9 July 2007

The Shadow Minister for Pensions, Nigel Waterson MP, visited the North East region to outline the future direction of Conservative pension policy at a seminar organised by leading North East investment management firm Wise Speke.

Accountants, solicitors and financial advisers from across the North East descended on St James Park at midday on Friday 6^th July, as the Shadow Pensions Minister addressed an audience of over 70 delegates to reveal the thinking behind Conservative pension policy.

Don Robson, Divisional Director at Wise Speke organised the event and headed up proceedings on Friday. He commented: "Pensions provision continues to be at the forefront of the political agenda and is in a period of significant change, extending from occupational, individual and personal pensions plans.

"Nigel is an acknowledged expert and has been instrumental in developing Conservative policy for a number of years. The seminar organised by Wise Speke presents a unique opportunity for the region to hear firsthand the direction of pension policy should there be a change of Government at the next election."

Nigel was appointed Shadow Minister for Pensions and Older People in November 2003 having previously held positions as Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry (2002), Shadow Minster for Local Government and Housing (1999) and Opposition Whip in June 1997.

Earlier this year, Brewin Dolphin Securities, of which Wise Speke is a division, launched a Pension Tax Calculator to help compare the anticipated value of an individual’s pension on retirement to what it would have been had Labour not changed the tax treatment of pension funds in 1997.

Available online at http://www.brewindolphin.co.uk/PensionTaxCalculator/Default.aspx, the calculator also estimates the required increase in the level of contributions from today and the number of additional months to be worked, in order to make up for the shortfall.

ENDS

Media contact: Sarah Hall / Liz Davies at Golley Slater on 0191 245 9020 or firstname.surname@golleyslater.co.uk.

Notes to editors

Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited ("BDS") is the principal operating company of Brewin Dolphin Holdings PLC which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. BDS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange.

BDS is the largest independent private client investment manager in the UK. The Group manages £21 billion of funds on behalf of more than 100,000 clients, and of this £10 billion is on a discretionary basis. BDS has 37 offices and is corporate adviser to around 140 small and medium sized quoted companies.

The Group provides complete investment management for private investors, charities and pension funds and trades as:

Brewin Dolphin in England, Wales and the Channel Islands
Bell Lawrie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Hill Osborne in the East Midlands
Wise Speke in the North of England
Stocktrade is the BDS Execution-Only division. www.stocktrade.co.uk

Please see Media Centre section on www.brewindolphin.co.uk for details and photos of all commentators and analysts throughout the BDS Group.