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Also see message from Joe Harris of the NPC

Re the National Pensioners Convention rally in London at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday the 8th September 2004.

Before I start it is worth noting that the Work and Pensions Minister Andrew Smith had resigned the day before.

The day, like many others before it, was luverly - about 25C and blue skies.

I got to the Commons entrance at about noon. By 1230 we were in Westminster Hall. During the queuing and processing time I spoke to people about the "frozen pension issue" and was amazed that so many knew so much about it. I think this is an endorsement of all the work that has gone on in the past.

I tried to lobby Oona King the Labour MP for Bethnal Green who I have had contact with on this matter but she did not respond before I had to leave for a pre-arranged appointment with Robert Syms the Conservative MP for Poole in Dorset. We had tea on the terrace. He had a good appreciation of the issues involved and he thought that the situation was getting weirder - his words not mine. He thought that it was very odd that as the EU expanded more ex-pats and ex UK workers in those countries got their British state pensions uprated and those in Commonwealth Countries still suffered. He wanted some figures and I was able to talk about the half a million frozen and the 400 million pounds it would cost to rectify the situation.

He said that he thought that the issue was one that continued to languish because the people affected were not voters. I pointed out to him that this was not so as there were many people from Commonwealth countries who had worked for many years in the UK who if they wished to return to the country of their birth when they retired would also find their pensions frozen. He noted this but had to admit there were not too many people in Poole in this category. He said that the Conservatives have no policy on this matter and he would refer it to the Shadow Minister and make some representations -
which when your in opposition is an easy thing to say.

I talked to one of the union people present - from Unison and he told me that they are starting to get complaints from people who migrated to the UK from Commonwealth countries and who now wish to return after retirement. I thought that this may be an emerging problem and it looks that way. I am now
of the view that we should start to make more of this.

I spoke to Joe Harris the NPC General Secretary about this issue and also to the President Rodney Bickerstaffe. Both thought that they should examine the paragraph in their manifesto and possibly expand it to include those people who are still working in the UK and who may wish to return to Commonwealth countries.

Several people were at a loss to understand why the Commonwealth does not take a collective stand on this issue.

During the rally in Westminster Hall there were some speeches and the good wishes that Brian Havard, President of BAPA, were read out and mention was made of my presence. I gave out the BAPA newsletters sent to me. All in all I think that this was a very successful day.

Tony Walsh

Message from Joe Harris General Secretary of the
National Pensioner Convention

Dear Brian, On behalf of the NPC, thanks for your message of support for our lobby of parliament yesterday, which was further demonstrated by the presence of Tony Walsh. Your message was read out over the public address system in the Westminster Hall in which hundreds of pensioners were engaged in discussing the demands of the Pensioners Manifesto with their M.Ps. I can assure you the matter of indexing ex-pat pensions was one of the demands we high-lighted.

Thanks again, Best wishes, Joe