Tobacco investments held by local authority pension fund

The request was successful.

Dear Shropshire Council,

I am seeking information about the value of the local authority pension fund’s investment in tobacco shares and bonds, as well as the income from those investments. Please provide whatever answers you can to the following.

1. What is the most recent available value of the local authority's pension fund?

2. What is the value of the fund’s directly-held investment in shares or bonds of the following companies: British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International, Altria Group Inc, Philip Morris International, Universal Corp, Alliance One International?

3. What is the total combined value of the fund’s directly-held investments in the companies named above?

4. What income did the fund receive from these investments in the last 12-month period for which records are available?

5. Does the fund have any other investments in tobacco via pooled investments? What is the value of these?

6. What is the local authority’s annual spend on smoking-related illness?

7. Please supply the number of deaths attributable to smoking in the local authority areas covered by your pension fund. Your Director of Public Health or equivalent should be able to supply this figure.

If you require clarification on any of the above questions, please get in touch on 0203 353 3616, or 07415154041 or email me at [email address]

Yours faithfully,

Rob Davies

FOI, Shropshire Council

Dear Mr Davies

 

Thank you for your request for information received on 17/04/2018.  We are
currently processing your request in accordance with the relevant
legislation.

 

You have requested details about pension fund investment in tobacco shares

 

(Please note this may be a summary of your request and full details, as
outlined in the request, will be sent to the team providing the response.)

 

If you feel the information is inaccurate or requires amendment, please
notify us as soon as possible using the contact details provided below. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Governance Team

Shropshire Council

Shirehall

Abbey Foregate

SHREWSBURY

SY2 6ND

 

Tel:                  01743 252179 / 252774 / 252747

Email:             [Shropshire Council request email]

Web:               [1]www.shropshire.gov.uk/access-to-information

 

 

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James Walton, Shropshire Council

Dear Rob

Further to your FOI request, we are still awaiting some further information from our managers relating to question 5. We will respond as soon as this has been provided.

James Walton
Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer)

Finance, Governance and Assurance
Shropshire Council
Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
Shrewsbury
SY2 6ND

Tel: 01743 25 8915
[mobile number]
Email: [email address]
Web www.shropshire.gov.uk

_______________________________________________________________________________
Chief Financial Officer (Section 151 Officer): Shropshire Council
Pension Scheme Administrator: Shropshire County Pension Fund
Treasurer: Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority
Treasurer: West Mercia Energy
Treasurer: Marches LEP
______________________________________________________________________________

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James Walton, Shropshire Council

Dear Mr Davies

Further to your FOI request, please find response below.

1. What is the most recent available value of the local authority's pension fund?
£1.83 billion

2. What is the value of the fund’s directly-held investment in shares or bonds of the following companies: British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International, Altria Group Inc, Philip Morris
International, Universal Corp, Alliance One International?
British American Tobacco only - £447,000

3. What is the total combined value of the fund’s directly-held investments in the companies named above?
£447,000

4. What income did the fund receive from these investments in the last 12-month period for which records are available?
£26,240

5. Does the fund have any other investments in tobacco via pooled investments? What is the value of these?
Yes, value £4.2 million.

6. What is the local authority’s annual spend on smoking-related illness?
0

7. Please supply the number of deaths attributable to smoking in the local authority areas covered by your pension fund. Your Director of Public Health or equivalent should be able to supply this figure.
233.3 per 100,000 this is available nationally: in PHE Local Tobacco Control Profiles.

James Walton
Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer)

Finance, Governance and Assurance
Shropshire Council
Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
Shrewsbury
SY2 6ND

Tel: 01743 25 8915
[mobile number]
Email: [email address]
Web www.shropshire.gov.uk

_______________________________________________________________________________
Chief Financial Officer (Section 151 Officer): Shropshire Council
Pension Scheme Administrator: Shropshire County Pension Fund
Treasurer: Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority
Treasurer: West Mercia Energy
Treasurer: Marches LEP
______________________________________________________________________________

From: Rob Davies [mailto:[FOI #478622 email]]
Sent: 17 April 2018 19:31
To: Information.Request <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Tobacco investments held by local authority pension fund

Dear Shropshire Council,

I am seeking information about the value of the local authority pension fund’s investment in tobacco shares and bonds, as well as the income from those investments. Please provide whatever answers you can to the following.

1. What is the most recent available value of the local authority's pension fund?

2. What is the value of the fund’s directly-held investment in shares or bonds of the following companies: British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International, Altria Group Inc, Philip Morris International, Universal Corp, Alliance One International?

3. What is the total combined value of the fund’s directly-held investments in the companies named above?

4. What income did the fund receive from these investments in the last 12-month period for which records are available?

5. Does the fund have any other investments in tobacco via pooled investments? What is the value of these?

6. What is the local authority’s annual spend on smoking-related illness?

7. Please supply the number of deaths attributable to smoking in the local authority areas covered by your pension fund. Your Director of Public Health or equivalent should be able to supply this figure.

If you require clarification on any of the above questions, please get in touch on 0203 353 3616, or 07415154041 or email me at [email address]

Yours faithfully,

Rob Davies

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