§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the latest position over what moneys have been paid out to former employees, now retired, of Maxwell companies; and what further sums are to be paid out.
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§ Miss. WiddecombeI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 26 October, at column492. Further grants totalling £ 393,000 are being made from the £ 2.5 million emergency funding to assist with payment of November pensions. In addition, state additional pensions are being paid and will continue to be paid to members of Maxwell pension schemes who have been brought back into the state earnings-related pension scheme. The Maxwell Pensioners Trust, which is chaired by Sir John Cuckney, has so far made payments of some £ 17,000 to 47 ex-employees of Maxwell companies who are not members of Maxwell-linked pension schemes. The trustees are considering how best to provide this particularly vulnerable group with long-term financial security.