Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

166087

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Workplace Pensions: Fees and Charges
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are measuring the impact of auto-enrolment on fees charged by the investment management industry; and what plans they have to track any changes.
	tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
	uin	HL3145
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government’s Command Paper, ‘Better Workplace Pensions: Further measures for savers’, published in March, set out a range of measures including a cap on charges in default fund arrangements, a ban on inappropriate charges and proposals to introduce minimum governance standards and improve transparency across workplace defined contribution schemes.</p><p> </p><p>Following this, Government launched its consultation on draft regulations on governance and charges in occupational pension schemes in October 2014. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the majority of this legislation will come into force from April 2015, alongside Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules in relation to workplace personal pension schemes where appropriate. From April 2015, the Government intends to introduce a charge cap on the default funds of qualifying schemes, set at 0.75 per cent of funds under management and the first phase of enhanced transparency with trustees and Independent Governance Committees (IGCs) being required to report on costs and charges for the first time.</p><p> </p><p>In 2015 Government will consult on regulations under duties in the Pensions Act 2014 requiring information about transaction costs to be disclosed to members and others, and the publication of costs and charges information. The FCA also intends to consult on amending their own rules to introduce equivalent enhanced transparency provisions for workplace personal pension schemes during 2015. The Government has also set out its plans to review the level of the default fund charge cap, to see if it should be lowered, and also whether it should include some or all of the transaction costs that are ultimately borne by members within a cap. This review will take place in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>Taken together the combined effect of these measures on charges, governance and transparency and the Government’s commitment to a review should ensure that savers are being enrolled into workplace schemes that are well run and in members’ interests.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 08/12/2014 12:19:52 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

166089

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the basis on which projections of potential returns are used by the investment management industry in communications with pension holders.
	tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
	uin	HL3147
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Since 6 April 2003, certain money purchase pension arrangements have been required to provide members with Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (SMPIs). Legislation requires that statutory illustrations are produced in accordance with guidance prepared by a prescribed body approved by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and by the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.</p><p>The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is the prescribed body and has been since 6 April 2007. The FRC fulfils its obligations through the publication of Actuarial Standard Technical Memorandum AS TM1: Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (AS TM1). It reviews AS TM1 regularly and the last completed review was carried out in 2013 following the introduction of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2734) which came into force on 6 April 2014. The AS TM1 specifies that the investment return should take into account the current and anticipated future investment strategy of the member’s funds over the period to retirement and be consistent from year to year, with the rationale documented and made available to members on request.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules require a projection at point of sale for contract based pensions. The investment return must reflect the investment potential of the (expected) underlying assets, subject to an overall cap of 5%pa. Flanking projections must be provided using returns which vary by +/- 3%. The FCA has a public commitment to review the basis every 4 years and the next review is due in 2015. The FCA do not require further projections during the lifetime of the contract as pension scheme members will receive statutory statements prepared under DWP legislation. However, where a provider chooses to provide additional projections, they must follow the same basis as point of sale projections.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 08/12/2014 12:26:30 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

79175

	registered interest
	date	21/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the number and percentage of people who are members of occupation pension schemes by region in (1) England, (2) Scotland, and (3) Wales.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hutton of Furness
	uin	HL1336
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Information on the proportions of employees with workplace pensions is collected in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and published on the ONS website. <a href="http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings-pension-tables/2013-provisional-results/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings-pension-tables/2013-provisional-results/index.html</a></p><p> </p><p>Figure 1 shows that overall for the UK, 49.8 per cent of employees were members of workplace pension schemes in 2013. This is an increase from 46.5 per cent in 2012 and is the biggest rise in workplace pension coverage since figures began in 1997.</p><p> </p><p>Figure 9 shows a breakdown of the proportion of employees with workplace pensions by sector and region. This shows a weak relationship between the region where the employer is located and the proportion of employees with a workplace pension. Overall membership was highest in Scotland (55.3 per cent) and lowest in East Midlands (46.7 per cent). In Wales it was 53.2 per cent.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 24/07/2014 15:18:09 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	494 label Biography information for Lord Hutton of Furness

