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1126869

registered interest
date	15/05/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the (a) new NHS pension scheme in 2015, (b) reduction of the annual allowance for pension growth, (c) subsequent tapering of that allowance and (d) other cumulative changes in recent years to the NHS pension scheme on the (i) level of hours worked by practitioners and (ii) level of practitioner morale.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Bill Grant
uin	254864
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>The 2015 NHS Pension Scheme is valuable part of staff reward packages and remains one of the best schemes available. The reforms to public service pensions ensured that schemes are sustainable and the costs are fair to both staff and the taxpayer.</p><p>Data is not collected on the impact of the new National Health Service pension scheme, other cumulative changes, or the annual allowance on the level of hours worked by practitioners, or practitioner morale.</p><p>The Department recognises that the tapered annual allowance may contribute to decisions by NHS staff to retire early or limit their NHS commitments. The Government is listening carefully to concerns raised by senior doctors and NHS employers about the impact of tapered annual allowance.</p><p>The Department has sought to make available to NHS Pension Scheme members all possible flexibility under Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs legislation and the current fiscal framework for public sector pension schemes. The Chancellor is considering the case for further flexibility in the NHS Pension Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 23/05/2019 12:27:22 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4605 label Biography information for Bill Grant

1123257

registered interest
date	25/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2019 to Question 240581 on NHS: Pensions, what level of interest is applied to annual allowance charges paid through the scheme pays facility of the NHS Pension.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	247725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2019 answer text <p>The ‘Scheme Pays’ facility allows NHS Pension Scheme members to settle their annual allowance tax charges without needing to find funds upfront. However, HM Revenue and Customs requires that if a defined benefit pension scheme pays an annual allowance charge there must be an adjustment to the benefits the member has accrued. The value of the scheme pays charge, plus interest, is recouped from the value of the member’s pension on retirement. The interest rate for scheme pays charges is set at the scheme discount rate. The discount rate for public service pension schemes is currently consumer price index plus 2.4%, which represents the notional rate of investment return on contribution income.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 30/04/2019 16:21:04 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1122713

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to recognise Humanist marriages for the purpose of paying an NHS survivors pension to spouses of deceased pension holders.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	247003
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>Whilst Humanist marriage ceremonies do not have legal force in England and Wales, the NHS Pension Schemes do provide generous survivor benefits for cohabiting couples who are not legally married. The Department routinely considers making changes to NHS Pension Scheme rules to take account of developments in the law governing marriage and civil partnerships.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 29/04/2019 14:23:27 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1122724

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much interest was accrued in relation to annual allowance charges paid through the scheme pays facility of the NHS Pension in each quarter since 2014-15.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	247107
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is not calculated or held by the NHS Business Services Authority for the whole scheme membership. The ‘Scheme Pays’ facility allows NHS Pension Scheme members to settle their annual allowance tax charges without needing to find funds upfront. However, HM Revenue and Customs requires that if a defined benefit pension scheme pays an annual allowance charge there must be an adjustment to the benefits the member has accrued. The value of the scheme pays charge, plus interest, is recouped from the value of the member’s pension on retirement.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 01/05/2019 14:15:41 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1122726

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was paid in annual allowance charges paid through the scheme pays facility of the NHS Pension in each quarter since 2014-15.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	247108
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The information is not available in the format requested, and it is not possible to provide the information by financial quarter in the timeframe available. The NHS Pension Scheme is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority, who collect data on the value of scheme pays charges paid by the scheme to HM Revenue and Customs on behalf of members in each scheme year. The NHS Business Services Authority has provided the following information:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Tax Year</p></td><td><p>Number Scheme Pay Elections</p></td><td><p>Total Scheme Pay Charges (£)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>1,353</p></td><td><p>£11,711,318</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>347</p></td><td><p>£10,439,619</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>768</p></td><td><p>£6,276,607</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>1,126</p></td><td><p>£34,680,862</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>For 2017/18, scheme members have until July to make an election for a scheme pays charge. It is therefore not possible to give a year end figure for the total amount of scheme pays charges. To date, 3,869 elections have been made for 2017/18.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 01/05/2019 14:14:31 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1122727

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect of changes to the NHS Pension Scheme and tax arrangements on retention rates of NHS doctors.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	247109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/05/2019 answer text <p>The NHS Pension Scheme is a generous benefit for National Health Service staff and one of the best pension schemes available. The Government recognises that NHS doctors have raised concerns about pension tax charges being a factor in their decisions to retire early or limit their NHS commitments. The Government keeps the impact of its pay and pensions policies under constant review.</p><p>The Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Care are currently in discussions on pension issues.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 02/05/2019 13:42:07 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1109437

