MINEWORKERS' PENSION SCHEME

EDM number 333 in 1993-94, proposed by Alan Meale on 12/01/1994.

That this House is concerned over proposals for pension arrangements contained within the forthcoming Coal Industry Bill which do not either ensure or safeguard the interests of the 473,000 beneficiaries of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme; notes that so far (i) no guarantees have been given by the Government for post privatisation pension improvements, (ii) the proposals give wide ranging powers to the Secretary of State in the management and decision making areas of the scheme and unlimited time during which said powers may be exercised, and that (iii) these powers include the ability to relieve the scheme's trustees of their fiduciary responsibilities if he instructs them to act in what he determines to be the national interest; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to act immediately to ensure proper independent representation on the scheme by its trustees and to give the necessary guarantees that would ensure the security of current and future benefit payments to all its beneficiaries.

This motion has been signed by a total of 71 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.