Pension claim sparks anger
Former miners in Cannock have hit out at a government minister after he defended the existing mineworkers' pension scheme.
The Cannock Chase Retired Miners and Officials' Association have been pressing MPs including Cannock's Tony Wright for a new pensions deal.
The group had been hoping for a renegotiation of the 1994 settlement with former minister Lord Truscott but after Gordon Brown took over as Prime Minister Lord Truscott was axed and Malcolm Wicks was installed as energy minister.
In a letter Mr Wicks, pictured, dealt a body blow to the miners' hopes when he described the existing scheme as "fair."
The current mineworkers' pension scheme was agreed in 1994 with the then Conservative government which guaranteed miners a basic pension in return for a 50 per cent share of the investment returns.
This meant the Government has made £8 billion from the scheme, costing members £13,000 each. This is despite some members of the pension fund getting just £10 a week.
The Cannock association had been hopeful of getting the Government to agree to renegotiate the deal which by 2019 could net the Government £10 billion in profit.
Mick Westwood, from the group, said: "I cannot begin to describe my anger."
No-one from the Department for Trade and Industry was available for comment.
