Pension Scheme
PRESS RELEASE
From the office of Gordon Henderson
Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Sittingbourne & Sheppey
Release dated: 24th February 2004
Release time: Immediate
Subject: Opposition Day Motion on Pension Scheme Windups
Gordon Henderson, who is the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Sittingbourne & Sheppey, has welcomed news that Conservatives in Parliament have used their Opposition Day debate to support the ASW pensioners in their battle to obtain compensation for the loss of their pension when their company pension scheme was wound up.
Mr Henderson said:
‘I am delighted that Michael Howard thinks this issue is so important that he used one the precious days allocated for an Opposition debate to put down a motion censuring the Government’s stance on occupational pensions.
‘I know that Michael has taken a personal interest in this issue since he visited Sittingbourne & Sheppey just before Christmas. At that time I was able to introduce him to Keith Plowman, a member of the ASW pension campaign group, who briefed Michael on the plight of the pensioners.
‘I was also able to arrange a meeting between Keith, his colleague Andrew Parr, and Nigel Waterson MP, who is the Shadow Minister for Pensions. At that meeting Andrew and Keith put their case in a coherent, responsible, yet forthright way.
‘I know that Nigel Waterson was very impressed with the presentation made by Keith and Andrew and I am sure that the concerns they expressed contributed towards the decision of Michael and his colleagues to put down this motion today.’
……ends……..
Note to editors; A copy of the motion is attached.
Contact details for Gordon Henderson
Day time telephone: 07866 719923
Evening telephone: 01795 669108
Fax: 01795 666998
Email: gordonhenderson@smsinternet.co.uk
PENSION SCHEME WIND-UPS
Michael Howard
Oliver Letwin
David Willetts
Paul Goodman
Nigel Waterson
David Maclean
That this House condemns the Government’s inaction in the face of the crisis in occupational pensions; regrets that the Pensions Bill will do nothing to encourage people to save for their retirement or companies to keep open existing defined benefit schemes, let alone start new ones; recognises with regret that the Pensions Bill will do nothing to help the estimated 60,000 members of schemes who have lost all or most of their pension entitlement; notes that the Government has twice reduced the minimum funding requirement as well as removing £35 billion in extra taxes from pension funds and has conspicuously failed to amend the priority order on wind-up, despite offers of cooperation from the Official Opposition; expresses its surprise that the Government has even refused calls to instigate an independent Inquiry into the extent of the problem; and calls upon the Government to take urgent action to tackle the current crisis in pensions and to mitigate the unfairness caused to thousands of current and future pensioners across the United Kingdom.
Gordon Henderson