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947277

registered interest
date	24/07/2018
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	Pensions: Plumbing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effect of section 75 rules on debt calculations for multi-Employer Pension Schemes on directors of plumbing companies.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	168080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2018 answer text <p>There are nearly 1,000 multi-employer schemes. The legislation requiring employers to pay debts applies to all. This legislation helps ensure employees receive the pension they have been promised and worked for.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Paper “Protecting Defined Benefit Pensions” specifically discussed Multi Employer Schemes. The government looked closely at evidence submitted from employers and representatives from the Plumbing &amp; Mechanical Services (UK) Industry Pension Scheme regarding this legislation. After careful consideration the government concluded that it cannot consider amending an important area of legislation further, which would disadvantage scheme members, just to address one particular scheme’s problems.</p><p>Summaries of the responses to the Green Paper can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/defined-benefit-pension-schemes-security-and-sustainability" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/defined-benefit-pension-schemes-security-and-sustainability</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2018 14:25:21 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

946920

registered interest
date	23/07/2018
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: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate has she made of the number of women who have seen an increase in the age threshold at which they can claim their state pension as a result of the Government's reforms to the equalisation of the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	167407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2018 answer text <p>The decision to equalise the State Pension age for men and women dates back to 1995 and has been supported by Coalition, Labour and Conservative governments since then.</p><p>The Office for National Statistics publishes annual mid-year population estimates for the UK and its constituent countries. These detail persons by single year of age and sex. The most recent data is for mid-2017 and was released in June 2018. It can be found at the below link:</p><p><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland" target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland</a></p><p> </p><p>The State Pension age is currently 64 years and 9 months for women and 65 for men. Female State Pension age will reach 65 in November 2018. State Pension age for women and men will then start to increase to reach 66 by September 2020.</p><p>The State Pension age timetable, showing when people with different dates of birth reach State Pension age, is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/310231/spa-timetable.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/310231/spa-timetable.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 04/09/2018 11:24:25 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

942841

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women born in the 1950s and affected by the changes in state pension age in Coventry (a) are entitled to the full state pension, (b) do not have the required number of qualifying years for a full state pension and (c) were contracted out.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	164849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 23/07/2018 13:46:37 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

943202

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of uprating the state pension, for UK pensioners residing overseas, in line with the state pension in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165094
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>The cost of up-rating State Pensions overseas where they are not currently up-rated would be over £0.5 billion per year if all pensions in payment were increased to current UK levels. These costs would increase in future years. The policy on up-rating state pensions overseas is a long-standing one. It has been the policy of successive post-war Governments for around 70 years - UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in the European Economic Area (EEA) and in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. We have no plans to change this policy.</p><p>The Department regularly receives representations from Commonwealth countries on the up-rating of UK State Pension for pensioners residing in those countries.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 165095 165096 question first answered 23/07/2018 14:08:53 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

943203

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to update the state pension for UK pensioners residing overseas; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>The cost of up-rating State Pensions overseas where they are not currently up-rated would be over £0.5 billion per year if all pensions in payment were increased to current UK levels. These costs would increase in future years. The policy on up-rating state pensions overseas is a long-standing one. It has been the policy of successive post-war Governments for around 70 years - UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in the European Economic Area (EEA) and in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. We have no plans to change this policy.</p><p>The Department regularly receives representations from Commonwealth countries on the up-rating of UK State Pension for pensioners residing in those countries.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 165094 165096 question first answered 23/07/2018 14:08:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

943204

registered interest
date	17/07/2018
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: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations her Department has received from Commonwealth countries on the uprating of UK state pensions for pensioners residing in those countries.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	165096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>The cost of up-rating State Pensions overseas where they are not currently up-rated would be over £0.5 billion per year if all pensions in payment were increased to current UK levels. These costs would increase in future years. The policy on up-rating state pensions overseas is a long-standing one. It has been the policy of successive post-war Governments for around 70 years - UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in the European Economic Area (EEA) and in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. We have no plans to change this policy.</p><p>The Department regularly receives representations from Commonwealth countries on the up-rating of UK State Pension for pensioners residing in those countries.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 165094 165095 question first answered 23/07/2018 14:08:54 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