78262

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Work Programme: Travellers
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in their draft Child Poverty Strategy 2014–17, what they envisage by "specialist" support for Gypsy and Traveller parents via the Work Programme.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Whitaker
	uin	HL1157
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The Government’s strategy for increasing ethnic minority employment and participation in the labour market is based around mainstreaming opportunity through locally delivered flexible provision.</p><p>The Work Programme is designed to give providers the flexibility to support each individual jobseeker, rather than treat people according to ethnic groups. Local autonomy and flexibility has replaced the one size fits all approach that has dogged previous employment schemes.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 28/07/2014 14:39:02 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	2510 label Biography information for Baroness Whitaker

93711

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Work Programme: Bristol
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people in Bristol have enrolled in their Work Programme; and how many of those, after six months, were not in employment, education or training.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
	uin	HL2140
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The number of people in Bristol City Local Authority who have been referred to the Work Programme up to and including June 2014 is 13,060.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>This information is published and can be found at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html" target="_blank">http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information on those not in employment, education or training after six months on the Work Programme, is not available.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 06/11/2014 14:01:58 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3703 label Biography information for Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

155667

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether people who are undergoing a work capability assessment because of mental health problems are guaranteed assessment by health professionals who have psychiatric expertise.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL2851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All healthcare professionals who carry out work capability assessments on behalf of the DWP are fully trained in disability assessment and are registered with their respective Regulatory Body. Healthcare professionals receive comprehensive training in the functional effects of mental health conditions. In addition all health professionals are supported by mental function champions who have specialist knowledge of mental health conditions and provide support and best practice advice.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 25/11/2014 14:38:05 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

61530

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the decision by Atos Healthcare to end its contract early, whether that contract will now be made public.
	tabling member printed	Lord Morrow
	uin	HL299
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>A redacted copy of the Medical Services Contract between the Department for Work and Pensions and Atos Healthcare was placed in the House of Lords library on 14<sup>th</sup> September 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The Health Services Category Team are currently undertaking the necessary contractual action following the mutual Termination of the Medical Services Contract with Atos and an updated version of the contract will be placed in the library by 30<sup>th</sup> July 2014.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 19/06/2014 14:02:26 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3795 label Biography information for Lord Morrow

63126

	registered interest
	date	23/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Work Capability Assessment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the new Work Capability Assessment contract or contracts will (1) require customer-facing staff to be suitably qualified to take decisions, and (2) lead to an improvement in the quality of assessments.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Thomas of Winchester
	uin	HL535
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>The future contract for provision of Work Capability Assessments to the DWP will detail requirements in relation to recruitment, training and monitoring of healthcare professionals designed to assure the quality of assessments.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 01/07/2014 13:10:05 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	3785 label Biography information for Baroness Thomas of Winchester

61529

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Welfare to Work
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the final cost of terminating the welfare to work contracts made before May 2010.
	tabling member printed	Lord Rowlands
	uin	HL298
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>We have interpreted the question as referring to the early cancellation of Flexible New Deal (FND) contracts in 2011.</p><p> </p><p>I would draw your attention to the DWP Annual Accounts 2011-12 (page 174) FND exit costs.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214340/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-2012.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214340/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-2012.pdf</a></p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 18/06/2014 11:36:55 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	554 label Biography information for Lord Rowlands

100567

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision not to contest the judicial review of the decision to cease funding for Local Welfare Assistance, whether they will reinstate that funding for 2015–16.
	tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
	uin	HL2304
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>From April 2015 it was intended funding for local welfare provision would be funded from the general grant to Local Government. The general grant took this into account.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has agreed to look again at how funding is provided for in 2015/16. Any decisions will be taken after we have reviewed how the current funds have been used and the on-going consultation and equality analysis on 2015/16 funding being co-ordinated by the Department for Communities and Local Government.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 29/10/2014 15:16:01 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow