Industrial Action

Margot James Excerpts

Wednesday 30th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Maude]

I have to remind the hon. Lady that the basis on which we have made these arrangements is precisely the same as the basis on which the Government of whom she was a member was planning to reform, and indeed reforming, public sector pensions.

[Margot James (Stourbridge) (Con)]

In view of the fact that a private sector worker would have to contribute, on average, a third of their salary in order to get a similar pension to a public sector worker, and that without reform the public pensions bill would cost an additional £7 billion in borrowing, may I urge my right hon. Friend not to compromise any further on the generous offer that he has already made?

[Mr Maude]

We have made a generous offer. It means that many people in the public sector, especially those on lower and middle incomes, will be able to retire on a pension at least as good as they can expect at the moment. But we have said that that offer was conditional on there being agreement, so we want the discussions in the schemes to continue even more intensively than they have been already so that we can give effect to that offer.