938727

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
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: Linlithgow and East Falkirk
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of the state pension in (a) 2010 and (b) 2018 in Linlithgow and East Falkirk constituency.
tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
tabling member printed	Martyn Day
uin	163159
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2018 answer text <p>At the end of May 2010 there were 19,906 people in receipt of State Pension in Linlithgow and East Falkirk. At the end of November 2017 (the latest data available) the number was 20,496.</p><p>Between 2010 and 2017 the full amount of Basic State Pension rose by £1250 per annum in cash terms, which is £660 per annum more than if it had been increased in line with earnings.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 18/07/2018 10:02:45 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

937742

registered interest
date	10/07/2018
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	Veterinary Medicine: Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans are in place to ensure that veterinary surgeons working in meat hygiene from (a) other EU member states and (b) non-EU states to access their pensions if they are no longer domiciled in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	162459
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2018 answer text <p>Private pension savings or accrued rights, including pensions accrued through an occupational pension scheme, are treated as the property of the individual scheme member. Private property is protected by both UK and international law. Consequently, individuals who have accrued a private pension in the UK are currently able to access their pension savings or pension rights regardless of whether they are domiciled outside of the UK in either an EU or a non-EU state.</p><p> </p><p>There will be no change for individuals who are domiciled in a non-EU state after the UK leaves the EU.</p><p> </p><p>The reciprocal rights and entitlements that will apply to UK citizens domiciled in EU states when the UK leaves the EU are subject to the wider negotiation on our future relationship with the EU and we will seek to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people, at home and overseas. However, irrespective of the outcome of those negotiations we would expect the current position in respect of private pensions to be maintained. We fully expect that people domiciled in an EU member state will continue to be able to access their UK private pension savings or UK private pension rights after the UK leaves the EU.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 17/07/2018 09:11:27 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

937870

registered interest
date	10/07/2018
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	Women against State Pension Inequality
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she last met with representatives of WASPI women.
tabling member constituency	Paisley and Renfrewshire North
tabling member printed	Gavin Newlands
uin	162589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2018 answer text <p>Since taking up the post, the Secretary of State has had no meetings with representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 16/07/2018 13:29:05 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4420 label Biography information for Gavin Newlands

935076

registered interest
date	05/07/2018
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: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the average time it has taken for Department to resolve a complaint relating to the increase to women's state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
uin	161103
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2018 answer text <p>All government Departments have routine complaints procedures, this has been the case under successive governments.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service. As outlined on Gov.uk, DWP complaints processes encourages customers in the first instance to raise their issues with the office they are dealing with, as a business as usual contact, so we put things right.</p><p> </p><p>If the customer remains unhappy with the response, they can escalate their concerns, which will be dealt with by the Complaints Resolution Team as part of the formal DWP complaints process. The complaint is independently investigated. Where cases cannot be resolved to the customer’s satisfaction, the customer can escalate their complaint to the Director General as part of the tier two complaint process.</p><p> </p><p>Escalated complaints represent the final business review and response to the complaint.</p><p>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s (ICE) Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints received from women born in the 1950s and affected by changes in State Pension age are handled in line with the overall Departmental complaints process published on Gov.uk.</p><p> </p><p>The role of the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) is to consider case-specific complaints of maladministration (service failure). The vast majority of the complaints that are referred to ICE are complex and require the circumstances of each case to be considered on its merits. Prior to the WASPI campaign the ICE Office routinely accepted in the region of 1,100 and 1,200 complaints for examination each year. At the end of February 2018, the Office had accepted 1,907 WASPI complaints alone.</p><p> </p><p>In January 2017, the ICE Office took the decision to bring a lead case into investigation in order to familiarise itself with the issues underpinning the campaign. This investigation concluded in June 2017 – the ICE did not uphold the complaint. Whilst the Office has had no additional resource to deal with the WASPI campaign complaints, a dedicated team of investigation case managers was established (from within existing resources) in October 2017 to investigate this group of complaints. The ICE Office aim to complete investigation within 20 weeks of starting work on a case, the WASPI related ICE reports that had been concluded to date have been completed within an average of 9.75 weeks. To date, the ICE had not upheld any case specific complaints that DWP failed to provide adequate and timely information relating to the increase in their State Pension age. All final ICE reports explain how the complainant can escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s Office.</p><p> </p><p>There are no plans to dedicate additional resources to investigating this group of complaints, as to do so would disadvantage other groups of complainants whose cases are awaiting investigation.</p><p> </p><p>The Parliamentary Health and Service Ombudsman make final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by UK Government Departments. This was set up in 1967 under the then Labour Government.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/07/2018 14:54:23 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman previous answer version 68842 answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett