Agenda item

Youssef Ibrahim addressed the Committee on behalf of Helen Wheeler, a summary of the statement is set out below.

He said the survey results show that only 47% of those who responded want to remain invested in Aerospace & Defence which was not a clear majority. He wanted to draw the Committee’s attention to the fact that many young people and women had shown that they were against the continued investment position.

He said that the political position of the Committee had been known since March.

He said that the decision the Committee was likely to make, might well be legal, but in his view, it was not ethical. He added that so many people have been killed in the conflict in Gaza including relatives of his and many more Muslims.

He stated that it was his view that genocide remained ongoing in Gaza.

Benazir Jatoi addressed the Committee, a summary of the statement is set out below.

She said that the results of the survey show that the Fund membership is split on this issue and that the 42% that wish to divest from Aerospace & Defence were mainly women and young people.

She stated that she believed that the survey included non-relevant information. She added that she felt that most Fund members would expect investment in assets that would cause no harm to human life.

She called for a further expert analysis of the survey results to be carried out.

Eldin Fahmy addressed the Committee, a summary of the statement is set out below.

He said it was clear that the Committee intends to vote today to continue investing members' pay in arms companies complicit in genocide and that this was the outcome it always wanted from the member survey.

He stated that the Committee had expressed clear political support for arms investments, that its members’ have known links to the arms industry and were undeclared, and that these members did not recuse themselves from previous meetings.

He said that in his view the Committee have provided no meaningful opportunities for members or their representatives to comment on the plans and that Trade Union reps were consulted very late and on a confidential basis only.

He added that the survey design was highly contentious with numerous concerns raised by invited stakeholders about biased questions and misleading information.

He highlighted that only 1 in 5 members were surveyed and that no explanation had been provided as to why you did not contact a wider pool of members via APF employers on an opt-in basis. 

He stated that the results provide no evidence of widespread support for continued arms investments amongst members, with only a minority of members (47%) supporting the APF Committee’s position. He added that there is no mandate from members for your controversial and divisive policy.

He said that the perception that this decision is guided by the personal priorities and interests of APF Committee - and not by pension fund members’ best interests - will be damaging to the Fund.

He stated that the APF is a public body for which BANES Council is legally responsible - it must ensure that APF Committee is properly managed according to democratic principles.

Roger Thomas addressed the Committee on behalf of Ahmed Hamoud, a summary of the statement is set out below.

He said that the survey contained weighted questions and that despite that only 47% of respondents want a continuation in these types of investments. He called on the Committee to vote with their consciences.

He said that the images seen from Gaza were horrific and that humanity must form part of the Committee’s consideration. He added that the death and mutilation of many people, including so many children cannot be defended.

He asked for members to vote against any decision to remain invested in Aerospace & Defence companies.

Beth Cleeter addressed the Committee, a summary of the statement is set out below.

She said that as a child she could recall not being able to comprehend the holocaust and that to now see genocide in Israel was appalling.

She said that she felt that some members of the Committee were employed by bodies that have an interest in this decision and were therefore biased.

She stated that claims about job risks contained in the survey, and mentioned previously, were not true.

She said that people should be free to speak on this matter despite non-violent action groups being jailed for their protests.

The Chair thanked the members of the public for their statements. He noted that questions had been received from Ahmed Hamoud. Responses to those questions had been prepared and circulated which will also be appended to these minutes online.