ANGRY SCENES AS PAUL ACCUSED MINISTER OF TURNING BACK ON THOUSANDS FACING RUIN

During a debate in the House of Commons today, Paul Holmes MP challenged the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to meet face to face with the hard working Chesterfield constituents who are facing financial ruin following the collapse of their occupational pensions.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman yesterday ruled that the Government had misled members of Occupational Pensions Schemes into believing that the 1995 Pensions Act (with legal effect from 1997) made their pensions savings "safe and guaranteed." She ruled that the Government was clearly at fault and should compensate the estimated 85,000 people who had lost their pensions between the dates of the Pensions Act of 1997 and the new Pensions Act that came into effect on1st April 2005.

Commenting on the Government's rejection of the Ombudsman's ruling, Paul said: "Since 2001 I have been demanding justice for thousands of people who have lost their pensions - including my constituents who have worked for Chesterfield Cylinders, Dema Glass and Coalite. Some had saved for over 40 years and were too close to retirement to be able to do anything but live in poverty on the inadequate State Pension. What is the point of Parliament appointing independent Ombudsmen to investigate Government malpractice if the Government can ignore them when they find the Government guilty of mal - administration? It would be like a criminal refusing to go to prison or pay a fine because they refused to accept the findings of the Judge and Jury in a Court of Law."

The Minister has now agreed to meet a delegation of Chesterfield people who lost their pensions savings and are facing retirement in poverty.