Mineworkers Pension Scheme (Hansard, 20 December 1994)

§ Ms Walley
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will investigate the withdrawal by Apedale Hall Ltd.,1038W Ashbourne, Derbyshire, of miners from the mineworkers pension scheme before vesting day.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
The participation of a private sector small-mine licensee in the mineworkers pension scheme is a matter for the company and the scheme.

§ Ms Walley
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the transfer of miners' pensions from the mineworkers pension scheme to the new industry-wide scheme.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
There will be no general transfer of miners' past service pension entitlements from the mineworkers pension scheme to the new industry-wide mineworkers pension scheme. Entitlements of pensioners and deferred pensioners from service before privatisation will remain in the mineworkers pension scheme, in which pension increases linked to the retail prices index are now guaranteed by Government. Contributing members of the mineworkers pension scheme will have the right at privatisation to transfer to the industry-wide scheme for pension accruals from future employment in the coal industry and can choose either to leave their accrued rights from past service in the mineworkers pension scheme or to transfer them to the new scheme.

§ Mr. Etherington
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will investigate the sending of letters dated 11, 17 and 24 November to the National Union of Mineworkers requesting nominations for trustees for the new industry-wide mineworkers pension scheme in the same parcel of documents; and what was the deadline for nominations.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
The National Union of Mineworkers was invited to nominate trustee directors for the industry-wide mineworkers pension scheme in a letter dated 10 November and delivered by hand the next day. Nominations were requested by 30 November. Further letters relating to the scheme arrangements were sent separately as dated. I understand that the NUM nominated three trustee directors at the earliest possible moment after the meeting of its executive on 8 December.