I was concerned to read that East Lothian Council’s pension fund is still investing significantly in companies engaged in fossil fuel extraction and processing.

I serve on the pension trustees of the Scottish Episcopal Church and I know that it can take some time to move towards a fully ethical investment policy as the primary task of the trustees is to ensure that there are funds available to meet their liabilities as and when they arise.

Have the trustees or the council consulted with members of the fund and their trades unions to ask whether they wish funds to be invested in enterprises which imperil the planet?

What view do the pension trustees take of the risk that many of the assets may become stranded and worthless – for example if governments decide that much oil and gas should stay in the ground or if public authorities act effectively to curb the demand for plastics, petrol, diesel and other oil and gas-based products?

How far are the pension fund trustees working together with other local authorities to encourage the development of appropriate investment vehicles that take fully into account the need to avoid putting money into companies whose actions do not challenge climate change?

How do the council and the relevant trades unions monitor the pension trustees’ statement of investment principles?

The Rev David Mumford

Temple Mains Steading

Innerwick