The OPA welcomes the enactment of the Pensions Act 2004, but we have matters of concern to raise with all your parliamentary candidates as follows:

1.1. Lack of legislative force generally
The OPA believes that the Codes of Practice are likely to be adhered to by the better employers, but fear they will be too easily ignored by many.

1.2. Lack of incentive for employers to offer good quality pension schemes
The removal of £5bn per annum of tax breaks, and the introduction of the new Pension Protection Fund (PPF) levy, are strong disincentives. The OPA believes the Government needs to introduce new incentives to prevent further erosion of existing Defined Benefit Schemes (DBS), to encourage new DB Schemes, and to ease the adverse cost effects of the introduction of the PPF.

1.3.Member Nominated Trustees (MNTs)
The OPA welcomes the measure to increase MNTs to 50% , but is unhappy about (a) the failure of the Government to ensure that selection procedures are fair and open, (b) the vague way in which these are defined,(c) the weakness in the proposed selection methods, and (d) the apparent huge delay there will be in implementation of this requirement. The composition of the 50% MNT element should reflect the demography of the scheme. Pensioner Associations have a vital role to play in this area.

1.4. Trustee Boards
The OPA believes that it is essential that the Board should be chaired by an independent person, who is neither a company employee or director, nor a member of the scheme. The Chairman should act in the best interests of the scheme, taking into account the interests of the Consumers (the members), and the responsibilities and viability of the company.

1.5. Scheme Specific Valuations (SSVs)
The OPA welcomes the idea of SSVs but would like to see more evidence of actuaries acting in the interests of the consumers (the members) rather than the Employer, as was clearly the case during the period when large fund surpluses were being 'utilised'

2. MATTERS AFFECTING ALL PENSIONERS

2.1 Basic State Pension (BSP)
The OPA seeks an increase the Basic State Pension to at least £105 to remove the problems associated with the means test and to simplify the system to make it easier for younger people to make decisions about pension saving.

2.2. Council Tax
Recent years have seen exceptional increases in Council Tax, which is now equivalent to 30% of BSP. In spite of this disproportionate tax increase, pensions have increased only in line with RPI. This, together with above inflation increases in a whole range of products and services, is causing significant disparity between the Cost of Living and the Standard of Living of pensioners. OPA urges the Government to give serious and speedy attention to this problem, perhaps by introducing a Pensioners' RPI, that truly reflects pensioner cost of living. Another option would be to make the BSP a % of average earnings.

2.3. Ageism
This is rife throughout industry, with only a few notable exceptions, such as B&Q, bucking the trend. Considering that one of the elements widely supported as helping to solve the pensions crisis is extending the working life, action to outlaw ageism is seen to be essential. OPA does not believe in legislating to make people work longer, but those who wish, and are able to do so, should receive the support they deserve and need.

2.4. Other Issues
Other issues, such Health, Crime, Transport, the level of bureaucracy, and even the wholesale closure of local Post Offices throughout the country, figure high on the list of concern for older people, and OPA would like to see general improvements in these areas.