RPI to CPI Early Day Motion 1032

Ripoff_2

All,

The Appeal judgement for the second day is given below at the following link
http://glcoord.org/index.php/briefings/398-prospect-briefing-on-juidcial-review-appeal-judgement you will see that the Government appear to want their cake and also eat it.


It says that the Government have indicated that should CPI prove to give higher indexing than RPI in any year then they could revert back to RPI for that year and visa versa, this would be more betrayal and completely unacceptable. We would hope that people will be very vocal and up in arms if they go down that road.

What Government are basically saying now is forget CPI, RPI or any measured proper trusted inflation index. They will TELL US WHAT inflation is and we will have to lump it. I can see many pensioners making sure they vote correctly at the next general election when they read this.

MEY_3

Ah, Ripoff, but it also says that the court appeared to be unimpressed by this position. Just maybe, knowledge by the judges of such a cavalier attitude to these inflation indexes has tipped the balance a little further towards our arguments. Plainly, if any inflation index can be selected that happens to suit the government of the day at whim, so long as it is a recognised index, then the Act is pretty pointless. To me, the government barristers have shown that the govt. feel no shame in juggling the indexes for political purposes as opposed to defending pension and benefits, which the Act clearly is designed to do.

I for one read this report and was heartened. Even if the appeal is lost, as you say, it shows this wretched government in the full stench of its own ordure.

BobQ

Interested_Taxpayer wrote: »

John McDonnell is a Labour MP. He is on a number of Union Parliamentary Groups representing PCS, RMT, FBU, Justice Unions and the NUJ in Parliament.
.

Why is this relevant?

I guess its to balance your comments on the many Tory peers and MPs who have interests in private health care providers while orchestrating debates on the benefits of the health bill?:p

http://socialinvestigations.blogspot.com/2012/02/nhs-privatisation-compilation-of.html

ordinaryman

Greetings everyone,

I too feel a little heartened by the apparent response of the Master of the Rolls to the totally cynical position adopted by the Treasury and Coalition Government with regard to the use of indexation for pensions and benefits. I think Mr. Giffin and Mr Beloff have got it in one - there was absolutely no discussion on the merits of RPI for uprating within the Government once it became apparent that CPI would save them millions. IDS has, it seems, exceeded his remit in selecting the lower of the two indic es when he was legally obliged to select the more appropriate one. According to this reasoning the underlying motive for the Government's decision was purely and simply to save money.
I'm not holding my breath that the outcome of the Appeal will benefit us but justice and moral probity belong on our side and are certainly not evident in the Government's position.

What is so sickening about the total hypocrisy over this is that we have been told time and time again that 'CPI is the Bank of England's preferred measure of inflation'. Yet in last week's 'Daily Telegraph' it was reported that the Monetary Policy Committee of the BoE have agreed that BoE employees' pensions will be uprated annually by RPI. And, as far as I am aware, until 2013, MPs' Pensions will also rise annually by RPI, that is, until the new Independent Body on MPs Pensions reports on any recommended changes.
We cannot afford to let go of this but must insist on justice and the restoration of our agreed Terms and Conditions when awarded our Pensions. We need to wear them down until they are simply sick of us. My gut feeling is that the whole furore over Pensions, now that the Medical Profession have joined the battle will overwhelm the Coalition and they will regret the day they ever made Pensions the issue it has become. Nil desperandum!
:T

MEY_3

" However, legal advice is being sought as to whether pensions in payment for those 83,000 members who joined between 1 April 1986 and 31 March 2001 can change from RPI to CPI, given that the scheme rules state RPI can only be replaced if it ceases to exist or becomes “inappropriate”. "

This was published online by Aviva in November 2010 and relates to BT pensions specifically. Does anyone know the outcome of the advice? It is the first time that I have heard of this element of the scheme rules.

BaldGringo

From PCS

Workers need representation as Labour ducks out

1 March 2012
PCS has criticised the "democratic deficit" in representation for working people after Labour MPs were told to abstain this afternoon (1 March) in a vote on the way pensions are calculated.

chris_m

BaldGringo wrote: »

Labour MPs were told to abstain this afternoon (1 March) in a vote on the way pensions are calculated.

Doesn't surprise me. If they'd supported the change they'd have been pilloried and become even more unelectable than they are now - whereas if they opposed it and do (God forbid) manage to get back in next time they'll be pilloried when they discover that they can't afford to reverse it, therefore don't.

xylophone

" the Monetary Policy Committee of the BoE have agreed that BoE employees' pensions will be uprated annually by RPI. "

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetarypolicy/overview.htm

What has the MPC to do with the Bank's Pension Scheme?
As I understand it the rules of the Bank's Scheme state that pensions will normally be increased on 1 July in proportion to a rise in the RPI over the preceding June to May period?http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/humanresources/pensionupdate.pdf (p5)

Interested_Taxpayer

Steve Webb the Pensions Minister is answering questions live in the Guardian on Tuesday 6 March at 1.30pm. Place you questions on line but you have to register first.

He will not answer questions about Public Sector Pensions. Plenty of scope for others then! :money:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2012/mar/02/pensions-minister-steve-webb-answers-questions

Ripoff_2

MPs ignore pleas to return UK pension increases to RPI rate at their peril, time now to mobilise the Grey vote, together we have the power, WE HAVE A VOTE REMEMBER use it at every opportunity to send the MPs a message. Don't let them get away with treating you like this!

Ignoring US, betraying US and stealing from US is not an option. Democrasy failed on Thursday, they failed to even have a proper debate, abstaining, paying lip service to us and not turning up for the debate was a travesty and a discraceful action against the 110k people that signed the e-petition and the many more who still don't realise they are being mugged by these very same MP's.

I would like to thank the MP's that did at least put the case and make an effort to debate the issue properly, to the rest, you know who you are, I will now treat you with the same contempt you treated me and thousands like me. However, the battle goes on I CAN NOT AFFORD not to get RPI restored or a proper measure for pensioners.

Email and write to your MP's and ask them for an explanation as to why they didn't do what they are suppose to do and represent ALL. They should not be able to get away with this blatant disregard for the voters, they need to know how you now feel, write and tell them.