 was designed to ensure the affordability of special pension arrangements for firefighters while aiding recruitment and retention. The admission of retained firefighters, who had been excluded from the 1992 Firefighters' Pension Scheme, was designed to ensure equal treatment with regular firefighters. Although the 1992 and 2006 schemes are national, they are administered locally by fire and rescue authorities, who will interpret their application to the circumstances of individual firefighters. This makes a valid comparison between authorities difficult to achieve.
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