What do you want Martin to ask Mark Hoban, Treasury Minister?

Bristol_Girl_3

For years we have told that smoothing has to take place to counter the effects of when the stock market was low - but the stock market has been high for several years now - why are bonus payments nil to 1/4% and final bonus's low - we couldn't prove misselling but its obvious that we expected the endownment to at least reach the sum insured and it will fall far short due to this continued smoothing which must have replenished the coffers by now

Bristol_Girl_3

Why can the scots vote in our parliament but we can't in theirs? Are the English second class citizens in the UK? We don't get free prescriptions or free university education yet pay towards supporting Welsh and Scottish so they benefit from both.

2011Happy

Please ask why those who retire before about 2014 will remain on a basic state pension of about £100, but those who retire afterwards will have a state pension of about £150 a week. Do older people eat less, need less heating etc?

Milarky

2011Happy wrote: »

Please ask why those who retire before about 2014 will remain on a basic state pension of about £100, but those who retire afterwards will have a state pension of about £150 a week. Do older people eat less, need less heating etc?

Why is Jobseekers allowance and means-tested benefit in general lower (by about 20%) for a 24 year old as it is for a 25 year old - paying exactly the same taxes. Do younger people eat less, need less heating etc?

In general, why do we have 'anti discrimination' laws against sexism, homophobia and racism if the government [of Mark Hoban] is going to leave a big back door open making 'ageism' completely lawful?

Does the Financial Secretary feel the government practices too little discrimination, too much, or about the right amount in his bailiwick?

edg_3

Hi Martin,

I'd like you to ask the MP why, after all the noise that was made about the poor way the last government treated Equitable Life members, the Treasury basically is being allowed off the hook and only compensating 20% of total losses.

It appears that although the Treasury has been found remiss by every authority in how it oversaw Equitable Life it is being allowed to set out the level of recompense and allowed to ignore all findings that don't fit with its own view.

regards

edg

addyann

The argument for cutting public sector pensions is that its a cost on the tax payer. the local government pension is contributory, so individuals are also paying. But the main issue is, yes tax pays for local councils, and therefore the employers contribution, but if we are not funded with a decent (not gold plated) pension, many of us will be reliant on state benefits in retirement, which surely is a greater cost to the tax payer.

Also, public sector cuts, why are we being penalised for the faults of the banking sector, and world wide economic climate.

Pete_the_trucker

As the cost of borrowing is increasing, why are the interest rates for savers stagnant? Surely the two should be linked by law!! For instance, if the lending rate is 10% then the savings rate should be 4% or something of this ilk. This would make it a much fairer system & stop the FAT CAT EXCUSES!!!!!:mad:
Why have I worked hard all of my life (my wife too) to recieve the same state pension as a dole bludger. This is not just unfair IT STINKS!

Valhaz

My husband worked all his life in the public sector because he wanted to 'make a difference'. Many of his colleagues felt the same.
I want to know where these gold plated pensions are. Yes there are a few chief execs getting big pensions but most local government workers are extremely low paid. Traditionally they were expected to accept low pay in the knowledge that when they retired their pensions would enable them not to have to claim state benefits to make up their state pension. They contributed 6% of their salary to their pensions and also paid tax and National Insurance on their salaries. They also, contrary to popular belief have to pay council tax in full (no staff discounts on anything like the private sector). There seems to be a vendetta by the Government and certain newspapers against these hard working public servants.
In the Daily Mail of July 6th, the headline stated 'Public Service Salary Myth'. The article stated that state workers are paid nearly eight percent more than workers doing the same job in the private sector. I would like to know where these figure came from and what the jobs were. I cannot think of many jobs that are truly comparable in private and public sectors. My husband was an Environmental Health Officer and could certainly have earned far more in the private sector, but, as I said earlier, he wanted to 'make a difference'.
Isn't it time the Government stopped belittling the contribution made by public sector workers and using them as a scapegoat on which to blame the state of the pension funds, after all they have known how many would be retiring for around forty years. Their pensions, except for new entrants, to the scheme should be left as they are. When both sides signed up to the pension scheme, a contract was entered into, which should be honoured.

hazkaz

Hi

My question is with all the changes in the civil service pensions, (my wife works for the DW@P of 27 years service and is loosing out to a large amount by drop in her original pension forecast, she now has to contribute nearly £55 more per month) the changes to the scheme are affecting all grades at all levels.
Yet the changes to the MPs pension schemes only affect new entrants,this is verging on criminal practices, they make the changes, and every one suffers but them, they look after themselves again, it is disgusting.
How do they get a way with it every time?

Moneybunny

Please could you ask the Minister to explain why I have tried to save all my life for when I retired (no company pension for me) and now see my meagre savings effectively disappearing due to inflation and the minimal interest rates.

I have paid off my mortgage and will now possibly have to pay a new tax to avoid care home fees.


How I wish I had been !!!!less in my youth!!