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the NHS Pension Scheme and tax arrangements have had on senior consultants in the NHS.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	240581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department has sought to make available to NHS Pension Scheme members all possible flexibility under Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs legislation and the current fiscal framework for public sector pension schemes.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has therefore recently made changes to the NHS Pension Scheme to extend the scope of the ‘Scheme Pays’ facility. The ‘Scheme Pays’ facility allows scheme members to manage tax liabilities by paying annual allowance charges from the value of their pension benefits rather than upfront. This facility has been extended to cover payment of tax charges of any amount, and those arising from the tapered annual allowance.</p><p> </p><p>The Department recognises that the tax implications of the annual allowance, particularly the effects of the taper, may contribute to decisions from consultants to retire early or limit their National Health Service commitments. We are also listening carefully to senior doctors and NHS employers about those concerns. The Government keeps the impact of public sector pay and pensions policies under constant review.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 08/04/2019 13:51:45 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1109507

registered interest
date	03/04/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the cumulative effect on NHS (a) staff and (b) patients of the (i) reduction in annual allowance for pension growth, (ii) introduction of the tapering of the annual allowance and (iii) introduction of the 2015 NHS pension scheme.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	240516
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2019 answer text <p>The Department recognises that the tapered annual allowance may contribute to decisions from National Health Service staff to retire early or limit their NHS commitments. We are listening carefully to concerns raised by senior doctors and NHS employers about the impact of the tapered annual allowance.</p><p> </p><p>In listening to concerns, the Department has sought to make available to NHS Pension Scheme members all possible flexibility under Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs legislation and the current fiscal framework for public sector pension schemes. The scope of the voluntary ‘Scheme Pays’ facility, implemented by the NHS Pension Scheme to allow scheme members to pay annual allowance charges from the value of their pension benefits rather than upfront, has been extended to cover the payment of tax charges from breaches of the tapered annual allowance. The Government keeps the impact of public sector pay and pensions policies under constant review.</p><p> </p><p>The 2015 NHS Pension Scheme is a generous and valuable part of staff reward packages and remains one of the best schemes available. As it is a career average pension scheme it delivers a fairer pension to all members compared with the previous final salary pension scheme that favoured those higher earners with higher career pay progression. Its introduction ensures that NHS staff receive financial security in retirement, and that the scheme is affordable to the taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 10/04/2019 15:24:36 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1046818

registered interest
date	23/01/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the consultation on changes to NHS pension schemes only runs from 4 January to 28 January 2019.
tabling member constituency	Hackney South and Shoreditch
tabling member printed	Meg Hillier
uin	211693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2019 answer text <p>The Department set out the proposed changes in a consultation document titled ‘NHS Pension Scheme: proposed changes to scheme regulations 2019’. This was published on 18 December 2018, with the consultation period closing on 28 January 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to the finalisation of the consultation document, the proposals included in the consultation were shared and discussed with the NHS Pension Scheme Advisory Board in October. This a statutory board, comprising NHS Trade Union and employer representatives, that advises the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the merits of making changes to the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The consultation period is proportionate to the nature and impact of changes being proposed. HM Treasury has committed to providing extra funding to meet the costs to the National Health Service arising from the actuarial valuation of the NHS Pension Scheme. Work is ongoing to ensure the additional cost to participating employers is appropriately funded. No change is proposed to member contribution rates, following a recommendation by the Scheme Advisory Board to renew current arrangements. Some proposed changes simply make necessary changes to implement legal judgments, one of which, together with some other amendments had already been consulted on in an earlier consultation exercise. Some are minor or technical changes. The changes regarding forfeiture only affect a small number of members, such as those convicted of certain offences.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 31/01/2019 14:15:42 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	1524 label Biography information for Dame Meg Hillier

1027400

registered interest
date	17/12/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	NHS: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which groups of NHS workers, excluding nurses, are entitled to Special Class Status; and whether those groups have been subject to changes to their retirement age.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	202701
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2018 answer text <p>Special Class Status is a reserved right that permits eligible members of the 1995 NHS Pension Scheme to retire from age 55 with an unreduced pension. The right is available for nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, health visitors and mental health officers who joined the scheme before 6 March 1995 and have not subsequently had a break in membership of over five years. It is a conditional right, which in the case of nurses requires the individual to be employed continuously in a nursing role for the five years immediately preceding the date of retirement.</p><p> </p><p>The right was withdrawn for new members from 6 March 1995. Staff in the 1995 NHS Pension Scheme who did not acquire or satisfy the conditions for Special Class Status have a normal scheme retirement age of 60. Subsequent reforms saw new NHS Pension Schemes introduced in 2008 and 2015 with a later retirement age of 65 and state pension age respectively for all staff in those schemes.</p><p> </p><p>Upon introduction of the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme, transitional arrangements permitted staff closest to retirement to continue accruing pension in the closed 1995 Scheme. A small number of 1995 Scheme members with Special Class Status were too young to benefit from this protection and therefore transferred to the 2015 Scheme for future service. Such members can claim their 1995 Scheme pension accrued prior to transfer, on a Special Class basis from age 55 should they satisfy the conditions. The pension built up under the 2015 has a retirement age equal to the member’s state pension age.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 21/12/2018 13:42:50 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew