UNFUNDED PROPORTION OF RELEVANT PENSION OBLIGATIONS

HC Deb 25 March 1980 vol 981 cc1336-8

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I understand that amendment No. 81 is not desired to be moved.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

A slip has been made in the tabling of amendment No. 81, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It was intended to follow up an offer of a manuscript amendment that was made in Committee. At that stage the Government sought to insert the words contained in this amendment, or similar words, in line 25 on page 42 of the Bill. Unfortunately in drafting the amendment for Report an error was made, and the Amendment Paper refers to the words appearing in line 20. The words would make sense, as a matter of law, in line 20, and if I recollect the Committee proceedings, that would be more welcome to the Opposition.

In Committee the Government undertook to enter into a duty to consult the various bodies concerned before the final, second determination of the unfunded proportion of each pension fund. We made it clear that we were not prepared to enter into an undertaking that bound us to consult by statute on the first rough and ready determination of the unfunded proportion.

We intend the words in the amendment to apply only to clause 45(1)(b) and not to (1)(a) as well. If the Opposition are prepared to treat what I am now saying as moving a manuscript amendment in the terms of amendment No. 81 by substituting line 25 for line 20, I commend the manuscript amendment to the House.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

I am not quite sure what has been proposed.

Mr. Clarke

I shall move amendment No. 81, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I shall then seek the leave of the House to withdraw it. I shall then move a manuscript amendment that will be in the same terms except that it will have line 25 in the place of line 20.

I beg to move amendment No. 81, in page 42, line 20, at beginning insert: 'After consulting with the persons administering the scheme and the Board or, as the case may be, the successor company'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

At the moment I think that we are discussing amendment No. 81. The Chair has been informed of the manuscript amendment and has selected it. We are dealing with amendment No. 81 and amendment (a).

Mr. Booth

I am tempted to take advantage of the amendment, but I shall not do so. I acknowledge that there was a genuine mistake. When I first read the amendment I found it enlightening. It seemed that all our arguments in Committee about the importance of consultation on the initial determination of the unfunded proportion had fallen not on stony ground, as we thought, but on fertile ground. It has never been our claim that the Government are infallible. I accept that in this instance an error has been made. The Opposition will not seek to oppose the withdrawal of the amendment.

Mr. Clarke

I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. I shall seek to be allowed to move formally the manuscript amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Manuscript amendment made: In page 42, line 25, at beginning insert: 'After consulting with the persons administering the scheme and the Board or, as the case may be, the successor company'.—[Mr. Kenneth Clarke.]