Leo Docherty corrected a written answer on Merchant Shipping: Pensions

3 March 2022 · Commons written answer · Ministry of Defence

Matt Rodda (Labour, Reading East) asked written question 33321 on 14 July 2021. Leo Docherty answered on 21 July 2021 for the Ministry of Defence, and Leo Docherty corrected the answer on 3 March 2022. The corrected text no longer gives the figures 18563, 18564. Altogether 145 words differ between the two versions.

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2021 to Question 18563 on Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund, what estimate he has made of the potential future cost to the public purse in the (a) short term and (b) long term in relation to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s role as a sponsoring employer of the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund scheme.

Original and corrected answer

Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.

Original	Corrected
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ~~seafarers are Ministry of Defence (MOD) employees and~~ members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. The ~~RFA does not sponsor~~ the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it. In addition, my answer to Questions 18563 and 18564 on 28 June 2021 contained an error. It stated: The RFA does not sponsor the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it. It should have said: The RFA does not sponsor the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it.	The Royal Navy is a participating employer for the Merchant Navy Pension Fund for Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel who were members of this scheme prior to the RFA transitioning to the main Civil Service Pension Scheme. The fund closed to new members on 31 May 2001 and is in the process of running down.

Original

Corrected

Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ~~seafarers are Ministry of Defence (MOD) employees and~~ members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. The ~~RFA does not sponsor~~ the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it.
In addition, my answer to Questions 18563 and 18564 on 28 June 2021 contained an error. It stated:
The RFA does not sponsor the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it.
It should have said:
The RFA does not sponsor the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and the MOD is not responsible for any costs or entitlements associated with it.

The Royal Navy is a participating employer for the Merchant Navy Pension Fund for Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel who were members of this scheme prior to the RFA transitioning to the main Civil Service Pension Scheme. The fund closed to new members on 31 May 2001 and is in the process of running down.

The question and answer on the Parliament website.

Receipt

Read from	https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1346710?expandMember=true
Date read	15 October 2026
SHA-256	`0c09fe227e621a8e559b58618db741d9b2477407ee60907ae45e2bec1aca86a5`