PAUL HAIG (The Press, April 16) queried the response I gave on BBC Radio York on April 11 to his question about occupational pensions. As he requested, I have checked the facts with the pensions expert in the House of Commons Library.

Until 2006, the pension tax rules specified the “normal retirement date” for most occupations should be between 60 and 75. People were allowed to take early retirement on a reduced pension at any age from 50.

After consultation, it was decided in 2003 that the earliest age at which a pension could be taken should increase from 50 to 55 by 2010, to reflect the fact that people were living longer, as pension schemes were becoming unaffordable.

Labour recognised it would be unfair to withdraw an existing contractual right to take an occupational pension at 50, so the law protected the rights of employees in occupational pension schemes to retire before 55, provided they had that right before 2003, when the proposals were introduced, and that the right was not subject to any conditions such as the consent of the employer.

These provisions stay in place.

Pensions are complicated, but vital for people’s security in old age. If Mr Haig, or any other constituent, has a query about pensions’ law they are welcome to come to one of my surgeries to discuss their concerns.

Hugh Bayley MP, Holgate Road, York.