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754257

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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: Self-employed
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to bring self-employed workers into auto enrollment.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>The Department is undertaking a review of the policy and operation of automatic enrolment, supported by an external Advisory Group. I refer you to the scope of this review set out by my Hon Friend Richard Harrington MP on 12 Dec 2016. It will look at the diverse group of self-employed people and how they might be better enabled to save for their retirement. The review report will be laid before Parliament at the end of the year.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 06/09/2017 10:16:01 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754954

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	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: Low Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to extend auto-enrolment to low earners.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6400
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>Personal care assistants who meet the eligibility criteria for automatic enrolment must already be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by their employers.</p><p> </p><p>My Department is currently undertaking a review of the policy and operation of automatic enrolment. This includes looking at the existing policy coverage and how to achieve the right balance between enabling as many people as possible to save into a workplace pension, whilst ensuring that it should make economic sense for them to do so. The review report will be laid before Parliament at the end of the year. The review will have regard to the Equality Act and the principles of fairness, affordability and sustainability. This includes the need to balance the needs of individuals with the costs to employers and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 6401 question first answered 06/09/2017 11:16:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754952

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	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: Carers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that carers have access to workplace pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6401
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>Personal care assistants who meet the eligibility criteria for automatic enrolment must already be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by their employers.</p><p> </p><p>My Department is currently undertaking a review of the policy and operation of automatic enrolment. This includes looking at the existing policy coverage and how to achieve the right balance between enabling as many people as possible to save into a workplace pension, whilst ensuring that it should make economic sense for them to do so. The review report will be laid before Parliament at the end of the year. The review will have regard to the Equality Act and the principles of fairness, affordability and sustainability. This includes the need to balance the needs of individuals with the costs to employers and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 6400 question first answered 06/09/2017 11:16:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	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

754249

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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, when the Government plans to publish its White Paper on defined benefit pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6018
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>The Government intends to publish a White Paper on Defined Benefit pensions this coming winter.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2017 10:53:41 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754253

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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 steps he is taking to ensure that workers receive clear information about their pensions pots.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6020
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>Legislation currently requires pension schemes to provide annual information and illustrations to scheme members about their pension pots. We are considering how members should be informed of the costs and charges that effect their pension savings.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the review of automatic enrolment we are looking at where more effective engagement could drive greater personal ownership and enable people to understand and maximise their savings. This review is due to report to Parliament at the end of the year.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2017 10:57:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754254

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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 steps he is taking to reduce explicit and implicit costs for workers saving into pensions.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6021
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>By 2018, around 10 million people will be saving or saving more into pensions as a result of automatic enrolment. The Government wants to ensure that people who are automatically enrolled are protected from high and unfair charges. This is why in April 2015 we introduced a cap of 0.75% on administration charges for people who are invested in the default fund of schemes used for automatic enrolment. We have also taken steps to cap or ban early exit charges in occupational pension schemes, as these can act as a barrier to individuals wishing to access the pension freedoms. We have also banned member-borne commission charges in workplace pension schemes used for automatic enrolment.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently examining the level of the charge cap to see whether it should change and whether some or all the costs associated with investment transactions should also be covered. The Government expects to conclude its examination by the end of this year.</p><p> </p><p>In 2016, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) undertook a joint review on industry progress in reducing charge levels in older, so-called legacy pension schemes. The report published in December 2016 found that over 1 million customers have benefitted, or will soon benefit, from a reduction in costs and charges to 1% or lower. The Government and FCA wrote to these pension providers earlier this year challenging them to make further improvements. The Government is pleased with the progress so far and we and the FCA will continue to work with providers to ensure, wherever possible, that all members of these legacy schemes benefit from reduced charges.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2017 10:58:49 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754258

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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 steps he is taking to secure a full transparent market for asset purchase and sales.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6008
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>It is important that pension savers know the costs and charges they are paying and the government is committed to making this happen. We want pension scheme members to have confidence that there are no hidden charges or fees being taken from their pots.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2015, we have required occupational and personal workplace pension schemes offering money purchase benefits, including master trust schemes, to produce an annual statement, which is available to members; which sets out the level of charges and, as far as they are able, transaction costs applicable to all funds; and the extent to which these charges and costs represent good value for members.</p><p> </p><p>It has previously been difficult for schemes to obtain information about the charges and transaction costs they incur. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consulted last year on proposals requiring asset managers to disclose this information to trustees of occupational schemes offering money purchase benefits, and the governance committees for workplace personal pensions.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA will publish a Policy Statement later in the year setting out the final rules and guidance to disclose costs in a standardised format. We then intend to consult on how we can provide information about these costs and charges to the members of occupational schemes and to publish it. The FCA will, thereafter, introduce similar provisions for personal workplace pension schemes members.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA’s Asset Management Market Study indicated that there are significant issues with the way the investment market works. Savers, trustees, and scheme sponsors need a transparent, competitive and cost-effective investment market to provide for their security in later life and to keep their pension provision affordable. We will be studying the recommendations and proposed remedies closely to see what else government can do to support the FCA’s vital work in this area, which could deliver favourable outcomes for pension savers.</p><p> </p><p>To drive competitive pressure on asset managers the FCA recommended we look at barriers to scheme consolidation. We know that smaller pension schemes may not be able to negotiate or drive lower prices within this market, which in turn can lead to better outcomes for savers. Following a recent Call for Evidence, we are actively considering ways that we can simplify scheme consolidation and enable pension scheme scale to develop further.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 6009 6011 6012 6381 6382 question first answered 06/09/2017 10:27:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

765468

	registered interest
	date	06/10/2017
	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, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to compel employers to inform departing employees of their pension options.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	106150
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2017 answer text <p>Legislation already requires scheme providers and trustees to provide information to members both on request and, in Defined Contribution schemes, at least annually.</p><p> </p><p>In addition legislation requires those with defined contribution savings to receive information in advance of retirement, which will also signpost members to the government’s Pension Wise service with whom members can discuss their pension options.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/10/2017 15:09:04 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1126152

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Wind Power: Seas and Oceans
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2019 to Question 249276, if he will provide the figures for the number of workers in the offshore wind sector transported by helicopter (a) to and (b) from wind farms on the UK continental shelf in each year for which there are records.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	253568
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department does not hold the information requested.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 21/05/2019 10:05:10 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham