I am proud to represent the seat of Mid Bedfordshire, but I am also proud to have been born and bred in Liverpool. I have secured this Adjournment debate because I am gravely concerned that the pensions of many thousands of people in Liverpool and elsewhere in Britain, including in...

I am proud to represent the seat of Mid Bedfordshire, but I am also proud to have been born and bred in Liverpool. I have secured this Adjournment debate because I am gravely concerned that the pensions of many thousands of people in Liverpool and elsewhere in Britain, including in...

I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Nadine Dorries) on securing this debate. I will focus my remarks on the Littlewoods and Telegraph pension funds and the matters that fall within my responsibility. I hope that I can respond helpfully to her concerns.

The security of pension scheme...

I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Nadine Dorries) on securing this debate. I will focus my remarks on the Littlewoods and Telegraph pension funds and the matters that fall within my responsibility. I hope that I can respond helpfully to her concerns.

The security of pension scheme...

May I clarify one point? Although the title of the debate is Littlewoods and Telegraph pension schemes, I deliberately did not speak about the Telegraph pension scheme because it came to my attention today that it is in the process of changing, for whatever reason, its fund managers, so I...

May I clarify one point? Although the title of the debate is Littlewoods and Telegraph pension schemes, I deliberately did not speak about the Telegraph pension scheme because it came to my attention today that it is in the process of changing, for whatever reason, its fund managers, so I...

For the record, the Telegraph pension plan is what is called a defined contribution pension scheme, and it is therefore not capable of having a shortfall and there are no pension promises attached to the plan. There used to be a Telegraph executive pension scheme, which is now closed. I...

For the record, the Telegraph pension plan is what is called a defined contribution pension scheme, and it is therefore not capable of having a shortfall and there are no pension promises attached to the plan. There used to be a Telegraph executive pension scheme, which is now closed. I...

The Minister has rightly detailed the assets, but can he clarify who would have first call on those assets if there was a shortfall in the scheme, if the company was in dire financial straits and if it had £2 billion of debts: the pension scheme or the banks?

The Minister has rightly detailed the assets, but can he clarify who would have first call on those assets if there was a shortfall in the scheme, if the company was in dire financial straits and if it had £2 billion of debts: the pension scheme or the banks?

As the hon. Lady says, the pension scheme is underwritten by the Pension Protection Fund. There is a regulatory regime to ensure that companies do not hide money, for example. I will say a little more about that, because she raised the issue of money going offshore. Essentially, the regulator...

As the hon. Lady says, the pension scheme is underwritten by the Pension Protection Fund. There is a regulatory regime to ensure that companies do not hide money, for example. I will say a little more about that, because she raised the issue of money going offshore. Essentially, the regulator...

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she proposes to publish her decisions arising from the Competition Commission report on the proposed GUS/Reality and Littlewoods Mail Order/Home Trading organisations. - Ref to 22 January 2004, 416 c1453. (Holding answer 26 January 2004).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she proposes to publish her decisions arising from the Competition Commission report on the proposed GUS/Reality and Littlewoods Mail Order/Home Trading organisations. - Ref to 22 January 2004, 416 c1453. (Holding answer 26 January 2004).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he received from (a) BACTA, (b) Littlewoods, (c) Camelot and (d) Scottish and Newcastle between 2nd May 1997 and 17th November 1997 in respect of on-line lotteries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he received from (a) BACTA, (b) Littlewoods, (c) Camelot and (d) Scottish and Newcastle between 2nd May 1997 and 17th November 1997 in respect of on-line lotteries.

To comment on his wife's appointment as a non-executive director of Littlewoods.

To comment on his wife's appointment as a non-executive director of Littlewoods.

Adjournment debate on pools industry.

Adjournment debate on pools industry.

Whether he will visit the Littlewoods Pools operation at Inchinnan, Paisley.

Whether he will visit the Littlewoods Pools operation at Inchinnan, Paisley.

Whether he will visit the Littlewoods Pools operation in Cardiff. - Yes.

Whether he will visit the Littlewoods Pools operation in Cardiff. - Yes.