MPs debate Ford and Visteon UK Ltd pensioners
12 December 2013
On Thursday 12 December, MPs debated a motion relating to Ford and Visteon UK Ltd pensioners. The debate was chosen by the Backbench Business Committee following a representation from Stephen Metcalfe, Geraint Davies.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
This debate was opened by Stephen Metcalfe. Co-sponsor Geraint Davies spoke early in the debate.
- Watch Parliament TV: MPs debate Ford and Visteon UK Ltd pensioners
- Commons Hansard: MPs debate Ford and Visteon UK Ltd pensioners
Text of motion
The motion was agreed. The text of the motion, put forward by Stephen Metcalfe and Geraint Davies, reads as follows:
That this House notes that, when Visteon UK Ltd was spun off from the Ford Motor Company, employees transferred from Ford’s pension scheme into the Visteon UK pension fund on the clear understanding that their pension rights would be unaffected; further notes that, when Visteon UK subsequently went into administration, now over four years ago, former Ford employees suffered a substantial reduction in their pension rights; regrets that the resolution of any court action is still some way off; believes that Ford should recognise a duty of care to its former employees and should make good the pension losses suffered by those worst affected without the need for legal action; and calls on the Government to use the power and influence at its disposal to help ensure that Ford recognises its obligations and accepts voluntarily its duty of care to former Visteon UK pensioners.
How the subject was selected
The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee following representations by Geraint Davies at the Committee’s public meeting on 26 November.
- Parliament TV: Backbench Business Committee on 26 November 2013
- Transcript of oral evidence heard on 26 November 2013
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays at 3pm to consider requests for debates from any backbench Members of Parliament on any subject, including those raised in e-petitions or national campaigns.
An MP must make a representation before the Committee for an e-petition or petition to be debated; e-petitions exceeding the Government's 100,000 signature threshold are not automatically allocated backbench time.
The Committee then has to decide how to allocate the limited Parliamentary time it has at its disposal. The Committee's meetings are always conducted in public and can be watched on Parliament TV.