Armed Forces Pension Scheme

HC Deb 14 April 2003 vol 403 cc565-6W

Mr. Stephen O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Armed Forces pension scheme. [108923]

Dr. Moonie

The Ministry of Defence has been considering responses to the consultation paper on a new Armed Forces Pension Scheme which it published in March 2001. These included comments from Service personnel, from the ex-Service community and from the House of Commons Defence Committee. Our work on the review is also taking account of proposals in the Government's two pensions Green Papers published in December 2002. I expect to receive shortly recommendations for the revision of the original proposals reflecting this further work, and to publish the Government's final decisions on the design of a new scheme before the summer recess.