Written question asked by Lord Grayling (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 October 2007. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Monday, 29 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many members of the Earlys of Witney Pension Scheme had been approached by the Financial Assistance Scheme to offer them compensation before 20 July 2007.

Answer: Following the intervention of the right hon. Member for Witney the trustees of the Earlys of Witney Pension Scheme were contacted by the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) Operational Unit. Subsequently a DWP official contacted an individual member of the scheme to provide information about the FAS, and issued the standard form to return to the Financial Assistance Scheme Operational Unit. The individual subsequently decided not to pursue a claim for assistance, and I am told this was because he was awaiting an appeal judgment in court.The FAS OU has since been contacted by two other members of the scheme.The trustees of the Earlys of Witney Pension Scheme have successfully applied for FAS initial payments, and the unit is working with the trustees to encourage them to provide the necessary member data to allow these payments to be made.

Secondary information