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Postal Services Bill [HL]

I support the amendment. It is moderate and I hope that the Minister will accept it. All that we are asking for in relation to this is information being given to members to make them aware. My noble friend Lady Turner was right to say that we have heard from Unite and other pension schemes that a lot of the members are still, despite what is being done, ignorant of the changes taking place. We are asking for information to be given to them about what is happening. That would remove a lot of the doubts and fears that many of them have. It is right that pension schemes are changing, because people’s security for the future is at stake. Anything that can be done to allay those fears and make people aware of what is taking place and whether it will affect them will be a great help. It will put many of their minds at rest in relation to the pension scheme itself. I should be very pleased if my noble friend would accept the amendment. I see that the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, appears to be retreating, but I should explain to him that we are not talking from a brief from our union Unite—we are speaking about a brief from the pensions organisation. My noble friend is a very reasonable person and I thank him for the explanation that he has given already. I hope that he will accept this modest amendment, which would help a lot of pensioners and would make them aware of what is actually happening to their pensions.