Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to make formal proposals to end the ongoing dispute on firefighters' pensions based on the alternative costed options within the proposed cost ceiling which were released on 12 June 2014; and if he will make a statement on progress towards resolving that dispute.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July 2014, Official Report, column 610W. The consultation on the draft regulations has now concluded and it remains premature to pre-empt its outcome. Progress towards resolving this dispute remains entirely in the hands of the Fire Brigades Union.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to make formal proposals to end the ongoing dispute on firefighters' pensions based on the alternative costed options within the proposed cost ceiling which were released on 12 June 2014; and if he will make a statement on progress towards resolving that dispute.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July 2014, Official Report, column 610W. The consultation on the draft regulations has now concluded and it remains premature to pre-empt its outcome. Progress towards resolving this dispute remains entirely in the hands of the Fire Brigades Union.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons he reversed the appeal decision in Gateshead Borough, ref 2193211.
Answered by Nick Boles
When appeal 2193211 was first received by the Planning Inspectorate in February 2013, the agent, acting for the appellant, indicated in the appeal form the hearing method as the preferred choice of procedure. They felt this was appropriate as consideration should be given to complex matters requiring technical expert evidence. The Planning Inspectorate wrote to the local planning authority who indicated they felt written representations would suffice.
After considering the information provided and applying the published criteria for determining the procedure the Planning Inspectorate applied Section 319a of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and determined the written representations method was proportionate in the circumstances. No further correspondence regarding the choice of procedure was received and the appeal proceeded according to the timetable set out in the start letter which also explained the choice of procedure. The agent and the local planning authority submitted, as part of the appeal evidence, a statement of common ground which included agreement that the relevant requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied.
Upon receipt of the decision, dated 29 August 2013, the appellant lodged an appeal with the High Court as he felt the requirements of paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework were satisfied, whereas the Inspector had found they were not, and that this information could have been examined verbally had the procedure been a Hearing.
To allow for procedural fairness, it was agreed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that the appeal would be re-determined by a different Inspector and would follow a Hearing or Public Inquiry once representations and considerations had been sought from the principal parties. A date for the Hearing event has been fixed for 23 July 2014.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, by what process planning decisions can be reversed at the discretion of a court.
Answered by Nick Boles
Challenges to planning appeal decisions are made under Section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
If a challenge is successful the High Court will normally return the case to the Planning Inspectorate for it to be decided again. This does not necessarily mean that the original decision will be changed or reversed.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bristol North West, Official Report, column 152W, on fire services: pensions, if he will publish outstanding information requested by the Fire Brigades Union.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
On 12 June I published all of the costings that the Fire Brigades Union requested the Government Actuary's Department to undertake on their behalf. The costings and related communications can be found at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-schemereforms.
I also placed copies in the Library of the House.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bristol North West, Official Report, column 152W, on fire services: pensions, if he will publish outstanding information requested by the Fire Brigades Union.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
On 12 June I published all of the costings that the Fire Brigades Union requested the Government Actuary's Department to undertake on their behalf. The costings and related communications can be found at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-schemereforms.
I also placed copies in the Library of the House.