I have responded to the letter dated 11 April 2019 as the Minister responsible for the scheme. Discussions with the Trustees of the Scheme are ongoing about possible changes that would benefit all parties.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-05-15T16:09:31.577Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mineworkers' Pension Scheme"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the open letter of 11 April 2019 on the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme ;and if he will meet with the signatories of that letter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "253552"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105286", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105286/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to working with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent financial services regulator, to ensure consumers have access to high quality financial advice. The FCA is responsible for ensuring that the financial advice market works well, competitively and fairly. The Government has established a strong regulatory framework to enable the FCA\u2019s work.<\/p>
<\/p>
The FCA has considerable power to take action where it sees evidence of poor pension transfer advice. For example, they may impose a financial penalty on firms or individuals, require the firm to pay redress to its customers, place restrictions on the firm\u2019s permissions or prohibit individuals from operating in financial services.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-03T10:41:01.747Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pensions: Advisory Services"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current (a) legal (b) administrative and (c) financial penalties for the provision of poor pension transfer advice.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "237078"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/994586", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/994586/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The small pots and trivial commutation rules are permissive sets of tax rules which pre-date the pension freedoms reforms introduced in 2015. The rules may allow an individual to access their pension as a lump sum if they are at least 55 years old, or retiring at an earlier age because of ill-health, and the value of the payment does not exceed £10,000 for small pots, or £30,000 for trivial commutation. The rules limit what arrangements can be accessed in this way.<\/p>
<\/p>
As the regulations are permissive, there is no obligation on providers to offer small pot lump sums to consumers. The Government has no plans at present to amend existing legislation to require insurers to commute annuities in payment.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "183914"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-31T10:39:56.85Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Annuities"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the trivial commutation and small pots rules to enable more people to access their annuities as a lump sum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "183913"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/994587", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/994587/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The small pots and trivial commutation rules are permissive sets of tax rules which pre-date the pension freedoms reforms introduced in 2015. The rules may allow an individual to access their pension as a lump sum if they are at least 55 years old, or retiring at an earlier age because of ill-health, and the value of the payment does not exceed £10,000 for small pots, or £30,000 for trivial commutation. The rules limit what arrangements can be accessed in this way.<\/p>
<\/p>
As the regulations are permissive, there is no obligation on providers to offer small pot lump sums to consumers. The Government has no plans at present to amend existing legislation to require insurers to commute annuities in payment.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "183913"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-31T10:39:56.803Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Annuities"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending the trivial commutation and small pots rules to require insurers to commute annuities into lump sum payments for consumers; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "183914"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/983298", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/983298/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will continue to participate in all 2014-2020 EU programmes until they close. In the unlikely event this agreement is not ratified, the government\u2019s guarantee for EU-funded programmes will instead apply.<\/p>
<\/p>
In the longer term the government has committed to create a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which we intend to consult on later this year. Following this consultation, decisions on future funding will be taken in the round at the 2019 Spending Review.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Elizabeth Truss"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Norfolk"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Elizabeth Truss"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-10-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-12T10:34:29.983Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "EU Grants and Loans: Wales"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy to replicate the Structural Fund payments to Wales after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "176202"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/386968", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/386968/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the position in relation to British residents in Greece, as part of his statement to House on 29 June.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Chancellor updated the House on the situation in Greece on 6 July.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-07T14:35:50.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Banks: Greece"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his contribution of 29 June 2015, Official Report, column 1221, on Greece, how many UK citizens resident in (a) the UK and (b) Greece hold accounts with Greek banks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3928", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Blaenau Gwent"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Smith"} ], "uin" : "5140"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/175839", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/175839/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer the hon. Member to the Exchequer Secretary\u2019s earlier response to Question 14.<\/p>