Opposition MPs asked Finance Minister Bob Richards to reveal the numbers on how many people opted out of the National Pension Scheme over the last year.Shadow Finance Minister David Burt noted that Mr Richard’s Budget brief skirted mention of the scheme, put in place under former Premier Paula Cox last year, which allowed employers and their staff to agree to suspend pension contributions for a year.“How many employers and employees took advantage?” Mr Burt asked during a debate in the House on Friday, wondering aloud if Mr Richards’ silence on the matter meant that Government intended to take back the exemption from pension payments.Ms Cox had called the option a short-term measure to free up cash for struggling workers.Mr Burt asked for hard statistics on the numbers who signed on to the exemption.Independent MP Terry Lister agreed, telling the House of Assembly: “Personally, I never agreed with it. Your pension is for when you retire — when you’re done. Taking that money away is never in anyone’s best interests.”Mr Lister also called on the Finance Minister to walk the hall of his Ministry, telling MPs that two years ago, as Transport Minister, he had discovered a “crisis” with 51 buses off the road when 30 was supposed to be the maximum the Island could afford to have out of commission.Mr Lister said he’d discovered staff were “afraid of going over budget” in undertaking the necessary repairs.“Make sure common sense prevails,” he told Mr Richards.