§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a common inquiry into the funding of police and fire service pensions. [18678]
§ Mr. MacleanNo. The Government are not convinced that any radical change is needed on the funding arrangements for police and fire service pensions. In determining support for police authority and local government revenue funding, the Government already244W take into account the increasing amount which currently needs to be spent on pensions for police officers and firefighters.
For 1996–97, an additional £80 million is being made available to police authorities to help fund pension costs. A refinement of the model on which the pensions element of the police funding formula is based will help to ensure that money available for pensions goes where it is most needed.
For the fire service, £14 million has been added to the total in 1996–97 to assist fire authorities in meeting the cost of firefighters' pensions. An additional indicator to reflect pension costs has been built into the distribution formula for the standard spending assessment total.
The details of police and fire pension schemes have both been under review. The results will shortly be the subject of consultation with police and fire interests.