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9 Mar 2006 : Column 1748W—continued
Fire Service
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he plans to give to local fire authorities on the number and location of fire stations in (a) Peterborough and (b) other sustainable communities growth areas; and if he will make a statement. [54813]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Fire and Rescue Authorities are required by the Fire and Rescue Service 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. It is, therefore, for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority to determine appropriate fire cover in its area including the number and location of fire stations in (a) Peterborough and (b) other sustainable communities growth areas.
It is also not the role of Ministers to agree the operational proposals in an authority's plan; that is for elected members of the authority concerned. They are best placed to act on the professional advice of principal officers and to balance the competing local demands on available resources for the benefits of the communities they serve.
Firefighters' Pay/Pension Scheme
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average firefighters' pay was in each of the last 25 years; and what the percentage increase in current prices was in each year. [56208]
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Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proposed changes to the Firefighter's Pension Scheme; [51499]
(2) what the proposed retirement age is for firefighters under the proposed changes to the Firefighters' Pension Scheme; and what the existing retirement age is. [51500]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The minimum pension age for firefighters in the existing Firefighters' Pension Scheme is age 50 and the normal pension age 55. We are preparing a pension scheme for new entrants to the Fire and Rescue Service from April 2006. In the new scheme, which has been the subject of consultation, the minimum pension age will be age 55 and the normal pension age 60.
Changes are being made to the existing scheme from April 2006 to ensure compliance with the new tax regime for pensions and to facilitate the new arrangements for financing firefighters' pensions which were announced through a written statement on 29 November 2005. We are also amending the basis on which ill-health pensions will be awarded: a firefighter who is permanently disabled from undertaking any of the duties of his role but is capable of other regular employment will be entitled to receive an unenhanced pension. The pension will be enhanced on the same basis as at present if the firefighter is unfit to undertake regular employment.
As part of the changes needed to ensure the pension scheme is compliant with the new tax regime, we are establishing a separate compensation scheme for firefighters which will provide injury awards for firefighters on the same basis as is currently available in the Firefighters' Pension Scheme.
Firelink
Mike Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what rules applied to the acceptance by his Department of hospitality from bidders during the process of awarding the Firelink contract; and what assessment he has made of compliance with such rules. [57144]
Jim Fitzpatrick: There are standard departmental rules in relation to the acceptance of gifts, benefits and hospitality. The rules on the acceptance of hospitality are set out in the Staff Handbook. An overriding rule governing the acceptance of gifts, benefits and hospitality is that:
conduct in a private capacity must not foster the suspicion of any conflict between your official duty and private interests; conduct whilst acting in an official capacity must not give the impression—to any member of the public, to any organisation with whom you deal or to your colleagues—that you have been (or may have been) influenced by a gift or consideration to show favour or disfavour to any person or organisation;
you must not accept any gifts, benefits or hospitality—either directly or through a third party (i.e., a family member or friend) that would, or might appear to:
place you under any obligation to an individual or organisation making the offer; compromise your impartiality or otherwise be improper;
any gifts, benefits or hospitality must be refused if either you or the Office are in any doubt about the propriety of accepting them.
The Permanent Secretary is final arbiter on the advisability of acceptance or refusal of gifts, hospitality, etc.
I am assured that officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister adhered fully to these.
Mike Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the role and responsibilities of Mr. Tom Carroll were in the procurement process relating to the Firelink contract. [57145]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Mr. Carroll had no direct role or responsibility in relation to the Firelink procurement. Mr. Carroll is the president of the Chief Fire Officers' Association for the period 30 April 2005 to 8 April 2006. The Association nominated a representative to act as senior user on the Firelink project board and to chair its Principal Users Group.
Graffiti
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1)what plans he has to extend the powers of local authorities to remove graffiti from (a) street furniture and (b) educational institutions; [56720]
(2) what plans he has to give local communities a formal mechanism to request and ensure that action is taken to remove graffiti. [56721]
Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are keen to improve the accountability between the police, local authorities and other service providers and the public. The Community Call for Action provisions contained in the Police and Justice Bill will give more power to local communities and provide a mechanism for local communities to demand a response from agencies to persistent local community safety or antisocial behaviour problems, via an approach to their ward councillor. The Respect programme will ensure effective dialogue between local people and services by introducing regular and systematic face the people" briefing sessions, involving senior representation from the police and local authorities. These sessions will provide a further opportunity for communities to make clear their priorities and to hold those responsible for service delivery to account.
They will also allow senior staff to engage the community in tackling local problems, raising issues where they can take action to help combat antisocial behaviour, including graffiti. In addition to this, the Home Office, in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is developing a new three digit single non-emergency number to provide the public direct access to community safety advice, information and action to tackle antisocial behaviour, including graffiti. The Government's commitment towards neighbourhood policing will benefit every area by 2008, enabling graffiti to be tackled as a priority when local communities identify this as one of their key concerns.
Local Authority Pensions
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 879W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on local authority pensions, what
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estimate the Government have made of the expenditure of local authorities in England on the local government pension scheme in (a) 2006–07 and (b) each year from 1997–98 to 2004–05. [56052]
Mr. Woolas: Contributions to the local government pension scheme (LGPS) by all LGPS employers in England from 1997–98 to 2004–05 total:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1,520 |
| 1998–99 | 1,788 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,972 |
| 2000–01 | 2,273 |
| 2001–02 | 2,617 |
| 2002–03 | 2,916 |
| 2003–04 | 3,217 |
| 2004–05 | 3,544 |
It is estimated that local authority employers' expenditure will be about 80 per cent. of these costs.
The 2004 actuarial valuation showed that LGPS employers in England were expected to contribute approximately 14 to 15 per cent. of pensionable payroll to the scheme in 2006–07. The actual total contribution will not be available until the end of 2007.
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