§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the chairmanship of the Occupational Pensions Board.
§ Mr. FowlerI have appointed Mr. R. W Abbot, CBE, deputy chairman of the Occupational Pensions Board, to be chairman of the board from 1 July 1982 in succession to Lord Brimelow, GCMG, OBE, whose term of office comes to an end on 30 June.
Lord Brimelow has been chairman of the board since July 1978. Under his chairmanship, the board has maintained its successful and authoritative discharge of its executive and advisory duties, including the consolidation of the contracting-out arrangements under the State pension scheme, and the production of its report on early leavers. I understand that its study of the solvency of occupational pension schemes is now nearly completed, and I look forward to receiving its report in the near future. I should like to pay tribute to the board in general, and to Lord Brimelow in particular, for the board's achievements during his chairmanship, and for the maintenance of the standards of and respect for the board. I take this opportunity to express the Government's, and my own, gratitude to Lord Brimelow for all that he has achieved during his term of office.