Harewood House hosts drive-in films

LEEDS: Harewood House will be home to a huge drive-in cinema event in June.

The Luna Cinema will take up residence from June 3 to 21, screening everything from Grease to Notting Hill and Dirty Dancing.

The venue will host between 180 and 400 cars and there will be a single screening each evening for seven nights.

GOVERNMENT CUTS to public service pension schemes have gone too far, according to unions, after an official report found that reforms have led to employees contributing “substantially more” to their pensions.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said total payments from the four largest public service pension schemes, covering the armed forces, civil service, NHS and teachers, have doubled in real terms over the last 20 years, to £33.5bn.

Of this increase, £10.1bn is a result of a 69 per cent rise in the number of pensioners, to 2.8m, between 1999-2000 and 2019-20.

The average annual pension for members of the four schemes has increased over the past 20 years by 16 per cent in real terms to around £10,000, said the report.

Male scheme members receive £14,100 on average annually, compared with £7,750 for women, a 45 per cent difference, said the NAO, adding that men earn more over their careers and so build up a higher pension.

As a result of reforms between 2011 and 2015, employees are contributing “substantially more” to their pensions – around £2,700 on average in 2019-20 – or 8.5 per cent of the average salary, said the report.

This is a 33 per cent increase in real terms from 2009-10, while during the same period, average pay fell in real terms by 12 per cent.

Even though total employee contributions have increased, the taxpayer’s proportion of total pension funding, at £25.4bn in 2019-20, remains the same as 10 years ago at around 75 per cent of the total costs, said the report. The Treasury said: “We are committed to ensuring public sector staff receive suitable pension payments, and their pensions offering remains generous when compared to the private sector.”

CAMPAIGNERS FOR gypsies and the travelling community have said a proposed government Bill could see the way of life jeopardised for thousands who have lived nomadically for generations.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill passed its first reading 359 to 263 in a Commons vote on Tuesday.

As part of efforts to overhaul the justice system, Home Secretary Priti Patel, pictured, has proposed a raft of changes in the Bill, including new punishments for trespassing, powers to seize vehicles, fines of up to £2,500, and potential prison sentences.

Gypsy campaign groups have said the proposed laws could lead to discrimination against travellers living in roadside camps and make existing inequalities worse.

Just 21.7 per cent of police bodies support making trespass a criminal offence, according to Friends, Families and Travellers.

Abbie Kirkby, advice and policy manager at Friends, Families and Travellers, said: “These alarming proposals in parts of this Government Bill seek to clampdown on some of our fundamental freedoms and rights and are a direct attack on nomadic Gypsies and Travellers.

“Some of the cruellest measures enable the seizure of a gypsy or traveller’s home and a new criminal offence of trespass will further eradicate the age-old cultural traditions of nomadism.”

The charity said the new laws could contravene travellers’ human rights.

Leeds Gypsy And Traveller Exchange has encouraged travellers to write to their MPs to speak out against the Bill.

In a tweet, they wrote: “We are devastated that the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill was passed. The negative impact this could have on our families is absolutely terrifying.”

There are some 22,710 traveller caravans in England, according to the Government, 12 per cent of which are on unauthorised land.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The vast majority of travellers are law abiding, and we recognise their right to follow a nomadic way of life in line with their cultural heritage, so any measures introduced will comply with equality and human rights obligations.

“This new offence will enable the police to arrest those residing on private or public land in vehicles who refuse to leave when asked to do so, in order to stop significant damage, disruption and distress being caused.”