Burstow Joins Pensions Protest

6.09.36pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 21st Feb 2007

Paul Burstow(2nd left) joins Paddy Sloane (left) and others affected by the collapse of occupational pension schemes in a protest on Parliament Square

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, joined constituent Paddy Sloane to call on the government to take action to help people affected by the collapse of occupational pension schemes.

Mr Burstow joined hundreds of victims and other MPs to protest against the government's refusal to act on recommendations from the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Commons Public Administration committee.

Worcester Park resident Mr Sloane is one of over 100,000 people across the UK have been affected by the wind-up of occupational pension schemes which they believed were protected.

Speaking at the protest, Paul Burstow MP said:

"The fact is that literature approved by the government led Mr Sloane and thousands like him to believe that their pensions were safe in these schemes."

"The Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Public Administration Committee have both said that the government bears a responsibility for what happened to these people."

"It is high time the government took this responsibility seriously."

"In 1995, they were promised safe pensions that were assured, and they want to know when that promise will be fulfilled."