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175823

	registered interest
	date	26/01/2015
	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	Offshore Industry: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many improvement notices were issued to oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea by the Health and Safety Executive in the period from 1 January 2014 to date; and in how many such cases the company has yet to comply with the improvement notice.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	221934
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2015 answer text <p>Since January 2014<ins class="ministerial">, in relation to oil and gas extraction operations in the North Sea,</ins> <del class="ministerial">HSE has served 64</del><ins class="ministerial">36</ins> Improvement Notices <ins class="ministerial">have been served.</ins><del class="ministerial">relating to oil and gas extraction on the UK Continental Shelf.</del></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Of these, </ins><del class="ministerial">The period for compliance has expired for 40</del><ins class="ministerial">21</ins><del class="ministerial"> of these</del> notices <del class="ministerial">and all</del> have been complied with. <ins class="ministerial">10 have not yet expired, and five</ins><del class="ministerial">Four</del> notices are subject to appeal and so are suspended until the appeal process is complete.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 29/01/2015 14:32:34 question first ministerially corrected 25/03/2015 17:43:45 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper previous answer version 41785 answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715806

	registered interest
	date	30/03/2017
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of planned increases in minimum contributions on the level of automatic enrolment opt-outs.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70109
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>Automatic enrolment is a programme that is working: 7.5 million individuals have already been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by over 464,000 employers. Due to lower than expected opt-outs the opt-out assumption over the duration of the programme has been revised from 28% to 15%. We continue to monitor the position as roll-out continues.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 15:30:31 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715807

	registered interest
	date	30/03/2017
	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	Carers: Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the trends in the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions before reaching state pension age.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70110
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The government does not hold data on the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions to access the pension freedoms. The introduction of the pension freedoms offered individuals more choice on how to manage their financial affairs. The Government believes that in general people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their pension savings in later life - that includes access due to caring or ill health.</p><p> </p><p>Many people with caring responsibilities can and do balance work and care, and this helps them plan for and boost their retirement income, and maintain wellbeing in later life. In recognition Government is working to ensure that adult carers can be supported to remain in and return to work. For example Government is working with stakeholders on a Carers Strategy to strengthen the support that is available to carers and has ensured that carers are central to its reforms to care and support with stronger rights in the Care Act 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and its Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the government has set out to ensure that wherever possible people with health conditions can be supported to remain in and return to work. This is good for both their finances, health and wellbeing. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with industry bodies, consumer representatives, the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator to interpret emerging research and data findings, and actively monitoring the market to understand the choices that consumers are making and identify emerging concerns.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70182 question first answered 18/04/2017 16:39:45 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715813

	registered interest
	date	30/03/2017
	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	Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for the financial security of people who are unable to work who withdraw their pensions before they reach the state pension age.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70182
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The government does not hold data on the number of carers withdrawing their private pensions to access the pension freedoms. The introduction of the pension freedoms offered individuals more choice on how to manage their financial affairs. The Government believes that in general people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their pension savings in later life - that includes access due to caring or ill health.</p><p> </p><p>Many people with caring responsibilities can and do balance work and care, and this helps them plan for and boost their retirement income, and maintain wellbeing in later life. In recognition Government is working to ensure that adult carers can be supported to remain in and return to work. For example Government is working with stakeholders on a Carers Strategy to strengthen the support that is available to carers and has ensured that carers are central to its reforms to care and support with stronger rights in the Care Act 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and its Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the government has set out to ensure that wherever possible people with health conditions can be supported to remain in and return to work. This is good for both their finances, health and wellbeing. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with industry bodies, consumer representatives, the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator to interpret emerging research and data findings, and actively monitoring the market to understand the choices that consumers are making and identify emerging concerns.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70110 question first answered 18/04/2017 16:39:44 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715814

	registered interest
	date	30/03/2017
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Age
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications of regional variations in life expectancy for the forthcoming changes to the state pension age.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p>The Government will present its first Review of the State Pension age to Parliament in May 2017. It will consider the reports produced by the Government Actuary and the independent reviewer John Cridland CBE. The Government’s review will be forward looking and will not recommend State Pension age changes to be made before 2028. Any proposed changes would be brought for Parliamentary consideration and would require primary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The Office of National Statistics published figures on life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by local areas for the UK last November, as part of their publication on health state life expectancies. The publication and accompanying data can be found here: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/healthstatelifeexpectanciesuk/2013to2015</a></p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 16:34:54 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

715815

	registered interest
	date	30/03/2017
	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	Retirement
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of poor health on an individual's ability to make financial preparations for retirement.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2017 answer text <p><strong></strong></p><p>In addition to increasing employment prospects for women above the age of 60, this Government has introduced the New State Pension. The system in place for people who reached their State Pension age before 6 April 2016 was extremely complex and the new State Pension brings greater clarity by helping people to understand their State Pension more easily. It is also much more generous for many women who have been historically worse off under the old system. On average, women reaching State Pension age last year get a higher state pension over their lifetimes than women who reached State Pension age at any point before them, even when the acceleration of State Pension age is taken into account. And, by 2030, over 3 million women stand to gain an average of £550 extra per year as a result of these changes.</p><p> </p><p>The New State Pension works hand in hand with Automatic Enrolment, enabling many more people to save in a workplace pension. And, combined with reviews of the State Pension age, these measures are designed to form the main elements of a sustainable basis of retirement income in the decades to come.</p><p> </p><p>The new State Pension is based on an individual’s National Insurance record. There is a comprehensive crediting system in place for those who need it. People who are unable to work and who are in receipt of certain welfare benefits will receive National Insurance credits to ensure they continue to build up Qualifying Years for their State Pension.</p><p> </p><p>To provide a secure and dignified retirement for those pensioners who would otherwise find themselves without an adequate income, Pension Credit is available. This is an income-related benefit paid out of general taxation which targets help at the poorest pensioners.</p><p> </p><p>Pension Credit tops up a person’s other income to a standard minimum amount – currently £159.35 a week for a single person and £243.25 for a couple. Higher amounts may be available for those with a severe disability, caring responsibilities or certain housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>For private pension saving, the Government is committed to providing free, impartial guidance through Pension Wise, to help people make informed and confident decisions about how they use any defined contribution pension savings they may have for their retirement.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Through its recent Fuller Working Lives Strategy and the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the Government is working with employers to target the support needed for individuals aged 50 years and over to remain in the labour market for longer as this brings benefits for an individual’s finances, health and wellbeing.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 18/04/2017 16:57:39 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

