Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to replicate the changes announced for the Mineworkers Pension Scheme to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the honourable member to the response from my honourable friend the Minister for Industry on 29 January 2025 (UIN 25410).
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she plans to meet the trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met with the Chair and Trustee representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) on 16 December where they outlined their proposals for changes to the Scheme. We will work with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals once the new Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme arrangements have been agreed.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will release £2.3 billion in reserves from the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to former scheme members; and what his planned timeline is for reducing the financial disparity between that scheme and the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is receptive to representations regarding the BCSSS. I recently met with the Trustees of the Scheme to discuss their proposals, and will be discussing the matter with the Treasury in due course.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the release of the investment reserve of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to its trustees.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met with the Chair and Trustee representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) on 16 December where they outlined their proposals for changes to the Scheme. We will work with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals once the new Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme arrangements have been agreed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on release of the investment reserve of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme to uplift pensions.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor meets regularly with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to discuss a range of issues.
The Government is considering proposals put forward by the BCSSS Trustees and needs to understand their impacts for both scheme members and the Government, in the same way as we are doing for the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme. The Government and BCSSS Trustees are working together to jointly commission analysis so that we can gain that understanding and work towards reaching agreement on a way forward.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department has received from the (a) Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and (b) British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme since 1994.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of today, the Government has received £4.8bn from the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme and £3.1bn from the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme since 1994.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has fulfilled its manifesto commitment to transfer to the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme investment reserve to Members. I am open to considering options put forward by the Trustees for changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Mentions:
1: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab - Life peer) My Lords, I understand that our Labour Government have given a boost to the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme - Speech Link
2: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab - Life peer) other place, I was delighted that in the first Labour Budget for 15 years we announced that the Mineworkers - Speech Link
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing surpluses to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in line with the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I am open to considering options put forward by the Trustees for changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what is his Department's planned timescale for the review of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ending the injustice of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and the first increased payments due to the transfer of the Investment Reserve Fund to members were made at the end of November. The Government will soon start talks with the MPS Trustees on the future arrangements for surplus sharing.
The Government is happy to consider any proposals for changes that the BCSSS Trustees wish to make once the new MPS arrangements have been agreed.