I have listened carefully to what the Minister said and I still have a concern. He appears to be acknowledging that there is a group of people without pensions who will remain without pensions or assistance because of something that their employer has or has not done. The essential fairness...

I have listened carefully to what the Minister said and I still have a concern. He appears to be acknowledging that there is a group of people without pensions who will remain without pensions or assistance because of something that their employer has or has not done. The essential fairness...

The background to this matter is well known and well rehearsed. We are dealing with a finite group—future pension scheme failures will not increase its size—comprising 125,000 people, some of whom are terminally ill and some of whom have had to come out of retirement and start work again. There...

The background to this matter is well known and well rehearsed. We are dealing with a finite group—future pension scheme failures will not increase its size—comprising 125,000 people, some of whom are terminally ill and some of whom have had to come out of retirement and start work again. There...

I have had a discussion with the ABI this morning to find out what its concern is, and I have been able to allay that concern, which was about trust-based defined benefit schemes. We recognise that there are no unclaimed assets available in such schemes.

I have had a discussion with the ABI this morning to find out what its concern is, and I have been able to allay that concern, which was about trust-based defined benefit schemes. We recognise that there are no unclaimed assets available in such schemes.

If the Minister wants to talk about the new clauses, he should read them. They give the Secretary of State the power to specify the classes of unclaimed assets; they say nothing about the specific classes involved. The hon. Gentleman simply cannot say that we do not know what we...

If the Minister wants to talk about the new clauses, he should read them. They give the Secretary of State the power to specify the classes of unclaimed assets; they say nothing about the specific classes involved. The hon. Gentleman simply cannot say that we do not know what we...

Because people outside may not understand what the Minister has just said, will he clarify that he is talking about the trustees having asked for payments to be made? This is not a question of individual potential recipients having failed to ask for payments.

Because people outside may not understand what the Minister has just said, will he clarify that he is talking about the trustees having asked for payments to be made? This is not a question of individual potential recipients having failed to ask for payments.

The Minister has given a very technical answer to the question asked by the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws). How many additional scheme members would get through the gateway if new clause 25, rather than the Minister’s proposals, were accepted?

The Minister has given a very technical answer to the question asked by the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws). How many additional scheme members would get through the gateway if new clause 25, rather than the Minister’s proposals, were accepted?

The Minister again mentions the review. It is important that we clarify the situation because hon. Members will have heard the Prime Minister talking about the review. The Minister has carefully talked about the review considering pooling assets, but the Prime Minister said that it will consider the use of...

The Minister again mentions the review. It is important that we clarify the situation because hon. Members will have heard the Prime Minister talking about the review. The Minister has carefully talked about the review considering pooling assets, but the Prime Minister said that it will consider the use of...

Perhaps I should just make it clear to the House that Conservative Members will support new clause 38, and that our amendments are not an alternative to that new clause; they assume the acceptance of new clause 38, which will essentially implement the commitments that the Chancellor and the Secretary...

Perhaps I should just make it clear to the House that Conservative Members will support new clause 38, and that our amendments are not an alternative to that new clause; they assume the acceptance of new clause 38, which will essentially implement the commitments that the Chancellor and the Secretary...

I am glad that the Under-Secretary of State mentioned yesterday, because, to turn to Government new clause 38, I have to say that I am a little disappointed by the speech that the Minister for Pensions Reform just made; he seemed to think that he was arguing in yesterday’s debate....

I am glad that the Under-Secretary of State mentioned yesterday, because, to turn to Government new clause 38, I have to say that I am a little disappointed by the speech that the Minister for Pensions Reform just made; he seemed to think that he was arguing in yesterday’s debate....

As the right hon. Gentleman says, and as my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition said at Prime Minister’s questions today, the Maxwell loan is the model on which we based our proposal.

As the right hon. Gentleman says, and as my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition said at Prime Minister’s questions today, the Maxwell loan is the model on which we based our proposal.

