Warning Over 'Dad's Army' Defence Force 22.04.13
5A cross-party group of MPs has warned the Government against plans that critics say will create a 'Dad's Army' defence force for Britain's nuclear deterrent bases.
The Public Sector Pensions Bill will set a pension age of 60 for civilian police and firemen. But it raises the pensionable age of the 3,500 police and firemen employed by the Ministry of Defence to 65, with the expectation of a further rise to at least 68.
In a letter published in The Times today MPs including the Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley and Liberal Democrats Nick Harvey and Alan Reid said the disparity should be overturned.
When the Public Sector Pensions Bill was sent to the House of Lords in January, an amendment was voted by peers to bring the MOD police and firefighters into line with their civilian counterparts.The Bill receives its second reading in the Commons today.