Vernon Coaker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vernon Coaker on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on resolving the dispute between the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and its employees on that body’s pension scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is a Royal Charter body and while we were consulted and in agreement with the Commission’s approach, its pension arrangements are ultimately a matter for the Commission’s senior management and the Trustees of the scheme.

I understand the Commission has proposed the closure of its defined benefit pension scheme to future accrual in the face of rising costs. Following a period of consultation, the Commission is now considering the range of responses received but no decision has yet been taken.