The Government has revealed it is to take steps which could help MG Rover pensioners secure financial help in the wake of the company's decline.

Pensions Minister Stephen Timms told the Commons changes to the regulations of the Pension Protection Fund would be made "very soon" so that they could be assessed for eligibility.

The move was revealed at question time as West Midlands MPs challenged Mr Timms on over the situation.

Labour's Richard Burden (Birmingham Northfield) said: "There's been some concern about whether pensioners from the MG Rover pensions scheme will be assisted through the Financial Assistance Scheme, particularly as more than one company in that group is not currently in administration."

Mr Timms responded: "It's the Pension Protection Fund, rather than the Financial Assistance Scheme, which is the likely source of help for former employees of MG Rover and I do recognise that this is a worrying time for MG Rover pensioners at the moment."

He added that it was a question of "when, not if" a PPF assessment period will start.

Mr Timms was pressed on the issue by Tory Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove), who said: "How can you see it being effected that an application can be made to the Pension Protection Fund whilst this company is still trading because, until that happens, there will be no money forthcoming."

He responded: "We have been looking at the impact of the regulations for the Pension Protection Fund.

"We've been looking at that for some time and we are proposing to make a number of amendments in the coming weeks reflecting issues that have arisen through the operation of the regulations so far.

"I think that when you see those proposals, you will welcome the impact they are likely to have in that particular case."

Tory Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire) thanked Mr Timms for his " sensitive" replies which, he said, " certainly contrasted with the gross insensitivity of the Minister for Work who said that skilled engineers should go and work at Tesco".

Last week, Margaret Hodge said that there were a range of job opportunities coming to the West Midlands, including a new Tesco store, adding that she believed the labour market there was "healthy".