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Postal Services Bill [HL]

I should like briefly to support my noble friend in his amendments. They deal with qualifying members, which is a very important point. People need to know clearly whether they are qualifying members. As my noble friend has indicated, we must ensure that all the appropriate people are covered, and they should include beneficiaries who are not members and those employees who could join but have not yet done so. As the Bill is drafted, the Secretary of State could include some but exclude others. My noble friend has also pointed out that timing is important. The qualifying time should be defined as the moment when an order dividing the assets of the RMPP is made. This needs to be set out clearly in the Bill so that people who qualify understand that this is their situation and are able to pursue it accordingly. I support the amendments and hope that the Minister will feel inclined to accept them.