§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is for planning purposes of net pension fund obligations, pensions less contribution, for(a) the London Fire Service and (b) all UK fire services in financial years (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2005–06 and (d) 2010–11; and how these obligations will be financed. [127322]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe available figures, provided by the Local Government Association's Fire Service Expenditure Forecasting Group, are:
£ million 2000–01 2001–02 London 65.3 73.5 England 250 275 Under the Central Local Partnership the Home Office works closely with the Forecasting Group to assess future resource demands for the following three years. The Group does not prepare longer range projections. Its assessments of future funding pressures, including pensions, are taken into account by the Government in the Spending Review process.
The provision of revenue funding for the fire services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved Administrations.