Clause 27 - Terms of employment
Railways and Transport Safety Bill
4:00 pm
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative)
Clause 27 relates to the terms of employment of constables and other persons employed in the service of the British Transport police. We are told in the Library note that staff terms of employment, including pension benefits, will not be affected by the transfer to the authority. It therefore causes me some concern to learn that the proposals in the Bill could have a significant adverse effect on the pension rights of contributors to the British Transport police superannuation fund.
It is proposed that the Railways Pension Trustee Company will no longer be the trustee. That would affect the current investment arrangement, as the pensioners—the British Transport policemen and women—are part of a pooled fund for investment purposes, and it is not certain whether they could remain with it. If they could not, it would lead to significant increased costs. It is proposed that the Secretary of State's consent be required for changes to the scheme, especially with reference to general police officer pension benefits.
As the Minister said earlier, the British Transport police scheme is a funded scheme, and is therefore totally different from the Home Office scheme, which he elaborated on at some length. Improvements to the scheme have been made in the past without reference to the Home Office scheme. Would that power be curtailed by the Secretary of State? The pension arrangements for administration staff effectively remain unchanged, so why would the Minister and the Government propose such widespread changes to the British Transport police scheme? If they are proposing such changes, it would be helpful to know why such far-reaching changes are intended, given what the Minister said earlier. I want him to explain why the British Transport police will be disadvantaged in this way and why these changes will be made.