Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2021 to Question 187376 on Equitable Life Assurance Society, how his Department defines relevant records in relation to the Equitable Life Payments Scheme; and whether any other records in relation to the Scheme have been previously (a) held and (b) destroyed.
As I assured the House on 27 April 2021, there has been no change in the Treasury’s position. The relevant records – that is, those needed to ensure the accuracy of ongoing payments, and to respond to queries in relation to payments that have already been made – are retained and will continue to be, as long as it is legal to do so. There are no plans to destroy records.