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1000268

registered interest
date	02/11/2018
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	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, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2018 to Question 185131 on Independent Case Examiner, if she will publish that same information for complaints by women on the equalisation of the state pension age.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Ged Killen
uin	187381
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>Individual departments have set up complaints procedures. That approach has not changed under Labour 1997-2010 or successive governments. The DWP has a two tier complaints process which considers formal complaints about our service<strong>. </strong>Once a complainant has exhausted the DWP complaint process they are signposted to the Independent Case Examiner’s Office if they are dissatisfied with the final response to their complaint.</p><p>The Independent Case Examiner is independent, and discusses complaints. The Independent Case Examiner is appointed under contract to adjudicate on escalated complaints about the DWP, and its contracted service providers, in cases where the complainant has exhausted the relevant internal complaints process and remains dissatisfied. If a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of an I Independent Case Examiner investigation (or the service provided by the Independent Case Examiner) they can ask their Member of Parliament to escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.</p><p>The table below provides details of the number of complaints concerning the equalisation of women’s state pension age, that have been (a) received; (b) accepted for investigation and (c) resolved by the Independent Case Examiner in each month since January 2017 (we have interpreted (c) as a request for the number of concluded complaint examinations).</p><p>At the end of October 2018, there were 865 such cases awaiting a decision on whether the complaint could be accepted for investigation, which explains the drop in the number of cases accepted for investigation since April 2018.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Complaints received</p></td><td><p>Complaints accepted for investigation</p></td><td><p>Concluded complaint examinations</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2017</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2017</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>211</p></td><td><p>187</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2017</p></td><td><p>172</p></td><td><p>157</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2017</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2017</p></td><td><p>144</p></td><td><p>124</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>185</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2017</p></td><td><p>290</p></td><td><p>243</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2017</p></td><td><p>297</p></td><td><p>232</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2017</p></td><td><p>418</p></td><td><p>338</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2017</p></td><td><p>320</p></td><td><p>265</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2017</p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2018</p></td><td><p>314</p></td><td><p>254</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2018</p></td><td><p>240</p></td><td><p>210</p></td><td><p>28</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>171</p></td><td><p>132</p></td><td><p>16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2018</p></td><td><p>196</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2018</p></td><td><p>159</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2018</p></td><td><p>147</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2018</p></td><td><p>131</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2018</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2018</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2018</p></td><td><p>119</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 12/11/2018 14:57:29 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4672 label Biography information for Ged Killen

999645

registered interest
date	01/11/2018
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	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, what plans her Department has to consult on proposals for mandatory participation in pensions dashboards by pension providers.
tabling member constituency	Torfaen
tabling member printed	Nick Thomas-Symonds
uin	187095
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the Autumn Budget, The DWP will consult on the detailed design for pensions dashboards, and on how an industry-led approach could harness innovation while protecting consumers. As part of the consultation, due to be published shortly, the DWP will explore how to maximise the participation of pension schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2018 12:43:32 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4479 label Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds

999142

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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	Workplace Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2018 Question 177666 on Occupational Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure members of the public are aware of the IORP2 Directive on occupational retirement savings.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Erdington
tabling member printed	Jack Dromey
uin	186293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2018 answer text <p>The key elements of IORP II – for example, rules around scheme funding and supervision of schemes - are already required within UK law and the Pensions Regulator’s Codes of Practice. As such, appropriate communications about these measures are already in place.</p><p> </p><p>The DWP has worked closely with the Pensions Regulator to develop communications about the new requirements introduced by IORP II. Information about this has been shared with industry stakeholders to communicate to individual pension schemes. The Pensions Regulator is currently considering the most appropriate format and content of communications about IORP II to release to other audiences.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 08/11/2018 12:39:05 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	3913 label Biography information for Jack Dromey

999151

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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, when she plans to (a) launch and (b) respond to the proposed consultation on the pensions dashboard.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	186448
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>As set out in the Autumn Budget, DWP will consult on the detailed design for pensions dashboards, and on how an industry-led approach could harness innovation while protecting consumers.</p><p> </p><p>This consultation will be published shortly. The government will then respond.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/11/2018 15:21:40 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

997255

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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, what steps she is taking to ensure that private pensions are accessible through the pensions dashboard.
tabling member constituency	Pontypridd
tabling member printed	Owen Smith
uin	185015
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2018 answer text <p>Private Pensions information will be available through dashboards. Delivery of these will be led by industry and facilitated by government. We will set out and consult on our proposed approach to delivery, including how to maximise private pension schemes participation in the dashboard in our feasibility report, which will be published shortly.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>People can already access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension. This includes information about how they may be able to improve the amount of State Pension they are entitled to, as well as providing a view of their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension service has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 185016 question first answered 01/11/2018 15:42:44 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4042 label Biography information for Owen Smith

