---

Occupational Pensions

I am grateful for that point, which I was going to make towards the end of my remarks, but which I will make now. The reason that the issue should concern us all is that it involves this and the previous Government. It flows from the Pensions Act 1995 following Maxwell, and the protections that were supposed to have been put in place then. Although, of course, my comments are necessarily critical of my Government’s response so far, I also note that the Conservative Opposition have said that they are not prepared to spend an extra penny on helping such people. This is a House of Commons matter. It affects both major parties, and we both have an obligation.