§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out by rank the annual pay rates of all grades of fire officer and retained fire officer, and what are the arrangements for the payment of pensions.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Home Office has no formal involvement in fire service pay negotiations; the following information has been obtained from the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades.
The annual pay rates of chief fire officers are determined at the discretion of the employing authority, but are normally determined in relation to the population within the brigade area. The following table gives details of population ranges and corresponding salary ranges: 508W
Annual pay rates for Chief Fire Officers by population range. Population range Salary range Higher maximum for metropolitan brigades1 Minimum £ Maximum £ £ Up to 240,000 34,689 46,854 240,001 to 360,000 35,592 48,741 360,001 to 460,000 36,885 50,631 460,001 to 600,000 38,259 51,909 600,001 to 760,000 39,651 53,754 760,001 to 940,000 41,040 56,067 940,001 to 1,200,000 41,676 57,570 60,186 1,200,001 to 1,700,000 43,713 58,890 61,566 1,700,001 to 2,300,000 45,123 60,654 63,411 2,300,001 and over 46,668 62,421 65,259 London 53,670 71,784 75,048 1 At the discretion of the employing authority. The annual pay rates for assistant chief officers except those appointed as deputy chief fire officers, are determined in the same way as those for chief fire officers. The salary ranges are set at 75 per cent. of those for chief fire officers for the equivalent population ranges, subject to an underpinning minimum of £34,428. Salary ranges for those appointed as deputy chief fire officers are set at 80 per cent. of those for chief fire officers for the equivalent population ranges, subject to an underpinning minimum of £35,205.
The annual rates of whole-time ranks from firefighter up to senior divisional officer are set out in the following table:
Annual pay rates of wholetime ranks: Firefighter up to and including Senior Divisional Officer Rank Minimum £ Maximum £ Senior Divisional Officer 26,085 128,143 Divisional Officer I 24,234 125,977 Divisional Officer II 21,942 124,321 Divisional Officer III 20,664 122,152 Assistant Divisional Officer 19,290 121,090 Station Officer 18,300 119,740 Sub-officer 15,777 17,016 Leading firefighter 15,390 16,020 Firefighter 11,313 215,009 Notes:
1Ranks at Station Officer and above may attract a flexible duty supplement of 20 per cent.
2Subject to being fully qualified.
The annual retainers for retained firefighters are set out in the following table:
Annual retainers for retained firefighters Rank One to three years' service £ More than three years' service £ Station Officer and above 1,716 1,944 Sub-officer 11,413 11,521 Leading firefighter 1,371 1,413 Firefighter 1,257 1,371 1 Enhanced payments are made to Sub-officers in charge of fire stations. In addition, retained firefighters are paid fees for attendance at incidents, attendance at drill nights and extra duties. Retained firefighters are also eligible for payments under the long service bounty scheme. The arrangements for the payments of pensions are as follows. Whole-time firefighters are pensioned under an unfunded statutory scheme, the provisions of which are 509W administered locally by fire authorities. Members contribute 10.75 per cent. of their basic pay towards the cost of their benefits. The balance is met by the employing authorities, supported through the revenue support grant system. Retained firefighters qualify for payments in respect of injury benefits in certain circumstances, but are otherwise not involved in the occupational scheme.