The amount of money that we are talking about is around £30 million a year in the early years, and I hope that the Minister agrees with those approximate figures. He talks about unfunded commitments, but he has just made an increase in the commitment to the financial assistance scheme...

The amount of money that we are talking about is around £30 million a year in the early years, and I hope that the Minister agrees with those approximate figures. He talks about unfunded commitments, but he has just made an increase in the commitment to the financial assistance scheme...

My hon. Friend has got it exactly right. The Government have announced a review in an attempt to head off a Labour Back-Bench rebellion. What the public expect from us today is a solution to the problem, not a further review.

My hon. Friend has got it exactly right. The Government have announced a review in an attempt to head off a Labour Back-Bench rebellion. What the public expect from us today is a solution to the problem, not a further review.

This is the day when Parliament has the opportunity to demonstrate that it is committed to solving the problem, not committed to another review of the problem. I say to the hon. Gentleman that the scheme that we have set out, involving a lifeboat fund, in no way precludes using...

This is the day when Parliament has the opportunity to demonstrate that it is committed to solving the problem, not committed to another review of the problem. I say to the hon. Gentleman that the scheme that we have set out, involving a lifeboat fund, in no way precludes using...

The Minister is absolutely wrong. He knows as well as everyone else in the House that unclaimed assets are available. The Government used to claim that unclaimed assets did not exist, but they have now discovered them, and the Chancellor has started looking at them for various purposes. What we...

The Minister is absolutely wrong. He knows as well as everyone else in the House that unclaimed assets are available. The Government used to claim that unclaimed assets did not exist, but they have now discovered them, and the Chancellor has started looking at them for various purposes. What we...

Of course, I join my hon. Friend in those sentiments, and I know that everybody in the House would send Mr. Humphreys their best wishes. The new clauses have been tabled in the name of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, who has taken a particular interest...

Of course, I join my hon. Friend in those sentiments, and I know that everybody in the House would send Mr. Humphreys their best wishes. The new clauses have been tabled in the name of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, who has taken a particular interest...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention. The Minister, in a rather niggardly way, criticised the drafting of the amendments at the Dispatch Box. We all recognise, whether we are Opposition spokesmen or Back-Bench Members, that when we table amendments and new clauses we are asking the...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention. The Minister, in a rather niggardly way, criticised the drafting of the amendments at the Dispatch Box. We all recognise, whether we are Opposition spokesmen or Back-Bench Members, that when we table amendments and new clauses we are asking the...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I repeat that there is nothing incompatible between our proposal and what the Minister hopes to be able to do in future. The only difference is that we believe that the House has a moral obligation to act now. If that requires a Treasury...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I repeat that there is nothing incompatible between our proposal and what the Minister hopes to be able to do in future. The only difference is that we believe that the House has a moral obligation to act now. If that requires a Treasury...

May I make some progress and turn to new clause 25 and the Minister’s welcome announcement that he is willing to yield on the issue of solvent schemes? There appears to be a technical issue concerning the extent of his commitment. Yesterday, the Chancellor displayed alarming unawareness of the problem...

May I make some progress and turn to new clause 25 and the Minister’s welcome announcement that he is willing to yield on the issue of solvent schemes? There appears to be a technical issue concerning the extent of his commitment. Yesterday, the Chancellor displayed alarming unawareness of the problem...

My hon. Friend makes a very good point, but she should be careful. Her criticism should not be aimed at the Government Benches, where there are plenty of Members who have entered into this discussion in a spirit of good will and are trying to find a solution. Those on...

My hon. Friend makes a very good point, but she should be careful. Her criticism should not be aimed at the Government Benches, where there are plenty of Members who have entered into this discussion in a spirit of good will and are trying to find a solution. Those on...

It is not really my place to say this, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that if one seeks a Division on a specific new clause in a group, one normally indicates as much to the Chair before ending one’s speech.

It is not really my place to say this, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that if one seeks a Division on a specific new clause in a group, one normally indicates as much to the Chair before ending one’s speech.