Equitable Life is the top subject in Karen's post bag. Policy holders, so badly treated by this Labour Government, have been failed again by Labour MPs who voted against a Conservative motion to deliver the remedy that the independent Ombudsman asked for 18 months ago. Despite it being eighteen months since the Ombudsman published her report on the regulation of Equitable Life, policyholders are no closer to knowing when the first payments will be made to them.The Parliamentary Ombudsman, an independent arbiter, said that the Government should make payments to policyholders who have suffered losses because of the Government's failure to regulate Equitable Life properly. From the outset, Conservatives accepted the Ombudsman's recommendations: there should be a scheme to deal with the losses suffered by policyholders, payments should reflect relative and not absolute loss (and take into account market performance) and should consider the cost to public finances. . Because we believe that policyholders have suffered for too long already, Conservatives are committed to acting quickly if we are elected. David Cameron said last month "If we win the election, we're going to sort out Equitable Life very early on." Policyholders cannot afford any further delays At every stage of the process Gordon Brown has failed Equitable's policyholders. Conservatives led a debate in the House of Commons on 16 March on Equitable Life It is disappointing that Labour MPs blocked a fair remedy, but a Conservative Government is committed to ensure justice for Moorlands' policyholders. Our aim is to see through our commitment to accept the Ombudsman's recommendations in July 2008 and produce a scheme which is transparent and fair and delivers justice as quickly as possible. It's a shame that Labour MPs voted against the motion. You can see their voting record here.