But large numbers still rely on the basic state pension which has been uprated in line with prices but

But large numbers still rely on the basic state pension, which has been uprated in line with prices, but has lost value in relation to earnings over the past 16 years.Mr Field’s plan, part of a package which includes compulsory insurance for unemployment and long-term care in old age, was mentioned as an “option” in the report of the Commission on Social Justice, set up by John Smith, the former Labour leader It was also endorsed by a Liberal Democrat study.. He added that he was “very wary of introducing elements of compulsion where there are none at present”. He also said that the Singapore scheme was flawed because it excluded “all the difficult cases that the Actuary will look at”.About two-thirds of employees in Britain are members of occupational pensions schemes and another 5 million have a personal pension scheme. He added: “We have no choice but to move to compulsion.”Mr Field has presented a plan for compulsory pension contributions as an alternative to Labour’s historic commitment to the State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (Serps), a top-up to the basic state pension which has been cut back by the government and which enjoys limited public support.But there is uncertainty about the cost of a compulsory scheme which would have to to provide coverage to those who make little or no provision for themselves.Mr Field said yesterday that he had raised funds from a charitable trust to commission a report on the possible costs of his plan from the Government Actuary – who provides Parliament with forecasts of social security costs The report would be completed by February Mr Smith said he took a close interest in the outcome. Mr Smith will be looking at the Central Provident Fund there, an insurance fund for unemployment, sickness, and old age to which employees are required to contribute.Mr Smith confirmed yesterday that he was “considering a variety of options for second-tier pensions”, and that there were “considerable attractions” in a fund that has “collective strength” and in which the individual has a stake and is told at regular intervals what their bit of it is worth”.A Labour government could not ask taxpayers to pay for higher state pensions, Mr Field said yesterday. Local people and emergency workers will give evidence at Paisley Sheriff Court.
The inquiry will examine why the helicopter struck the mountain at high speed and without warning. Although an internal Ministry of Defence investigation said the pilots, Flight Lt Jonathan Tapper and co-pilot Flight Lt Richard Cook, were “grossly negligent”, lawyers representing the two men and relatives of the other 27 victims say RAF investigators uncovered safety problems with Chinooks, including engine “flame-outs” and computer faults, just weeks before the crash..

JOHN RENTOUL

Political Correspondent
Labour has moved closer to a dramatic switch of policy in favour of compulsory contributions to private pensions to top up the state pension.Frank Field, the influential Labour chairman of the Social Security select committee, and MP for Birkenhead, has disclosed that a government statistician will cost the plan.Speculation about Labour support for Mr Field’s proposal will be heightened by the fact that Chris Smith, Labour’s social security spokesman, flew yesterday to Singapore to join Tony Blair, the Labour leader. A harrowing picture of the RAF’s worst helicopter crash in modern times will emerge today at the official inquiry into the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident, writes John Arlidge. Relatives of the 29 people who died in the accident will hear eyewitnesses describe the moment when the Chinook ploughed into a 1,400ft mountain in swirling mist and cloud on 2 June 1994. Granada had been expected to release further details of the programme yesterday but later changed its mind Yesterday it said it was still editing the programme. A spokes-man said: “Anyone who watches the programme will be able to make up their own minds.”. A padlock and a new galvanised gate bar the way to woodland just south of Rudyard Kipling’s home in the Sussex Weald, which local people have for years enjoyed for quiet recreation. For Clive Mackie, a retired chartered accountant, the barrier and warning signs put paid to 13 years of walking in Blackbrooks and nearby woods.
About as far from a “militant rambler” as an ex-secretary of the Institute of Actuaries is expected to be, Mr Mackie did not resort to trespass or wire cutting.In fact he was more perplexed than angry.

Doctors, dentists and chiropodists also visit the stores to conduct free checks on workers.M&S claimed it had tried to co-operate with Granada but said the relationship had “not been easy”. Obviously these allegations strike at the foundations on which that reputation has been built and we therefore take them very seriously.” He added that it would be watching the programmes closely before deciding on its next step.Marks & Spencer is known as one of Britain’s best employers In the UK, stores have rest rooms for staff feeling unwell. A company spokesman said yesterday: “We have built our reputation over 112 years and we value it highly. The certificates also state that no employees are under 15.t Those employees that are aged 15 are apprentices engaged in light textile duties and do not operate machinery until they are 16.t That the factory is visited twice a year by a doctor from the local Labour Medical Inspectorate, who has confirmed that it meets Moroccan legislation.M&S says it has written to all suppliers, restating their responsibilities with respect to contract specifications.Further allegations could be hugely damaging to Marks & Spencer, one of Britain’s’ most respected companies. The garments had been made at a factory controlled by Desmond & Co, a Northern Ireland textile company.M&S dismissed this case as “a one-off mistake” and said it had sent senior managers on an unannounced visit to Desmond’s Sicome factory in Morocco in December, to monitor conditions.They found:t No evidence of anyone employed below 15 years of age.t That Sicome has government certificate of approval that the site meets all national local Moroccan laws. The company ran into trouble last summer when it was accused of copying the design of a swimsuit.Marks & Spencer has already withdrawn a batch of women’s pyjamas which were labelled as “Made in the UK” when they had been manufactured in Morocco. It also alleges that girl workers toil for just pounds 11.80 a week, in stifling conditions where they are treated poorly by their supervisors.Next week’s programme is thought to include allegations of copyright infringement.

It also alleges that the company has incorrectly labelled garments as “Made in the UK” when they have actually been manufactured elsewhere.The programme is expected to claim that the Moroccan factory has employed workers as young as 12. The programme will centre on the allegations of the use of child labour in a factory controlled by one of Marks & Spencer’s suppliers. He said the company had conducted rigorous checks to ensure it was meeting all labour legislation.Marks & Spencer went on the offensive ahead of a two-part World in Action documentary, entitled “Saint Michael – has the halo slipped?” which will be screened by Granada tonight. NIGEL COPE

Marks & Spencer yesterday hit back at potentially damaging allegations of incorrect labelling of garments in its stores and the use of child labour by one of its suppliers.
The company issued a detailed response saying it would “vigorously challenge” the allegations. David Sieff, M&S’ head of corporate affairs and a member of one of the company’s founding families, also appeared on the Breakfast With Frost programme on BBC1 yesterday to present the company’s case. I think it was brought in as a device to avoid having to have taxes. It seems to me to be a corrupting influence on our society.”Meanwhile, banks and building societies said the combination of January sales and the record lottery prize fund boosted cash withdrawals to a record high..

It was great to see everyone coming together under the common denominator of having fun.”Not everyone in the country was so enthusiastic. The Bishop of Coventry, the Right Reverend Simon Barrington-Ward, yesterday made another call for the abolition of the National Lottery.”I would like to see it abolished,” he said on the BBC’s Breakfast with Frost programme, “but I would also like to see the prizes reduced and that is the more realistic of the two options at the moment. They were working within 20 minutes and between 2pm and 3pm we sold 8 million tickets… Around pounds 60m was spent on Saturday alone.Demand for tickets because of the double rollover jackpot was so high that ticket networks at Camelot’s two data processing sites at Watford and Liverpool crashed for 20 minutes at Saturday lunchtime, shutting down 19,000 on-line terminals nationwide.But a Camelot spokeswoman said yesterday: “That didn’t really cause a problem.