Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme: Living Standards

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of changes to the mineworkers' pension scheme on the living standards of recipients?

Question

I thank the Secretary of State for that reply and for his attentive engagement on the issue. I understand that British coal staff superannuation scheme trustees wrote to the Department last month with reform proposals. I urge the Secretary of State to meet them as soon as possible to rectify the long-standing injustice, especially given the increasing age and declining health of the beneficiaries.

Question

In Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, 1,600 miners received the biggest number of increased payments from the mineworkers' pension scheme in Wales. All of my uncles on my mum's side were miners. Dessie Winter will benefit from the MPS changes, but Georgie and Jackie paid into the National Coal Board staff pension scheme. Since 1994, the Government have received £3.1 billion from the BCSSS. Will the Secretary of State say if he will look again at the staff side's surplus payments to benefit our pensioners?

Question

Correcting the injustice in the mineworkers' pension scheme has made an incredible difference to the former miners in my constituency of Dunfermline and Dollar after so many years. At the weekend, I met representatives from the BCSSS in Fife, including those particularly affected by that scheme and women who worked in canteens and other areas. Will the Secretary of State meet campaigners in Fife and across Scotland regarding this issue, and will he ensure that progress is made as quickly as possible to correct the injustice?

Question

As a Collier, I welcome the Government's announcement on the mineworkers' pension scheme. However, as the Secretary of State has heard, BCSSS members have raised concerns about unequal treatment given the similarities between schemes. What steps are the Secretary of State and the Minister taking to ensure that those former British Coal employees are treated equitably?

Question

In my constituency of Makerfield, over 500 people will benefit from changes introduced by this Government to the mineworkers' pension scheme. For years, those people and their families watched as Conservative Governments stole their pensions and disrespected their work. I want us to celebrate our industrial past and remember those who made this nation wealthy and powered our industrial revolution. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need to do more to remember the legacy of mining as well as driving up living standards?

Question

My constituents who stand to benefit from this increase will welcome it, but how many members of the mineworkers' pension scheme will be losing out on winter fuel payments worth up to £300 due to decisions taken?

Question

My constituents often ask me how pension funds can better address climate change. Will the Secretary of State update the House on conversations with the Pensions Minister regarding net zero goals?

Question

I should declare an interest in that many of my relatives across south Wales are former miners. In the autumn Budget, the Government made the decision to end the pension injustice for miners who were part of the mineworkers' pension scheme, but they did not do the same for the 40,000 miners who were part of the British coal staff superannuation scheme, including 151 former miners in my own constituency. Will the Government guarantee that these men and women get the pension they deserve and explain why they will have to wait longer for justice than many of their former colleagues?

Question

May I welcome what the Government and the Minister are doing on this matter? This good scheme takes care of an injustice from some 30 years ago. There are those in Northern Ireland who worked in the mines, and their families are still concerned about this issue. Can we have a timescale for the completion of the work on the British coal staff superannuation scheme, which some of them would have qualified for?