A special edition of Money Box, examining the problems of the BBC Pension Scheme, has been blocked.  Presenter Paul Lewis gave this explanation in an email to those who had suggested questions:


Thank you for emailing me with your question for the internal programme by the Money Box team on the proposed BBC pension changes.

I am sorry to tell you that the programme will not now be going ahead.

My understanding is that on Tuesday 13th a decision was taken at the highest level that it could only go ahead if it was pre-approved by internal communications - something which the journalistic side could not, of course, agree to. So the programme has been cancelled. These decisions were all taken way above me - though of course as a journalist I would never have been willing to make a programme which would be subject to vetting by PR people.

Dozens of staff have emailed me with questions for the programme and I had hoped to answer as many of them as I could through interviews with senior BBC people and outside experts - many of whom had agreed to take part when the news came through to me late on Tuesday. I am sorry that will not now happen. I cannot answer your individual enquiry personally as I am not authorised to give personal financial advice and - without the interviews - my answers to other questions would be speculative and incomplete.

I cannot tell you how sorry I am about this outcome. As someone who is not a member of the pension scheme I have had to find out a great deal about it - and the plans for change - in the last week. I am disappointed that information will not now be made use of for the good of the staff and the BBC. And I am personally very sorry that we could not make this programme and bring the Money Box analysis to what is a major change for everyone in the BBC pensions scheme.

Apologies for the long delay in letting you know but I have not been in the office until today.

There may be more in Ariel in due course.

Paul