§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will estimate(a) the number of mis-sold personal pensions in Northern Ireland and (b) the number of members in public sector schemes who took out such pensions; and what steps are being taken to ensure reinstatement for those who transferred out of public sector schemes. [10312]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyFor the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments, the information is as follows:
- (a) The numbers are not available.
- (b) The details requested are not held centrally, but the number of members who have opted out of public service occupational pension schemes is somewhere in the region of 2,000 to 2,500. It is not possible to be more specific nor is it possible to identify what proportion of this number switched or transferred out to personal pension providers.
In keeping with Government policy, Departments responsible for public service schemes have introduced, or are in the process of introducing, amendments which allow current employees who were victims of mis-selling to re-enter their occupational pension schemes. The amendments will also facilitate members' restoration to a financial position equivalent to what would have been the case if mis-selling had not occurred.