§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money the Government have(a) become entitled to and (b) taken each year since 1994 from the surpluses of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme. [145691]
§ Mr. HainUnder the terms of guarantee/surplus sharing arrangements agreed with the Trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Schemes (MPS) in 1994, the Government are entitled to receive 50 per cent. of any scheme surpluses. Annual Government entitlements following surpluses at MPS valuations in 1996 and 1999 are as follows:
Year £million 1997–98 113 1998–99 113 1999–2000 113 2000–01 196 Corresponding Government receipts over the same period were:
Year £ million 1997–98 113 1998–99 113 1999–2000 10 2000–01 1257 1 The timing and size of receipts in these years has been affected by ongoing uncertainty over the tax status of certain MPS sub-funds