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908455

	registered interest
	date	21/05/2018
	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	Pension Protection Fund: Carillion
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What steps she is taking to ensure that support is provided for former Carillion employees whose pensions will not be covered by the Pension Protection Fund.
	tabling member constituency	Sunderland Central
	tabling member printed	Julie Elliott
	uin	905457
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2018 answer text <p>There are 12 Carillion DB schemes in the Pension protection Fund (PPF) assessment period.</p><p> </p><p>The PPF are working with scheme administrators to determine whether they can pay pensions at or above PPF benefits. Where a scheme cannot do this, the PPF will assume responsibility and pay compensation.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Individuals above their scheme’s normal pension age will receive 100% of their accrued pension, and all other members will receive 90%, subject to an overall cap.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 21/05/2018 16:38:21 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4127 label Biography information for Julie Elliott

1058637

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Pensioners: Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of pensioner poverty; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
	tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
	uin	909129
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>This Government has seen the absolute poverty rate for pensioners fall to record lows, with over 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty before housing costs. Rates of material deprivation for pensioners are also at record lows.</p><p>We have reduced pensioner poverty close to historically low levels, lifting the incomes of millions of older people. Since 2009/10, material deprivation for pensioners has fallen from 10 per cent to 7 per cent in 2016/17 and since 2010 there are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty, a record low.</p><p>The Government is committed to action that helps to alleviate levels of pensioner poverty. In 2018/19 we will spend £121.5 billion on benefits for pensioners, including £97 billion on the State Pension for this year.</p><p>The Government has also committed to up-rating the basic State Pension by the highest of the growth in earnings, prices or 2.5 per cent - the 'triple lock' guarantee. This will mean that the full basic State Pension will be around £1450 per year higher in 2018/19 than in 2010. The Government has committed to the triple lock for the remainder of this Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/02/2019 17:58:24 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1010730

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2018
	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	Johnston Press: Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,what the Pension Protection Fund has determined the value of Johnston Press pension deficit to be.
	tabling member constituency	Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
	tabling member printed	Lesley Laird
	uin	193593
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2018 answer text <p>The Johnston Press Pension Plan is currently in the Pension Protection Fund’s (PPF) assessment period, where it will be assessed whether the scheme’s funding level is sufficient to secure pensions to its members at least equal to the level of compensation the PPF would pay. If the scheme’s funding is not sufficient, then it will transfer into the PPF and compensation will be paid at 100 per cent for individuals over their scheme’s retirement age at the date of the insolvency, and 90 per cent of the member’s accrued benefits, subject to an overall cap for everyone else. Benefits accrued post 1997 will be linked to PPF indexation going forward.</p><p><em> </em></p><p>There are around 5,000 pension scheme members who will be affected.</p><p> </p><p>The Pensions Regulator and the PPF are working together with the administrators to understand the circumstances surrounding the sale and its implications for the Johnston Press Pension Plan.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/11/2018 14:41:05 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4660 label Biography information for Lesley Laird

934702

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2018
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report, The impact of state pension reforms on people with guaranteed minimum pensions, published by the National Audit Office in March 2016, what steps her Department has taken to identify people with guaranteed minimum pensions affected by the introduction of the new State Pension; and what guidance her Department has issued to affected people to help them make informed decisions on their future pension arrangements.
	tabling member constituency	Falkirk
	tabling member printed	John McNally
	uin	160779
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2018 answer text <p>The impact of recent pension reforms on people who were contracted out of the additional pension system (and therefore have an entitlement to a guaranteed minimum pension as part of their private pension provision) is dependent on personal circumstances, and there are a multitude of scenarios which can result in a range of different outcomes, both positive and negative. It is not, therefore, practical for government to give general advice to this group; and nor is it an effective use of resources to issue personalised advice to everyone in this situation. The best way for someone who is has been contracted out to find out their state pension provision, and therefore plan their overall later life finances, is to use the ‘Check your state pension’ service.</p><p>The forecasts contained in the Check your State Pension service, as far as is practical, take all impacts into account for an individual when determining their state pension entitlement. Since February 2016, over nine million Check your State Pension forecasts have been viewed.</p><p>In the paper ‘New State Pension: impact on an individual’s pension entitlement – longer term effects’ published by the Department on 14 January 2016, we said:</p><p><em>The final group potentially affected by changes in uprating mechanisms are those who have been contracted-out of the additional pension system at some point in their working life. This is particularly the case where people were contracted-out between 1978/79 and 1987/88. Under the current system these people are awarded an amount of SERPS which is uprated by CPI once in payment. A contracted-out deduction is also made to account for the fact they paid a lower rate of National Insurance, which reduces the amount of SERPS they receive. The individual receives a broadly equivalent amount to the contracted-out deduction of Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) which is paid by the scheme. There is no requirement on schemes under general occupational pensions and social security legislation to uprate GMPs accrued between 1978/79 and 1987/88. Therefore under the current State Pension system contracted-out deductions relating to this period are not uprated. Since SERPs is uprated by CPI, the amount of SERPS received after a contracting-out deduction is made can grow over time. This complex arrangement will end under the new State Pension system and could lead to some people getting a lower notional outcome.</em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>However, there are two key factors that offset these potential notional losses. Firstly, this group will be highly likely to benefit from more of their pension being uprated by the triple lock as explained above. Secondly, people with periods of contracting-out on their National Insurance record are likely to be able to build additional qualifying years from 2016/17 which will add 1/35th of the full nSP amount to the amount they receive, up to the full rate.</em></p><p>We have reformed the system to replace it with a simpler one for the future which allows people a clear idea early in their careers of what the state will provide, so they can make their own additional savings plans. www.gov.uk/check-state-pension</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 10/07/2018 15:11:37 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4424 label Biography information for John McNally

