Pressing government to act on the PAC recommendations...
Latest News
Daily Telegraph 'Official advice wiped £80k off my pension'
5 April 2025
This article by Telegraph money writer Rob White explains the AEA Technology pension case to a wider audience, under the sub heading Retired atomic energy scientists fight for justice in 'scandal as big as the Post Office'. It includes interviews with three pension scheme members.
(Download the online version via the download button above)
Pensions Minister now asks for "case studies"
24 February 2025
The latest in a long line of Pensions ministers, Torsten Bell, finally found time for a short meeting with Olly Glover MP to discuss our case. The minister asked for individual "case studies". After 13 years of campaigning, it is difficult see this as anything other than a new delaying tactic. It's a year since the Works and Pensions Committee report said "The Government should report back to us by the summer recess on how it intends to ensure an adequate means of redress for AEAT pension scheme members" . There has been no response from the government.
Treasury Minister on "tackling injustice"
15 January 2025
On BBC's Today programme, Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, told Justin Webb "I personally have worked for many years on tackling injustice whether it’s the PO scandal or others. Where it’s clear that compensation is required for people, the government has taken action”. Webb’s response: “It’s slow though, isn’t it”!
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Delay, Deny until they Die
4 January 2025
We are very sad to report that one of the leading voices in our campaign, Dr Derek Whitmell, has died suddenly. We shall miss him greatly.
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Derek achieved many things for us. Notably, he obtained written evidence that the so-called "independent" information on our pension choices given to us in 1996 by the Government Actuary was actually deliberately slanted in favour of a decision to transfer out of the UKAEA scheme.
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Olly Glover MP questions new Pensions Minister
7 October 2024
In the Commons, Olly Glover asked Emma Reynolds:
"AEA Technology pensioners have, collectively, lost millions of pounds from their pensions, despite being told that they would be "no less favourable" following privatisation of their pension scheme in 1996.
The Public Accounts Committee found that they 'received inadequate information from government, and lost money as a result.'
Will the minister provide a clear timescale for redress for AEAT pensioners in this unique case, as promised by a previous pensions minister?"
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The minister replied that our case has a long and complex history. She offered to meet Mr Glover to discuss it.
More MPs offer to support us
11 September 2024
In recent meetings with their constituents, more MPs have offered to support our campaign. They include Olivia Bailey (Lab, Reading West & Mid Berkshire), Julian Lewis (Con, New Forest East), Layla Moran (LibDem, Oxford West & Abingdon) and Zöe Franklin (LibDem, Guildford).
Pensioners are meeting their MPs
22 August 2024
Members of the campaign met newly-elected LibDem MP for Dicot & Wantage, Olly Glover, on 21 August. He takes the place of Tory MP, David Johnston, who did a lot to progress our campaign. Mr Glover could see the obvious injustice of our case, he expressed his support, and agreed to coordinate our supportive MPs in Parliament. We asked him to meet Stephen Timms MP (Lab) who was very supportive as chair of the Work and Pensions select committee and is now minister in the Department of Works and Pensions.
Other members have met their MPs recently, or are expecting to meet them in the coming days.
Election changes political landscape - for our campaign too!
22 July 2024
It's clear, after a review of our membership following the election, that the great majority of us are now represented by LibDem and Labour MPs. This is a dramatic change. Many of these MPs are newly elected and are still getting their offices set up, but we are already engaging with several of them, to decide our steps in the coming weeks.
Stephen Timms is appointed a DWP minister
8 July 2024
In what should prove to be a major boost for our campaign, Stephen Timms has been appointed minister of state in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), alongside Alison McGovern. Sir Stephen twice served as pensions minister in the Blair government. Importantly for us, he was chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee during the last government, and earlier this year he and the committee called on the government to "report back to us by the summer recess on how it intends to ensure an adequate means of redress for AEAT pension scheme members".
General Election called - What next?
23 May 2024
During the last 12 years, the majority of our MPs (across all parties) have backed our campaign, some vigorously. But the Conservative-led Government has had only one aim – to frustrate and deny us. Indeed, the Parliamentary Ombudsman required the Government to apologise for the confusion it was causing us. The Public Accounts Committee told the Government that it had led us “from pillar to post”. During this time we have seen seven pensions ministers come and go.
Despite this unscrupulous stalling by the Government, we have managed to secure an independent report by the National Audit Office and strong support from both the Work and Pensions Select Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Obliged to respond in January this year, the latest Pensions Minister said that his officials were discussing with the cabinet office “how we ensure that people have adequate means of redress”. But he refused to set a timescale.
