§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has yet received a copy of the accounts of the mineworkers' pension scheme (a) for 1982 and (b) for 1983; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe last report and accounts of the mineworkers' pension scheme, for the year ended 30 September 1981, were published in September 1982 and a copy forwarded to my Department. There is no statutory obligation on the scheme to produce a report, and no signed accounts have been produced since then. The duties of its trustees in relation to the scheme are presently the subject of an action in the courts.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list his powers to make payments to, and in respect of, the mineworkers' pension scheme; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what payments he has made to, and in respect of, the mineworkers' pension scheme in each of the last five years, specifying the statutory authorities in each case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe National Coal Board (Finance) Act 1976 provides that the Secretary of State may reimburse to the National Coal Board expenditure that it has incurred in reducing or eliminating deficiencies of the mineworkers' pension scheme, which relate to liabilities in respect of persons who left the coal industry before 6 April 1975. The amounts reimbursed in each of the last five years, together with the authority to make payments at these levels, are as follows:
Year Amount £ Authority 1983–84 60,430,000 SI 1984 No. 456 1982–83 57,930,000 SI 1983 No. 459 1981–82 54,280,000 SI 1982 No. 406 1980–81 49,280,000 SI 1981 No. 470 1979–80 41,080,000 SI 1980 No. 433