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100919

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
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	Universal Credit
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of universal credit access to childcare accounts equivalent to those proposed in the Childcare Payments Bill for claimants of tax-free childcare.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	211857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Universal credit prepares claimants for the world of work in which around 75% of employees are paid monthly and in arrears. Monthly payment of benefit, which includes support for childcare costs that have been paid out, makes for more straightforward reporting and helps households to budget on a monthly income, which eases the transition into paid work.</p><p> </p><p>Moving to a system of ‘childcare accounts’ which ring-fences childcare costs would complicate the system for these claimants. It would add complexity to the Universal Credit system, which is being rolled out in a safe and controlled manner and could potentially increase the administration costs of running two systems in parallel.</p><p> </p><p>We have worked with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to support claimants that may wish to switch between Universal Credit and Tax Free Childcare. It will be easy for parents to register and open a childcare account online for Tax Free Childcare, and those who wish to move back to Universal Credit may do so without having to report the change to HMRC. Both systems are designed to be simple, responsive and flexible.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the importance of providing information and support to help parents make an informed choice about which scheme to access. Alongside wider guidance and information, we will provide support and online tools for parents choosing between Universal Credit and Tax-Free Childcare.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 29/10/2014 14:39:47 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

100767

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
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	Disability Living Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is required before a disability living allowance decision-maker can take up the role.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	211705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All staff undertake a 14 week training period in preparation for their role as DLA decision makers. This comprises a blend of classroom-based learning and on-the-job supervision and coaching.</p><p> </p><p>Following this 14 week training period continuing support is provided to decision makers through coaching, mentoring and monitoring, training workshops and workplace learning.</p> answering member constituency Forest of Dean answering member printed Mr Mark Harper question first answered 29/10/2014 15:10:41 answering member 1520 label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

100420

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Social Services: Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings officials of his Department have had with officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on the naming and shaming of social care providers who do not comply with National Minimum Wage legislation; and when he expects such social care providers to be named and shamed for such non-compliance.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	211603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>During the course of this year, officials from the Department of Health and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BiS) have formally met once for policy discussions on the issue of non-compliance of social care employers with National Minimum Wage legislation. I have also recently written to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Employment Relations (Jo Swinson) on this subject.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new scheme making it easier to name and shame employers who do not comply with National Minimum Wage legislation came into effect from October 2013 and applies to investigations initiated after that date. HM Revenue and Customs leads on the conduct of investigations and makes recommendations to BiS Ministers on the issue of naming employers found to be in breach. The timing of any naming of social care providers is therefore dependent on the outcome of investigations, and will follow where appropriate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Norfolk answering member printed Norman Lamb question first answered 29/10/2014 14:40:50 answering member 1439 label Biography information for Norman Lamb
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

101517

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Northern Ireland Assembly: Speaker
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with (a) the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the Northern Ireland Executive on ways of ending the impasse on the appointment of a Speaker of the Assembly.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
uin	905677
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The appointment of the Assembly Speaker is an entirely devolved matter.</p><p>However, the recently convened cross-party talks offer an opportunity for the Northern Ireland parties to consider the working of the institutions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chipping Barnet answering member printed Mrs Theresa Villiers question first answered 29/10/2014 14:59:47 answering member 1500 label Biography information for Theresa Villiers
tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

93704

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	North Sea Oil
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total revenue they have received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil.
tabling member printed	Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
uin	HL2133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>Government revenues from UK oil and gas production for all years to 2013-14 are published by HM Revenue &amp; Customs (HMRC) as National Statistics on the GOV.UK website[1]. Total revenues can be found in Table 11.11 from the <em>Statistics of Government revenues from UK oil and gas production</em> publication[2].</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The values in Table 11.11 are detailed in current prices, so for previous years they do not reflect the value of total revenue today. The total revenue received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil is £187.8 billion in current prices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/petroleum-revenue-tax-prt-and-government-revenues-from-uk-oil-and-gas-production</p><p>[2] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 29/10/2014 15:24:02 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton attachment 1 file name t11.11 gov revenue.docx title Government revenues from oil and gas production
tabling member	1651 label Biography information for Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

93430

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many individuals in defined contribution funded public sector pension schemes will withdraw their entire accrued entitlements under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioner arrangements in the first year from April 2015, and at what cost.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2096
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2097 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93431

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that delaying transfer payments and reducing transfer values are sufficient safeguards to stabilise public sector funded pension schemes threatened by large-scale withdrawals under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioners arrangements.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2097
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93432

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under their proposed entire pension withdrawal arrangements, they will include in the legislation a power to suspend the concession for such schemes in the event of serious destabilisation of funded public service pension schemes or extreme cost to the Exchequer.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2098
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93433

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the key difference between trust-based and contract-based public sector defined contribution schemes in relation to the proposed pension withdrawal arrangements; and what was the result of their consultation with the Local Government Pension Scheme on extra safeguards for such trust-based schemes.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2099
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2098 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93434

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Pensions: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether and how the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioners arrangements will apply to Northern Ireland; and whether they have discussed the matter of a legislative consent motion with the Northern Ireland Executive.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL2100
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The tax changes necessary to deliver the Freedom and Choice in Pensions agenda are contained in the Taxation of Pensions Bill. The provisions in this Bill will apply across the UK as the relevant tax legislation is not, in the main, a matter over which powers have been devolved.<sup>[</sup><sup>1]</sup> The Pension Schemes Bill is being used to introduce further changes relevant to the Freedom and Choice agenda. Where these do relate to devolved matters in Northern Ireland, the Government is in the process of obtaining the necessary legislative consent motion and approval from the Northern Ireland Assembly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] Explanatory notes for the Taxation of Pensions Bill were published on the Parliament Website. Territorial extent is detailed in paragraph 52 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2014-2015/0097/en/15097en.htm</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 29/10/2014 15:21:46 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird