‘Cover-up’ over Gleneagles talks

MINISTERS have been accused of an unacceptable lack of transparency after claiming to have no record of secret speeches made at a luxury weekend away with insurance bosses.

Pensions Minister Richard Harrington and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Simon Kirby both say they made speeches at Gleneagles golf resort last September from memory and have no record of what they said. Days after their return from the five-star trip the Treasury announced that it was abandoning its flagship plans to allow pensioners to cash in their rip-off annuity incomes for a lump sum. The news sparked fears they were lobbied by the industry during the getaway and bowed to pressure to axe the plans.

Ros Altmann, a Tory peer and former pensions minister, said: ‘What is the Government afraid of? Speeches made by ministers should always be released. This is not acceptable. The public deserves more transparency.’

Debbie Abrahams, Labour’s work and pensions spokesman, said: ‘It is deeply unsettling to hear allegations that the Government axed a flagship pensions policy after being wined and dined by the industry.’

The Government has repeatedly refused to reveal what ministers said at the private event in Perthshire hosted by US investment giant JP Morgan. But after the Daily Mail asked for copies of the speeches under Freedom of Information laws, officials said the men did not read from a script and no copies of their speeches exist.

The Department for Work and Pensions said: ‘The minister for pensions spoke without notes in his speech at Gleneagles. The department does not hold a script of what he said.’

The Treasury has issued a similar response, claiming Mr Kirby ‘delivered an unscripted speech’ at the Pension and Savings Symposium.

However, a short summary it released included a commitment to a ‘well-functioning pensions market’.