Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee Draft Report

CLA(4)-01-15

CLA477 - The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2014

This Order amends Schedule 1 to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) Order 2007. The amendments—

(a)      make minor corrections to the New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) (“the Scheme”) set out in that Schedule;

(b)      amend the Scheme to provide those persons who were employed in Wales as retained firefighters during the period from 1 July 2000 to 5 April 2006 inclusive with access to a pension scheme for that period;

(c)      introduce new provisions.

Procedure:  Negative

Technical Scrutiny

The following points are identified for reporting under Standing Order 21.2 in respect of this instrument.

1.       Paragraph (b) of the definition of ‘volunteer firefighter’ on page 11 does not read correctly as it refers to “firefighting  (whether instead of, or in addition to, engaging in firefighting).”  It appears that additional words, such as those included in the definition of ‘retained firefighter’ on the following page, should have been included.

[Standing Order 21.2(vi) – defective drafting]

Merits Scrutiny

No points are identified for reporting under Standing Order 21.3 in respect of this instrument.

Legal Advisers

Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee

December 2014

Government’s Response

It is accepted that there has been an error as described in the Report. We will draw this to the attention of fire and rescue authorities and firefighters’ representatives and make the correction in the next available order amending the pension scheme.