To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the Answer of 1 September 2008, Official Report, column 1638W, on teachers’ pensions: resource accounting and budgeting, for what reason the teachers’ pension scheme resource accounts were not published between the 2008 summer recess and the end of the 2007-08 session; and when he plans to publish them. (249008)

My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office referred to some overpayments made to pensioners of public sector pension schemes, including the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in a written ministerial statement on 16 December 2008, Official Report, column 111WS.

The Teachers’ Pension Scheme resource accounts contain reference to these overpayments. The decision was taken not to publish the accounts until such time as we had sufficient information to be able to inform the pensioners. Critical to this decision was the need to avoid unnecessary public concern among the vast majority of teacher pensioners who were entirely unaffected, but who would not have known that had a general announcement been made. Letters were sent to affected pensioners on 15 December and the statement, formally notifying Parliament of the overpayments, was made on 16 December .

The accounts will now be laid before 31 January.