Commentary on Sections and Schedules General Section 36: Defence Fire and Rescue Service and Ministry of Defence Police: review
211.Section 36 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of how the provisions of section 10 are likely to affect members of the Ministry of Defence Police and the Defence Fire and Rescue Service.
212.Subsection (1) provides that the Secretary of State must carry out a review of the likely effect of section 10 on members of the Ministry of Defence Police and the Defence Fire and Rescue Service (the latter being defined in subsection (3)). These workforces come within the definition of “civil servants” and so will be affected by the link to state pension age in section 10(1). This review must be carried out within six months of the commencement of section 10.
213.Subsection (2) sets out three elements that must be covered in the review. They are the likely effect of section 10 on the health and well-being of members of these workforces, the likely effect of section 10 on their ability to continue to meet Ministry of Defence operational requirements, and the extent to which they are likely to take early retirement in consequence of the section 10 provisions (and on the consequences of early retirement to early retirees and the taxpayer).