Did you mean Edward Garnier British United she Machinery?
Edward Garnier: ...to their additional voluntary contributions and about the sloth with which the Government have sought to mend the broken pensions? I am thinking particularly of my constituents who have seen their British United Shoe Machinery Ltd occupational pensions go down the Swanee, and have received little comfort from the present Prime Minister or the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Edward Garnier: I am very grateful to the Chancellor. In my constituency and throughout Leicestershire, there are thousands of former British United Shoe Machinery pensioners who, instead of living in retirement on their occupational pensions, have a vastly reduced income and just about survive on benefits. Does the Chancellor claim that as one of his great policy successes?
Edward Garnier: The Minister knows that pensioners of British United Shoe Machinery in my constituency and elsewhere in Leicestershire are some of the worst affected by the collapse of the occupational pensions system. Dr. Ros Altmann has described it as one of the worst cases. I hope that the Minister can reassure me that the Government's response will be relevant to my constituents who have been affected...
Edward Garnier: Whatever the merits or demerits of the stakeholder pension system, does the Minister agree that, for many of my constituents who were pensioners of British United Shoe Machinery, stakeholder pensions are of little assistance? The BUSM pension disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Will the Government apply their mind to looking into the matter and finding out where the money went and...
Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will instigate an inquiry into the collapse of the British United Shoe Machinery Limited's pension scheme.
Edward Garnier: ...reform to provide sustainable income for those in retirement." I have no idea—nor, I suspect, do the Government—what is meant by the word "sustainable", but my constituents who used to work for British United Shoe Machinery would be interested to know what on earth the Government intended by that sentence. The hon. Member for Croydon, North (Malcolm Wicks), who has left the Department...
Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money in the Financial Assistance Scheme will be provided to pensioners of British United Shoe Machinery Limited; and what the average annual payment under the scheme paid to these pensioners will be.
Edward Garnier: ...what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and their predecessors and (c) departmental officials have had with (i) Sir Ronald Cohen, (ii) other directors and senior managers of British United Shoe Machinery (BUSM) Limited and (iii) pension fund managers or trustees of BUSM since 1 June 1997 about the collapse of the BUSM pension fund.
Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will commission an inquiry into the collapse of the British United Shoe Machinery pension fund.
Edward Garnier: ...has opened up applies directly to the recovery of lost pensions. The Government are now setting up an after-the-event insurance scheme. The problem for my constituents, many of whom have worked for British United Shoe Machinery, is that the system will not—[Interruption.]
Edward Garnier: My constituents who worked for British United Shoe Machinery will have listened with interest to the exchange that the Leader of the House has just had with the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner), because they know that £500 million a year was taken out of the pensions system, thanks to the work of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. May we have an opportunity, in...
Edward Garnier: My hon. Friend mentioned a constituent who visited his surgery, and I, too, have had constituents visiting me for the same reason. One of my constituents, aged 60, used to work for British United Shoe Machinery and is now wholly dependent on what the state can provide. Throughout his 40-year working life he saved through the pension scheme but is now left effectively destitute—or, if not...