997256

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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, if she will take steps to ensure that State Pension information is accessible through the pensions dashboard to enable (a) pensioners and (b) people approaching retirement age to make informed decisions.
tabling member constituency	Pontypridd
tabling member printed	Owen Smith
uin	185016
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2018 answer text <p>Private Pensions information will be available through dashboards. Delivery of these will be led by industry and facilitated by government. We will set out and consult on our proposed approach to delivery, including how to maximise private pension schemes participation in the dashboard in our feasibility report, which will be published shortly.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>People can already access the online ‘Check your State Pension’ service through GOV.UK to get a forecast of their State Pension. This includes information about how they may be able to improve the amount of State Pension they are entitled to, as well as providing a view of their National Insurance contribution record. Check Your State Pension service has provided more than ten million online estimates since its introduction in 2016.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 185015 question first answered 01/11/2018 15:42:44 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4042 label Biography information for Owen Smith

997391

registered interest
date	29/10/2018
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 Regulator: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are (a) employed directly by (b) seconded to and (c) work under contract in the Pensions Regulator.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	185150
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>The number of staff directly employed at the Pensions Regulator as of the 30 September is 685; 9 staff are under contract.</p><p> </p><p>The figure for those seconded is below 5.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on The Pensions Regulator headcount can be found in their Annual Report and Accounts, which can be found via the following Link.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/annual-report-and-account-2017-2018" target="_blank">http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/annual-report-and-account-2017-2018</a></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/11/2018 15:28:20 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

994659

registered interest
date	25/10/2018
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	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, whether the state pensions of UK pensioners living in the EEA will continue to be up-rated annually after the UK leaves the EU; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	183890
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2018 answer text <p>The UK State Pension will remain payable worldwide following our departure from the EU. We have now reached agreement with the EU to maintain State Pension up-rating for those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, subject to reciprocity. This information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu</a></p><p> </p><p>For UK State Pension recipients living in the EU on the specified date, this includes those who are already receiving their UK State Pension as well as future UK State Pension recipients. We will wish to discuss State Pension up-rating for individuals not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement in future talks. We are currently in discussion with the EEA-EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland on agreements to protect the rights of UK nationals living in those countries and their nationals living in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 02/11/2018 14:55:58 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

991171

registered interest
date	19/10/2018
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	Credit Unions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the credit union expansion project.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	181556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2018 answer text <p>Government is committed to facilitating sustainable financial services that give consumers greater choice in accessing credit. Credit union membership in Great Britain has increased year-on-year since 2014, rising to around 1.32 million members in 2017; this was an increase of over 150,000 individuals over the 3 year period. It is even more encouraging that credit unions are becoming more popular with junior members; in 2017 there were over 139,000 junior members of credit unions in Great Britain compared to around 128,000 in 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The Credit Union Expansion Project (CUEP) aims were for participating credit unions to modernise and grow in a financially sustainable way, over time. The contractor aimed to deliver that by enabling credit unions to access a standardised banking service.</p><p>CUEP has delivered an Automated Loans and Decision tool (ALD) used by over 70 credit unions, centralised services such as a standardised front facing website, and that the ALD has allowed credit unions to achieve up to 40% administrative savings on delivering loans and reduce provision for unpaid debt by over £1 million. CUEP also led to a number of credit unions to merge, and others to work together to develop standardised products and deliver local marketing campaigns to increase membership. CUEP contributed to credit unions on the platform to increase the value of loans made.</p><p>Due to the Contractors failure to meet contractual milestones, DWP terminated the CUEP contract on 16<sup>th</sup> February 2018. Whilst the contractor has not met their contractual agreement, they have delivered a banking platform that allows credit union members to receive a range of banking services and benefit from more affordable credit. At the point the contract was terminated the platform was being used by three credit unions with a total of approximately 16.5k members allowing members to benefit from 24 hour online access to their accounts, and receive faster payments on a loan on the same day, usually within 4 hours.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 24/10/2018 15:11:56 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

990256

registered interest
date	18/10/2018
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	Pension Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department’s policy is on how decisions are confirmed by the Department and external agencies on pension credit entitlement.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Ben Lake
uin	181288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2018 answer text <p>DWP does not provide notifications of Pension Credit entitlement, or non-entitlement, by telephone as all decisions are provided to customers by letter. In the instances when a Pension Credit application is unsuccessful, the decision letter explains how the customer can request a mandatory reconsideration from the Department if they disagree with the decision.</p><p> </p><p>Decisions about Pension Credit entitlement are made by decision makers of the Department for Work and Pensions acting on behalf of the Secretary of State and not by external agencies. Decisions about Pension Credit entitlement are notified in writing and claimants are given written notice of their rights of appeal.</p><p> </p><p>The information is not available in the instances when a Pension Credit application is unsuccessful, the decision letter explains how the customer can request a mandatory reconsideration if they disagree with the decision.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman grouped question UIN 181289 181290 question first answered 23/10/2018 17:06:26 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4630 label Biography information for Ben Lake