720818

	registered interest
	date	13/04/2017
	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	Older Workers: Disability
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of people approaching state pension age who are assessed by the Government as unable to work.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70567
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is not available.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There is readily available information which shows the number of claimants receiving Employment and Support Allowance by phase of claim and age, and is published here:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/</a></p><p>Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 24/04/2017 12:17:51 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

720843

	registered interest
	date	13/04/2017
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of women born in the 1950s affected by the change in the state pension age who have access to an occupational or private pension.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70331
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>All women born in the 1950s from 6 April 1950 onwards are affected by changes to State Pension age under the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011. The estimated number of women in Great Britain born in the 1950s affected by the changes to State Pension age is 3.48 million.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures on pension wealth, from the Wealth and Assets Survey, show that, in the period July 2012 to June 2014, 66 per cent of women aged 55-64 in Great Britain had pensions wealth. This would include those still paying into an occupational or personal pension and those accessing their pensions.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on private pension wealth can be found in chapter 6 of the Wealth and Assets Survey, at: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/compendium/wealthingreatbritainwave4/2012to2014/chapter6privatepensionwealthwealthingreatbritain2012to2014" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/compendium/wealthingreatbritainwave4/2012to2014/chapter6privatepensionwealthwealthingreatbritain2012to2014</a></p><p> </p><p>The latest figures from the Annual Population Survey, from July 2015 to June 2016, show that, of the 3.73 million women in the United Kingdom aged 56 to 65 inclusive at that time (the closest age grouping matching the women in question from the data available), 1,919,000 (51%) were in employment, 55,000 (1%) were unemployed, 955,000 (26%) were retired, and the remaining 806,000 (22%) were economically inactive for other reasons.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures on Jobseeker’s Allowance are for March 2017, when there were around 34,000 women in Great Britain aged 55 and over in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance. These data can be found at: <a href="https://www.nomisweb.co.uk" target="_blank">https://www.nomisweb.co.uk</a>.</p><p> </p><p>A small additional number of women in this age group will instead have been in receipt of Universal Credit, which replaces Jobseeker’s Allowance and five other benefits and tax credits.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70332 question first answered 24/04/2017 12:05:30 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

720844

	registered interest
	date	13/04/2017
	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	State Retirement Pensions: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of women born in the 1950s affected by the change in state pension age who (a) have remained in employment, (b) are registered for and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and (c) have retired early.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70332
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>All women born in the 1950s from 6 April 1950 onwards are affected by changes to State Pension age under the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011. The estimated number of women in Great Britain born in the 1950s affected by the changes to State Pension age is 3.48 million.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures on pension wealth, from the Wealth and Assets Survey, show that, in the period July 2012 to June 2014, 66 per cent of women aged 55-64 in Great Britain had pensions wealth. This would include those still paying into an occupational or personal pension and those accessing their pensions.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on private pension wealth can be found in chapter 6 of the Wealth and Assets Survey, at: <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/compendium/wealthingreatbritainwave4/2012to2014/chapter6privatepensionwealthwealthingreatbritain2012to2014" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/compendium/wealthingreatbritainwave4/2012to2014/chapter6privatepensionwealthwealthingreatbritain2012to2014</a></p><p> </p><p>The latest figures from the Annual Population Survey, from July 2015 to June 2016, show that, of the 3.73 million women in the United Kingdom aged 56 to 65 inclusive at that time (the closest age grouping matching the women in question from the data available), 1,919,000 (51%) were in employment, 55,000 (1%) were unemployed, 955,000 (26%) were retired, and the remaining 806,000 (22%) were economically inactive for other reasons.</p><p> </p><p>The latest figures on Jobseeker’s Allowance are for March 2017, when there were around 34,000 women in Great Britain aged 55 and over in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance. These data can be found at: <a href="https://www.nomisweb.co.uk" target="_blank">https://www.nomisweb.co.uk</a>.</p><p> </p><p>A small additional number of women in this age group will instead have been in receipt of Universal Credit, which replaces Jobseeker’s Allowance and five other benefits and tax credits.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington grouped question UIN 70331 question first answered 24/04/2017 12:05:30 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

720851

	registered interest
	date	13/04/2017
	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	Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people unable to work who are withdrawing their private pensions before reaching state pension age in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	70312
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2017 answer text <p>The information is not available.</p><p> </p><p>Private pensions are accessible to those below state pension age either due to the scheme’s normal pension age being below that of state pension or individuals selecting to access their pension savings early. Private pension schemes can also offer pensions earlier than normal on the grounds of ill health. Individuals now have more options as to how they access their private pension savings following the pension flexibility reforms introduced from April 2015 which mean those with defined contribution pots can access them from the age of 55.</p> answering member constituency Watford answering member printed Richard Harrington question first answered 24/04/2017 12:22:56 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham