We reported earlier in the year, that the Government was facing calls for a judicial review over its handling of the McCloud remedy costs, and that we would keep you informed of progress.
On 4 July, the Fire Brigades Union (and other complainants) were indeed granted a judicial review, which means the courts will now decide if the Government was acting lawfully by including the ‘McCloud Remedy’ costs within the 2015 Public Service Pension Schemes’ Cost Control Mechanism (CCM). This is not a decision in favour of the complainants and the courts could find in favour of the Government. We have already stated publicly that we believe the Government has acted against both the letter and the spirit of the 2015 Scheme agreement, and that the costs associated with the McCloud Remedy should not be included within the CCM.
As we have reported previously, the Society has secured an undertaking from the MoD that if the judicial review were to be successful, any resulting improvements in 2015 Public Service Pension Scheme benefits would be equally applicable to AFPS 15 members.
There is nothing you can do now to work out the ‘so what for me?’ question, and it is likely to be some time before a date for the judicial review is known. We continue to monitor this situation as it develops and keep you posted.
