The MP for North Swindon, Michael Wills, has welcomed Government proposals to help millions of people who were given wrong, misleading or incomplete information about changes to State Earnings Related Pension entitlement, introduced by the last government.

He said: "Many of my constituents have contacted me about this issue, and across the country millions of people faced losses because they were not told about changes to the rules, halving the amount of SERPs widows or widowers who could inherit after the death of their spouse."

Alistair Darling, the Social Security Secretary, has announced that all men and women who are over state pension age on October 5, 2002, will be exempt from the changes. And for those within 10 years of retirement age, the changes will be phased in.