§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in respect of the Mineworkers' Pension Schemes surpluses; and what the nature of the representations were. [115557]
§ Mrs. LiddellI have received a number of representations on the subject of coal pension surpluses. Some have called for a re-examination of the guarantee/surplus sharing arrangements established in 1994 to safeguard members' pension entitlements; some have drawn attention to pension entitlements in respect of pre-1975 service, while others have urged greater access to early pensions.
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§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to him by the trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Schemes seeking renegotiation of the agreement relating to the 50 per cent. clawback by Government of the pension funds surpluses; and on what dates these representations were made. [115554]
§ Mrs. LiddellI met the Chairman of the Trustees of the coal pension schemes on 20 January to discuss the proposals in the recent Coalfield Communities Campaign report "It's the Miners' Money", as well as alternative ways of building on the success of the schemes' investments.
The Trustees of the coal pension schemes (the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme) made no representations to me relating to renegotiation of the Government guarantee/surplus sharing arrangements established with the Schemes in 1994.
My Department is, however, in regular discussion with the Trustees over ways in which future benefits might be improved.