Contributions
1,152 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPension Schemes BillWe may disagree on some of the approaches to the market, but we want innovation, so I do not disagree with the noble Lord on that. However, we want innovation that serves member…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillI think because it has to happen. It has to follow VFM; the pensions road map has set out the connection and the order in which things will happen. My understanding is that it is…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillMy Lords, we want innovation. That is what I have just tried to describe. TPR has made innovation the central pillar of its corporate strategy. It launched an innovation service,…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillMy Lords, as I was saying, as the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, described so well, the aim of her Amendments 168 to 170 is to shift from measures aimed at restricting the creation…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillI am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, and others for their contributions. Clause 48 inserts new Part 7A, on “Unilateral changes to pension schemes”, referred to as…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillI was going so well; I was in full flow.03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillI am happy to reflect on the noble Baroness’s point. If it leads the Government to believe that we have phrased the test badly, then of course we will take appropriate action; if…03 Feb 2026HANSARDTwo-child Benefit Cap: Foreign-born ChildrenMy noble friend is so right. The cost of failing to tackle poverty is too high—for those children but also for our country. Hungry children do not arrive at school ready to learn.…03 Feb 2026HANSARDTwo-child Benefit Cap: Foreign-born ChildrenMy Lords, children should not grow up in poverty. It is bad for them, bad for their aspirations and, ultimately, bad for the country. Experts agree that the most cost-effective…03 Feb 2026HANSARDTwo-child Benefit Cap: Foreign-born ChildrenMy Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely right about the effects of this. The Labour Party in government pledged to tackle child poverty. What this Government have brought forward…03 Feb 2026HANSARDTwo-child Benefit Cap: Foreign-born ChildrenMy Lords, I have seen no evidence that anything as specific as this has any impact on asylum. I am sure the noble Lord is aware that our system is so strict that, for somebody to…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillMy Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, who always throws out good challenges. I welcome the opportunity and hope that I can persuade her with the answers I am about to…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, for clarifying his view and apologise if I misrepresented it. I will not respond at any length but will simply say that…03 Feb 2026HANSARDPension Schemes BillMy Lords, I am not going to say any more than I have now. The noble Baroness has made a series of complaints about cartels, secrecy and lack of integrity—all kinds of things—none…03 Feb 2026HANSARDTwo-child Benefit Cap: Foreign-born ChildrenMy Lords, removing the two-child limit is very well targeted: it is targeted on children. Over half—some 59%—of households affected by the two-child limit are in work, and almost…03 Feb 2026HANSARDWomen’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO ReportMy Lords, I do not. I will try to explain. We accept the PHSO’s—the ombudsman’s—findings on maladministration, but we specifically do not agree with the ombudsman’s approach to…02 Feb 2026HANSARDWomen’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO ReportMy Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for their questions. Last November, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions told Parliament that the Government would make a new…02 Feb 2026HANSARDWomen’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO ReportMy Lords, tempting though it is, I will save my wider comments on the Pension Schemes Bill for tomorrow, when I look forward to seeing the noble Lord once again in Grand…02 Feb 2026HANSARDWomen’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO ReportI thank my noble friend for that question, particularly for the recognition that this sounds simple and in fact is very complex. One of the things that has made it so difficult is…02 Feb 2026HANSARDWomen’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO ReportMy noble friend makes an important point. That is why we are trying to get people, particularly women, to check their state pension age and check exactly what they are going to…02 Feb 2026