After 10+ years of political campaigning, we at last got an independent investigation...
Who we are
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1245 members, plus our dependents
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pensions are 40% less than we earned, and falling
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on average, we have each lost £60,000 (total £75M)​
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Our campaign
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Q. Why should the government restore our lost pensions?
A. We received bad advice and information from government on our pension choices when AEA Technology was privatised, and as a result our pensions are considerably reduced.
Independent investigations
In 2022, the National Audit Office announced that it would investigate our case and produce a factual report.
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In March 2023, after more than 10 years of campaigning, we at last had an independent, unbiased report on our case.
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In March 2023 the Public Accounts Committee considered the NAO report and other submissions. They questioned the Government Actuary and senior figures from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and the Department of Work and Pensions.
The PAC report contains very significant conclusions and recommendations, including:
“Civil servants who transferred their pensions to AEA Technology were badly informed by the government at the time, with some losing considerable sums."
"Scheme members have been passed from pillar to post"
"Nobody in government has taken responsibility"
"There has been no independent review, because the relevant ombusman services have said they cannot investigate""
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The government’s response to PAC was published in a Treasury minute in August 2023. Reactions to this included:
Independent publication PensionsExpert:
"Government dodges PAC demands claiming they are policy matters"
Meg Hillier MP, chair of PAC, to the minister:
"I do not see how the actions you propose amount to a remedy to the issues we raised"
Stephen Timms MP, chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, to the minister:
"I would be grateful if the Government could reconsider and you could work with colleagues in HM Treasury and other parts of Government to find a solution to this case."
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In January 2024, the Pensions Minister was questioned by the WPC about AEA Technology pensions. The Pensions Minister signalled a change in direction, saying "We accept the [PAC] committee's recommendations" and said that his officials were talking to the Cabinet Office about an "adequate means of redress" for AEA Technology pensioners.
Parliamentary campaign milestones
Ombudsmen
All three Ombudsmen decided they were prevented by law from investigating our case:
• Pensions ombudsman
• Parliamentary and Health Service ombudsman
• Financial services ombudsman
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Parliamentary debates
Westminster Hall debates:
• 2015 Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, answered by pensions minister Steve Webb.
• 2016 Sir Oliver Letwin MP, answered by pensions minister Richard Harrington.
In both debates the pensions ministers made misleading statements, failed to answer the questions raised and ran the clock down.
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Private members bills, with the specific aim of allowing the PHSO to investigate our case:
• 2019 Ed Vaizey MP.
• 2021 David Johnston MP
In both cases the government refused to grant the bill a second reading
Mis-statements by Pensions Ministers during our campaign
• People receive at least 90% of their pensions from PPF
• People can take their complaint to the Pensions and/or Parliamentary Ombudsman
• The case has been thoroughly investigated by previous ministers