MINISTER APOLOGISES OVER APW MISTAKE

2.17.13pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 29th Sep 2006

Pensions minister James Purnell apologised to Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne and to APW pensioners today over the mix-up over whether the scheme would be put into a government lifeboat.

In a telephone conversation with Mr Huhne on Friday morning, Mr Purnell said he was very sorry about the error which was due to the official concerned seeing on the record that the pension scheme of another company called APW had been approved for help.

"This has been a pretty shambolic episode" said Mr Huhne "but at least I am convinced now that the minister will be giving his extra care and attention to the APW pensioners' plight.

"I hope and believe that it is now only a matter of time before the scheme is fully approved for support. This takes time because the Government has to have the details of pensioners age and time in the scheme as the level of compensation and support depends on this information.

"The closer people are to retirement, the greater the level of support so that those within seven years of stopping work can get 80 per cent of the core pension that they were previously hoping to get.

"This mix-up does not inspire confidence in the Department of Work and Pensions, but I hope for the sake of the APW pensioners that this can now be cleared up quickly" said Mr Huhne. "The whole sorry tale has gone on far, far too long".