APPENDIX
Letter from Chair of the Committee, to
Ann Abraham, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 10 September
2010
EQUITABLE LIFE
You wrote to Member's on 26 July expressing
your concern that the Chadwick proposals would be an "unsafe
and unsound basis on which to proceed".
As you know, our predecessor Committee took a very
close interest in this matter and shared your apprehension about
the way in which the previous Government had responded to your
recommendations.
I understand that you are meeting with the Financial
Secretary in advance of the Second Reading debate of the Equitable
Life (Payments) Bill. As you are well aware there is also much
concern among colleagues in the House on behalf of those of their
constituents who have been adversely affected by the events surrounding
Equitable Life.
It would help the Committee as well as Members,
in advance of announcements in the Spending Review next month,
if you were to come before us and explain in what specifics that
you disagree with the Chadwick approach.
You kindly copied me your letter to Mark Hoban
of 9 September but it would help our deliberations greatly if,
in advance of that session, you could set out those specifics
in writing: why you disagree with the Chadwick proposals; why
you consider that they are not the correct basis on which the
Government can meet your recommendations and make fair and transparent
payments and to what extent you have sought to resolve those differences
with Sir John and the Treasury. Can you tell us whether you have
sought to meet Sir John Chadwick to seek to resolve these differences?
The Clerk of the Committee will be in touch
with your office shortly with a formal invitation for early October.
I am also writing to Sir John Chadwick and the
Minister with a similar invitation.
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