To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people she estimates will receive pensions under her Department's Financial Assistance Scheme; and of these how many she expects to have rights to do so based (a) solely and (b) partly on pre-1997 service. (286416)

[holding answer 13 July 2009]: We estimate that the Financial Assistance Scheme will provide assistance payments to 147,000 members.

Of these, it has been estimated that 66,000 members have pension rights based solely on pre-1997 service and 74,000 members have pension rights based partly on pre-1997 service. The remaining 7,000 have solely post 1997 service.