756842

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2017
	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	National Insurance Contributions: Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the forthcoming National Insurance Contributions Bill, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of granting Class 3 national insurance credits to young people engaged in full-time social action programmes.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	tabling member printed	Michael Tomlinson
	uin	8437
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2017 answer text <p>The Government has no current plans to introduce a Class 3 National Insurance credit for volunteers.</p><p> </p><p>However on 6 September, a Call For Evidence was published on the Full-Time Social Action Review which will develop recommendations on how to support full time volunteering.</p><p> </p><p>Details of how to submit evidence are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643612/Full_Time_Social_Action_Review_-_Call_for_Evidence.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643612/Full_Time_Social_Action_Review_-_Call_for_Evidence.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>The review will consider what the voluntary sector, industry and, if needed, government can do to support full-time volunteering.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 8438 8487 question first answered 12/09/2017 16:02:57 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson

756843

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2017
	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	National Insurance Contributions: Voluntary Work
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the forthcoming National Insurance Contributions Bill, if =he-she- will consult the Youth Full-Time Social Action Review on the potential merits of granting Class 3 national insurance credits to full-time volunteers.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
	tabling member printed	Michael Tomlinson
	uin	8438
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2017 answer text <p>The Government has no current plans to introduce a Class 3 National Insurance credit for volunteers.</p><p> </p><p>However on 6 September, a Call For Evidence was published on the Full-Time Social Action Review which will develop recommendations on how to support full time volunteering.</p><p> </p><p>Details of how to submit evidence are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643612/Full_Time_Social_Action_Review_-_Call_for_Evidence.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643612/Full_Time_Social_Action_Review_-_Call_for_Evidence.pdf</a></p><p> </p><p>The review will consider what the voluntary sector, industry and, if needed, government can do to support full-time volunteering.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 8437 8487 question first answered 12/09/2017 16:02:57 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson

983078

	registered interest
	date	08/10/2018
	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: Consumer Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 4 September 2018 on Pensions Update, HCWS933, whether the proposed pensions dashboard will (a) legally require the participation of all pensions providers, (b) include the state pension and (c) provide clear and neutral information about the users’ pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	176215
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2018 answer text <p>The DWP are working through the options around scheme participation in any potential pensions dashboard. The decision whether to legislate to compel participation depends on a number of complex issues such as the functionality, delivery model and governance arrangements. Our findings on this will be included in the feasibility study which will be published shortly.</p><p> </p><p>People can access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension, where they can get information about how they may be able to improve it, as well as view their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016. As part of our feasibility work we have been considering whether State Pension data should be available alongside private pension information. A dashboard will provide pensions information in a clear and simple form.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/10/2018 16:40:24 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

972308

	registered interest
	date	12/09/2018
	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: Consumer Information
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 4 September 2018 on Pensions Update, HCWS933, what role industry will have in the delivery of the pensions dashboard; whether the Government plans to fund that dashboard; and how the Government plans to facilitate the delivery of that dashboard.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	173951
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the Written Statement, <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/" target="_blank">https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/</a></p><p>an industry-led dashboard, facilitated by Government, will harness the best of industry innovation while safeguarding consumer interests and protecting their information. The Department for Work and Pensions will continue to engage with industry, consumer groups and other stakeholders on this model. The Government will protect pension savers and personal information by legislating where necessary. As part of our feasibility work we are still considering the many complex issues involved in developing a dashboard, including those of funding and delivery models. We will shortly report on the findings of the Feasibility Study.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 09/10/2018 10:48:55 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

1043150

	registered interest
	date	17/01/2019
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 14 January 2019, HCWS1249, on pensions update, what estimate she has made of the number of people who will be affected by changes to pension credit in each local authority.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	209773
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2019 answer text <p>The Welfare Reform Act 2012 amended the entitlement conditions for Pension Credit so as to require both members of a couple to have reached the qualifying age for Pension Credit before the couple can be entitled to it.</p><p> </p><p>The change will not affect mixed age couples who are entitled to Pension Credit and/or pension age Housing Benefit immediately before the implementation date, unless their entitlement to both those benefits subsequently ends.</p><p> </p><p>The number of mixed age couples that are estimated to be affected by the change in the future is not available at local authority level.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 22/01/2019 11:51:49 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

777047

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	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, with reference to the Taylor Review of modern working practices, published in July 2017, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on improving the pensions of workers subject to insecure working practices, including supply teachers.
	tabling member constituency	Chipping Barnet
	tabling member printed	Theresa Villiers
	uin	109410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2017 answer text <p>I have discussed important cross-cutting areas of employment practices and pensions with Ministerial colleagues including the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility. In addition, my officials have been working closely with the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy officials, in connection with both the Taylor Review of modern working practices and the DWP Review of automatic enrolment.</p><p> </p><p>Automatic enrolment duties apply to those who act as an employer of any eligible job holder(s) under the rules set out in the Pensions Act 2008. For example, a supply teacher working through, and being paid by, an agency will have the right to be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension through that agency if they meet the age and earnings eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>Since the roll out of automatic enrolment began in 2012, over 8.7 million people have been enrolled into a workplace pension scheme. By the time roll out is complete, we estimate that around 10 million people will be newly saving or saving more and an additional £17bn per year of pension savings will be generated by 2019/20. This policy has been fundamental in improving pension outcomes for eligible jobholders.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 30/10/2017 15:05:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers