UK taxpayers dish out 13.2 million pounds annualy to support luxurious MP pensions

London, Apr. 1 (ANI): After its announcement that the taxpayers will be forced to pay 13.2 million pounds-a-year to bail out MPs' pensions, the Gordon Brown Government is facing opposition from both the taxpaying general public and Conservatives.

Annual Treasury contributions are to be raised by an extra 800,000 pounds a year to help fill a 50 million pounds black hole into the Parliamentary pension scheme, according to last night's announcement.

House of Commons Leader Harriet Harman released details of the extra taxpayer funding for MPs' pensions in a written statement to Parliament.

"The Government is committed to providing public service pension schemes that are affordable and sustainable in the long-term, consistent with the principle of fairness for all taxpayers and between generations," The Daily Express quoted her, as saying.

The decision has fuelled the public outrage about the 'Westminster gravy train'.

"It's deeply unfair that while most people struggle to save pensions for themselves, taxpayers are faced with a massive bill for MPs' pensions. Parliamentarians should fill this black hole themselves. This scheme is unaffordable and the taxpayer should not pick up the bill," said Mark Wallace of Taxpayers' Alliance Campaign Group.

A report from the Government Actuary's Department stated that the black hole in the Parliamentary pension scheme - one of the most generous in the world - has been growing because retired MPs are living longer.

However, a spokesman of 10 Downing Street admitted that the growing burden on taxpayers to fund MPs' pensions was "unsustainable."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for complete revamping of the Parliamentary pension scheme, and a review is currently under way.

One MP said: "Gordon Brown talks about reforming MPs pensions but nothing seems to be happening. Any change is unlikely to be retrospective, so this could go on for years."

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith remained under intense pressure over her 22,000 punds-a-year accommodation claims for running her family home in her Redditch constituency.

She is already shamed by the revelation that public funds even paid for pornographic pay-per-view films watched by her husband Richard Timney. (ANI)