National Bus Company Pensions Action (Hansard, 26 October 1998)

§ Lord Whitty

Litigation was set in train by the decision of the previous government to offer the trustees funding to pursue this matter through the courts. In view of this it would not have been appropriate to begin negotiations on a settlement until the details of this complex case had been fully prepared and all the relevant facts and arguments were known to and considered by both parties. The trustees submitted the final part of their claims in July this year. The Government received strong legal advice that they should lodge their own response with the court before opening discussions on an out of court settlement. The Secretary of State initiated settlement discussions as soon as that stage was reached.