§ 16. Mr. A. Robertsasked the Paymaster-General what alteration of the regulations governing the Mineworkers' Pension Fund are required to make it possible to pay a pension or gratuity to retired mineworkers not in receipt of an industrial pension.
§ Mr. MaudlingI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the proposal that pensions should be paid out of the Mineworkers' Pension Fund to miners who retired before the scheme was introduced. The provisions of the Coal Industry Nationalisation (Superannuation) Regulations, 1950, permit the payment of such pensions, subject to the Minister's approval, but for the reasons given in reply to the hon. Member on 24th November last my noble Friend has been unable to approve any proposals submitted to him to date.
As a result of a joint approach from the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mineworkers, my noble Friend is now giving further consideration to the problems involved.