rather than advance an announcement.
Given that your members are now aware that there will both a compensation scheme and a sterling pension protection scheme, as well as the right to early retirement with immediate payment of pension, I hope that they can continue to be patient and understand that we need time to agree the details of these schemes within Whitehall and complete the necessary drafting.
I know that your members will be asking you how much longer they will have to wait for an announcement. I think you will appreciate that it would be unwise of me to try to hazard a guess at a date, but I do repeat my assurance that this matter is being dealt with as a priority issue and that an announcement will be made as soon as possible.
cartland.22june/HMOCS/bp
ALASTAIR GOODLAD