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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

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

754262

	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	Pensions: Fees and Charges
	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 end the practice of hidden fees being taken from pension pots by asset managers.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6012
	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 6008 6009 6011 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

754260

	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	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 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, for what reasons pensioners in countries such as the Netherlands receive a 50 per cent higher income in retirement than their British counterparts.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6010
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>Although international comparisons are insightful it is difficult to draw a direct parallel due to different historical impacts and systems.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has and is continuing to work hard to ensure financial security in later life.</p><p>The UK system is based on a foundation income from the State in the form of the new State Pension, with provision above that from private saving, facilitated by auto-enrolment and pensions flexibilities. Thanks to triple lock, in April 2017, the basic state pension was over £1200 a year higher than it was in April 2010. The government is committed to the triple lock for the remainder of this parliament. The basic state pension it is now at one of its highest rates relative to earnings for over two decades, reversing a trend of decline we saw between 1997 and 2010.</p><p> </p><p>Recent reforms to private pensions including the introduction of Automatic Enrolment are also helping to improve retirement outcomes for future generations.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 06/09/2017 10:37:10 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754247

	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	Pension Credit: Eligibility
	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 all those people eligible for pension credit are aware of their eligibility.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the Department targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible at pivotal stages such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>We use a wide range of channels to communicate information about Pension Credit to potential customers; including information on gov.uk, in leaflets and by telephone.</p><p> </p><p>We believe that one of the best ways to reach those eligible customers who may be reluctant to claim is through trusted messengers working in the community and DWP provides a web-based Pension Credit toolkit at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit</a> containing a range of resources for anyone working with pensioners. It contains guides to Pension Credit, examples of the reasons why eligible customers might not claim, ideas for encouraging take-up, and makes available a range of publicity material.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 05/09/2017 11:02:56 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754259

	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	Investment: Fees and Charges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has identified the cost collection templates negotiated with the Investment Association as his Department's preferred methodology for cost collection.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6009
	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 6008 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

754119

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health Services: Children and Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that children and young people who frequently miss health service appointments for reasons connected to mental health receive the necessary support and treatment.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6002
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>The Department expects clinicians and professionals to work together in an integrated way across health and care system to support the needs of children and young people. This includes between professionals working in mental and physical health. This process should be supported by appropriate sharing of information to support the individual’s care.</p><p> </p><p>“Future in Mind,” the report of the Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health Task Force, published in 2015, also sets out the importance of services monitoring attendance and suggests that services actively follow up families and young people who miss appointments. It also suggests that it may be necessary to find alternative ways to engage the child, young person or family.</p><p> </p><p>Not attending appointments should not lead to a family or young person being discharged from services, but should be considered as an indicator of need and actively followed up.</p> answering member constituency Thurrock answering member printed Jackie Doyle-Price grouped question UIN 6003 question first answered 06/09/2017 12:42:12 answering member 4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754120

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Health Services: Children and Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that people aged 16 and 17 who miss health service appointments for reasons connected to mental health receive the necessary support and treatment.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6003
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>The Department expects clinicians and professionals to work together in an integrated way across health and care system to support the needs of children and young people. This includes between professionals working in mental and physical health. This process should be supported by appropriate sharing of information to support the individual’s care.</p><p> </p><p>“Future in Mind,” the report of the Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health Task Force, published in 2015, also sets out the importance of services monitoring attendance and suggests that services actively follow up families and young people who miss appointments. It also suggests that it may be necessary to find alternative ways to engage the child, young person or family.</p><p> </p><p>Not attending appointments should not lead to a family or young person being discharged from services, but should be considered as an indicator of need and actively followed up.</p> answering member constituency Thurrock answering member printed Jackie Doyle-Price grouped question UIN 6002 question first answered 06/09/2017 12:42:12 answering member 4065 label Biography information for Dame Jackie Doyle-Price
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

754261

	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	Financial Services
	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 all of the recommendations in the Financial Conduct Authority's asset management market review are implemented.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6011
	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 6008 6009 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

754135

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	Bronchitis: Children and Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many emergency admissions there were of children and young people under 24-years old with acute bronchitis in each of the last six years.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	6208
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is in the table below, which shows a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with an emergency admission method, for:</p><p> </p><p>- Asthma;</p><p>- Acute bronchitis; and</p><p>- All emergency admissions.</p><p> </p><p>The data is for the whole of England and those aged less than 24 years. The data is for each financial year between 2010-11 and 2015-16.</p><p>Activity in English National Health Service Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>2015-16</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asthma</p></td><td><p>29,807</p></td><td><p>26,302</p></td><td><p>30,251</p></td><td><p>27,325</p></td><td><p>30,092</p></td><td><p>28,605</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Acute bronchitis</p></td><td><p>618</p></td><td><p>626</p></td><td><p>756</p></td><td><p>830</p></td><td><p>612</p></td><td><p>529</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>All</p></td><td><p>1,121,415</p></td><td><p>1,086,573</p></td><td><p>1,109,767</p></td><td><p>1,106,448</p></td><td><p>1,125,604</p></td><td><p>1,157,629</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne grouped question UIN 6207 6209 question first answered 06/09/2017 11:26:24 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham