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Pensions Bill

One group of people who were not living in a fool's paradise consisted of the 125,000 pensioners who had their pensions stolen from their occupational pension schemes. Seven hundred of them are from my own constituency. I am pleased that after five years, the Government eventually came forward and gave them 90 per cent. of the pension to which they were entitled, but I have two questions for the Minister about part 4 of the Bill. First, can he confirm that the pensioners who were without their pension for nearly five years will not be taxed on the lump sum? Some of my constituents, such as Mr. Peter Humphries, will be charged 40 per cent. of their lump sum, although he had to go to work to pay for his family's upkeep when his pension failed to come through for five years. Secondly, have the Government seen sense enough to wrap the financial assistance scheme up with the Pension Protection Fund? It seems ludicrous to have the two; what plans does the Secretary of State have for the FAS?