Ombudsman publishes report on occupational pensions investigation
15 Mar 2006
Press release 02/06
The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, today reported on her investigation into the actions of government bodies in relation to the security of final salary occupational pensions.
MPs referred more than 200 complaints to the Ombudsman, who also received 500 direct representations from members of the public.
The complaints were made against the Department for Work and Pensions, the Treasury, the former Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and the National Insurance Contributions Office.
The 254-page report 
* says that the investigation uncovered evidence of real suffering, distress and uncertainty about the future among pension scheme members and their families, who had relied on government information when making choices about their future pension provision.
Official information
Ms Abraham found that official information about the security of final salary occupational pension schemes provided over many years by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and other government bodies was inaccurate, incomplete, unclear and inconsistent.
Ms Abraham said, ‘Government has a unique responsibility in these matters. Government set the pensions policy framework and took upon itself the responsibility of providing information for the public. The maladministration which my investigation has uncovered caused injustice to a large number of people who, as a result, lost the opportunity to make informed choices about their future.’
Recommendations
The Ombudsman makes five recommendations to the Government. These include that the Government should consider whether it should make arrangements for the restoration of the core pension and non-core benefits to those categories of scheme members covered by her report.
Ends
Notes to editors
- *Trusting in the pensions promise (HC 984)
- More information is contained in the accompanying Guide to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report (pdf 67kb).
- The Ombudsman’s role is determined by the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and is to consider complaints that individuals have suffered injustice in consequence of maladministration on the part of government departments and other bodies in her jurisdiction.
