Occupational pensions – judicial review
21 Feb 2007
Press release 02/07
The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, has today made the following statement:
We have seen the judgment handed down this morning at the High Court in the case relating to our report on occupational pensions (Trusting in the Pensions Promise). We note:
- that the Court has quashed the decision of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to reject the Ombudsman’s finding that official information on the security of pensions was misleading; and has directed the Secretary of State to reconsider the Ombudsman’s recommendation that the Government consider making arrangements for pension restoration in the light of the finding that the misleading official information constituted maladministration and in the light of the court’s ruling; and
- that the Court has held that, unless the findings made in one of the Ombudsman’s reports ‘are objectively shown to be flawed or irrational, or peripheral, or there is genuine fresh evidence to be considered’, those findings are binding on the parties to complaints.
We are currently considering the judgment, which we know is to be the subject of an appeal, and can make no further comment at present.
Ends
Notes to editors:
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