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Pensions Bill

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention. Yes, there was some lack of clarity—that is the most charitable way of putting it—about what the then Minister said in response to the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright), as a result of which his amendment then was withdrawn. The hon. Gentleman is back for another bite at the cherry and I wish him well with that. The Select Committee has some harsh words for the Government’s current position on trying to force employers to do the decent thing. It says:"““the Government should not use the indigence and distress of those who have suffered considerable losses to try to blackmail them””." On the pensions lifeboat, the Committee could not be clearer in it support. It states that it supports"““the general principle that FAS benefits should be aligned to those in the PPF””" and it urges the Government to find ways of speeding up payment by the FAS. Amen to that. Most unusually, in my experience, the Select Committee urges hon. Members to think carefully about using the Bill to get help to those who need it. It says:"““the House should consider any government assurances extremely carefully before it gives up this weapon.””" Once bitten, twice shy.