Commenting on reports that hundreds of thousands of pensioners who worked in the public sector have been potentially overpaid in their pension, John Mason, the SNP Work & Pensions spokesman said:

“This looks like an extremely serious issue. As the pensioners affected look forward to Christmas, the timing could not possibly be worse in terms of what the Chancellor may be about to announce.

“Alistair Darling has said that these apparent over-payments will need to be ‘put right from next year’, and that he will ‘adjust what’s paid for the future’.

“These comments are very worrying. Pensioners must not lose out. We need to know exactly what has happened, and exactly what the UK government plan to do.”