Written question asked by Eric Clarke (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 November 2000. It was answered by Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on progress in reinstating pension rights for those miners sacked as a result of the 1984 industrial dispute.

Answer: Mr. Eric Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in reinstating pension rights for those miners sacked as a result of the 1984 industrial dispute. [139094] Mrs. Liddell: In May I circulated a consultation document concerning the issue of dismissals by British Coal in the course of the 1984-85 miners dispute. In the absence of evidence that dismissed men had been deprived of any pension rights to which they had been entitled prior to their dismissal, the document made proposals aimed at addressing injustices which might have occurred at that time while endeavouring not to re-open old wounds or create new anomalies. The consultation exercise elicited some starkly conflicting views, and I am in the process of considering how these might be reconciled and the matter satisfactorily resolved.

Secondary information