It is an honour and a privilege to stand before the House this evening to present a petition on behalf of those of my constituents who have had their lives so badly damaged by the Equitable Life debacle.

The petitioners are residents of the Hemel Hempstead area, and the petition is a response to the Government's lack of response to the ombudsman's report on Equitable Life. The signatories are either former members of Equitable Life or their loved ones, or representatives of those who have sadly passed on already, before the compensation that they were due became available.

The petition states:

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to uphold the constitutional standing of the Parliamentary Ombudsman by complying in full with the findings and recommendations of her Report upon Equitable Life.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The Petition of residents of the Constituency of Hemel Hempstead in the Eastern region of England regarding the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's reports on Equitable Life,

Declares that the Petitioners either are or they represent or support members, former members or personal representatives of deceased members of the Equitable Life Assurance Society who have suffered maladministration leading to injustice, as found by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in her report upon Equitable Life, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 16 July 2008 and bearing reference number HC 815; and further declares that the Petitioners or those whom they represent or support have suffered regulatory failure on the part of the public bodies responsible from the year 1992 onwards, but have not received compensation for the resulting losses and outrage.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to uphold the constitutional standing of the Parliamentary Ombudsman by complying in full with the findings and recommendations of her Report upon Equitable Life.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.]

[P000416]