BELGIUM – A new pension hotline in Belgium is set to go live tomorrow, pension minister Bruno Tobback says.

The lines will be manned by 24 staff, with advice being given in both of Belgium’s official languages. Callers will have a four-digit code enabling them to speak directly to a civil servant.

“This is to improve information and overall service quality to pensioners,” Tobback, who is also environment minister, told IPE in an interview.

Tobback, a Socialist Party MP who took over the pensions brief in July 2004, said callers would be able to ask any question about their pension.