HC Deb 07 March 1988 vol 129 c77W
Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton),Official Report, 9 February, column 126, if an employee of the Crown Suppliers will receive all pension rights under the principal Civil Service pension scheme, including benefits payable in respect of premature retirement, in the event of the sale of the Crown Suppliers; and if he will make a statement;

(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton), Official Report, column 126, what specific steps will be taken to ensure that Crown Suppliers employees in any privatised regime will have pensions comparable with those which they now possess; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope

Work on how best to effect the sale of the Crown Suppliers is at an early stage, and it is too soon to specify the precise steps which will be taken to give staff pension rights broadly comparable to those which they now possess.