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<p>I laid provided a Written Ministerial Statement (<a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-06-04/HCWS1587/"
target="_blank">HCWS1587</a>) on 4 June 2019 setting out the interim People Plan for
the National Health Service. As part of this, it was announced that the Department
would publish a consultation exploring proposals to introduce greater pension flexibility
for clinicians in the NHS Pension Scheme. Increased flexibility is designed to address
disincentives that may encourage senior clinicians to limit or reduce their workloads
whilst participating in the NHS Pension Scheme.</p><p>The consultation will propose
a 50:50 option which is intended to provide increased flexibility to clinicians regarding
the growth of their NHS Pension Scheme benefits. This option will offer a 50% pension
accrual and halved contributions. It was requested by the British Medical Association
earlier this year, and they have welcomed this as a step in the right direction.</p><p>Retaining
and maximising the contribution of our highly-skilled clinical workforce is crucial
to the delivery of the ambitions for patient care set out in the Long Term Plan for
the NHS. Accordingly, the Government is prepared to provide pension flexibility that
appropriately balances the benefit of new flexibilities with their affordability to
the public purse.</p><p>The consultation period will be an opportunity to listen to
a range of views before reaching a final proposition that works for both staff and
taxpayers. The Department encourages staff and employers to engage with our consultation
when it opens this month.</p>
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