ISLWYN MP Chris Evans has joined calls for the UK Government to fix the ‘broken Mineworkers Pension Scheme’.

More than half of the 152,000 retired miners on the Mineworkers Pension Scheme receive less than £84 a week, with the UK Government receiving billions of pounds, which many argue should have gone to the miners.

Since 1994, the government has gained more than £4.4 billion from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, after an arrangement was agreed that 50 per cent of any surplus in the scheme at its privatisation would go to members' pensions, while the other 50 per cent was put in an investment reserve, to be called on should a deficit arise.

It was further agreed that, to the extent that these funds were not needed to maintain benefits, they were to be transferred to the government over time, and this is where the £4.4 billion the government has gained has come from.

On the Mineworkers Pension Scheme website, it says of the surplus: “Neither party can change the arrangements without the agreement of the other party. Since 1994, in reflection of the changing financial circumstances of the Scheme, the Trustees have asked the Government to re-consider the terms of the Guarantee, including the surplus sharing arrangements, on a number of occasions. The Government has made it repeatedly clear in its response to the Trustees’ requests that it does not regard the 1994 arrangements as being unfair and that it has no intention of agreeing to changes that are not in its interests.”

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee has said that £2 billion more is due to be given to the government, with £1.2 billion of this coming from the Investment Reserve Fund.

Ex-miner Inky Thomson said: "The government has taken billions of pounds out of the pension scheme that should be there for the people who have contributed to it and their widows.

"And now this Government want to take billions more.

"This needs to be brought to an end. It is the least we deserve."

Mr Evans joined fellow Labour colleagues in a letter to the prime minister calling for an immediate return of the £1.2 billion reserve fund to the pensioners as changes to the surplus sharing agreement to give more to pensioners.

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The National Union of Mineworkers estimates that the return of the £1.2 billion would see an extra £14 a week given to those on the average £84 per week pension.

Boris Johnson has previously said that they would make sure that the cash is protected and returned. This was said during the 2019 general election.

Mr Evans said: “Too many retired miners and their widows in Wales are living with the failure of the government to fix the issues with the Mineworkers Pension Scheme.

“The government cannot be allowed to continue to raid miners’ pension pots. Time is running out and immediate change is needed to give minder the pensions they deserve.”

National Union of Mineworkers secretary, Chris Kitchen, said: “The theft of miners pensions has been a grave injustice.

“These are not the government’s funds. These are miners’ pension contributions which have been taken from them.

“I am pleased that Labour has today committed to writing this historic wrong and giving a real immediate financial uplift to former miners and their families all across the country.

“The government must now step up, as Labour have done, and follow through on their promise to end this injustice.”