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We will press election candidates to commit to support our campaign, and resume our efforts after the election.
Frank Field dies
24 April 2024
Frank, Lord Field of Birkenhead, had many admirers across the political spectrum. He was a Labour MP for most of his career, but is frequently described as 'independent minded'. The Daily Mail applauded his socially conservative views and called him 'Saint Frank'.
As Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, Mr Field consistently supported AEA Technology pensioners in their fight for justice. We respect and thank him.
Sir Paul Beresford MP asks if the redress scheme will be published before the Summer Recess
26 March 2024
Sir Paul Beresford MP (Conservative, Mole Valley)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Third Report of the Work and Pensions Committee of 2023-24 on Defined benefit pension schemes, HC 144, published on 26 March 2024 and the Fifty-Seventh Report of the Committee of Public Accounts of 2022-23 on AEA Technology Pension Case, HC 1005, published on 14 June 2023, if he will publish a redress scheme for AEA Technology pension scheme members by 23 July 2024.
Julian Lewis MP asks for timescale for remedial action
25 March 2024
Sir Julian Lewis MP (Conservative, New Forest East)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Q329 of the oral evidence given to the Work and Pensions Committee by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions on 10 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on formulating an adequate means of redress for Atomic Energy Agency Technology pensioners; and what his time-scale is for implementing remedial action.
Julian Lewis MP asks how many AEAT pensioners have already died
25 March 2024
Sir Julian Lewis MP (Conservative, New Forest East)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of retired Atomic Energy Agency Technology personnel who have died in the last (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years without having resolved matters relating to their pensions.
Work and Pensions Committee publishes report on Defined Benefit Pensions Schemes
26 March 2024
Page 51 of the report addresses the AEAT pension case. Para 165 says:
We support the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee that the Government should “ensure that members’ complaints about the AEAT pension case can be independently reviewed, for example by a relevant ombudsman.” We agree with the Pensions Minister that it is important for a sense of justice and fairness that people should have an adequate means of redress. The Government should report back to us by the summer recess on how it intends to ensure an adequate means of redress for AEAT pension scheme members.
Julian Lewis MP meets Pensions Minister to press case
23 February 2024
This week, Sir Julian Lewis MP (Conservative, New Forest East) met the pensions minister Paul Maynard with David Johnston MP (Conservative, Wantage) to "forcefully emphasise" that the Cabinet Office should exert influence on all parties to expedite the process of remedial action.
Patrick Grady MP asks for progress on discussions with Cabinet Office
20 February 2024
Patrick Grady MP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow North)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Q329 of the oral evidence given by the Minister for Pensions to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on 10 January 2024, HC 144, what discussions his Department has had with the Cabinet Office on adequate means of redress for individuals impacted by the collapse of the AEA Technology pension scheme.
Answered on 23 February 2024 by Pensions Minister Paul Maynard
Discussions between officials from my Department and Cabinet Office have not concluded. It would be unreasonable to pre-empt the outcome of those discussions. Wider considerations, such as potential routes of redress beyond the powers of the Pensions Ombudsman, fall outside the remit of my Department.
Charlotte Nichols MP asks for legislation to allow ombudsman to investigate
17 January 2024
Charlotte Nichols MP (Labour, Warrington North)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce legislation to allow the (a) Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and (b) Pensions Ombudsman to investigate complaints about the AEA Technology pension scheme.
Answered on 22 January 2024 by Pensions Minister Paul Maynard
Complaints about the AEAT scheme have previously been considered by relevant government bodies, including The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) and The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Decisions on these complaints including whether they are able to investigate them have been taken according to the remits given to them by Parliament and other broader statutory constraints.
The Government has no plans to bring forward new legislation for these bodies in relation to this scheme.
Pensions Minister accepts PAC recommendations
10 January 2024
The Work and Pensions Committee questioned the pensions Minister Paul Maynard about the AEA Technology pension scheme. (Q329-Q332) He quoted the Public Accounts Committee’s report (June 2023) and asked “do you accept that members of that scheme have not had an adequate right of appeal over what happened to their pensions?”
The minster replied “We accept the Committee’s recommendations”. He also said that his ”officials had gone away to talk to the Cabinet Office about their perspective on how we ensure that people have adequate means of redress”.
"Mr Bates vs The Post Office" highlights similarities with AEAT pensions
1 January 2024
The ITV drama documentary "Mr Bates vs The Post Office" highlights the many parallels between the AEAT scandal and that of the Post Office managers
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