HC Deb 20 December 2000 vol 360 cc175-6W
Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of(a) the September oil refinery blockades and (b) measures taken by Railtrack

the Court's decision. The trustees have sole responsibility for decisions on, and the timing of, distribution to pensioners.

I understand that so far some 20,000 NBC pensioners whose pension entitlement was secured with Standard Life have received interim payments from the settlement and that the trustees are now preparing proposals for the final distribution with the intention of obtaining Court approval for them as soon as possible.

Inevitably the trustees face a complex and substantial task in completing the distribution, but we have made clear to them that we wish to see the task completed without any unnecessary delay.

The trustees are accountable under law for the proper conduct of the trust's business.