Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood has criticised the UK Coalition Government’s Pensions Minister for failing to consult with the Treasury over the possibility of compensating former ASW workers.
The AM for South Wales Central said it was unfair for Steve Webb MP to dash the hopes of the former steelworkers when he has, according to a Freedom of Information request, failed to raise the subject with his cabinet colleagues in the Treasury.
Recently Mr Webb has told ASW campaigners that it is unlikely their pensions will be fully restored and that the Westminster Coalition Government has “fulfilled its obligations.”
Yet a Freedom of Information request submitted by the office of Leanne Wood in January found that Mr Webb had not even met with the Treasury regarding the Financial Assistance Scheme which was established to make top-up payments to pension schemes that have been wound up.
Former ASW worker John Benson, who has spearheaded the campaign for pension justice, said: “I always thought Steve Webb and Coalition Ministers were men of their word. I trusted they would fully support my former work colleagues from ASW, their families, and others, if they got into power.
“How wrong could I have been? All their fine words of support in opposition mean nothing now in Government. I and many thousands feel totally betrayed by these Ministers – shame on them.
He added: “We are not going away or giving up, till we receive the justice we deserve.”
Ms Wood said: “I fail to see how Mr Webb can all but rule out justice for ASW workers when he has not even met with the Treasury about satisfactory compensation.
“He has treated the former ASW workers with complete disdain by trying to fob them off without making a concerted effort to get their full pensions reinstated.
“These workers held down difficult jobs in difficult conditions, while paying into a pension scheme that should have given them a comfortable retirement away from the furnaces.
“All they are asking for is theirs, what has been taken away from them; nothing more. When workers lose their hard-won pension funds through no fault of their own it undermines the entire system.
“When the UK Government is looking to encourage more people to save for retirement, they should be treating this sorry episode with the utmost importance and ensuring former the pensions of former ASW workers are guaranteed just like employees of bailed-out banks have been.”
Ms Wood added: “It is very disappointing that Mr Webb has been unable to come good on all the strong statements he made whilst an opposition MP.
“His change in tone and attitude to the former ASW workers as soon as he in a position to do something about it does no good for the credibility of politicians in general.”
