HC Deb 07 January 2003 vol 397 cc154-5W
Diana Organ

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many retired mineworkers have received a lump sum payment as compensation for low level payments from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme; and how many were from the Forest of Dean coalfield. [87593]

Mr. Timms

To date over £56.9 million has been paid to 42,500 MPS members on the lowest pensions who left British Coal before or shortly after 1975. 57 members with postcodes in the area of the Forest of Dean have been paid.

Diana Organ

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many retired mineworkers from the Forest of Dean coalfield have been turned down for the compensatory lump sum payment to the Mineworkers Pension Scheme. [87594]

Mr. Timms

The Scheme to help those MPS members on the lowest pensions who left British Coal before or shortly after 1975 does not operate on the basis of applications. MPS members who are identified by DTI's agents, Paymaster, as meeting the Scheme's criteria are automatically sent the appropriate sum. While Paymaster, and my Department, both receive enquiries from MPS members about eligibility, no records are kept of the addresses of those advised they are ineligible.

Diana Organ

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to assist those retired mineworkers from the Forest of Dean coalfield who are not eligible for the lump sum payment as compensation for the Mineworkers Pension Scheme owing to them not fulfilling the criteria of being in the scheme for five years from April 1961. [87595]

Mr. Timms

The intention of the scheme to help those MPS members on the lowest pensions who left British Coal before or shortly after 1975 is to address the problem of retired mineworkers who receive very low pensions in spite of lengthy service in the industry. For this reason, mineworkers with less than five years contributory service were excluded. For most MPS members, service prior to April 1961 is not included because they opted to take a refund of contributions with respect to that service, although service prior to April 1961 is counted in the cases of those who chose not to exercise that option. We have no plans to revisit these criteria.