Contributions
513 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)We are very happy with this measure. One of the important points, which has been made on a number of occasions, is to do with the wider financial education piece. One would hope…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Third sitting)I beg to move amendment 247, in clause 9, page 8, line 23, at end insert— “(aa) prohibiting the making of a payment unless the scheme’s assets have exceeded a buyout valuation,”.…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)In a broad sense, we are very happy to support the clause. There are, though, a number of issues, and the point about benchmarking and what performance is being valued against can…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)My hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point. The story that the Liberal Democrat spokesman, the hon. Member for Torbay, told about his father is the most important point…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)Broadly, we welcome clause 20, which builds on important work that was started under the previous Government to address the issue of small, dormant pension pots. This is a…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Third sitting)On new clause 31, as we have heard, the local government pension scheme in England and Wales has reached a record surplus of some £45 billion, which is 112% of funding levels, as…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to move amendment 259, clause 20, page 21, line 23, leave out from “procedure” to end of line 29 This amendment would make all regulations on consolidation of small dormant…04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn . Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.04 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q This is tricky, though, is it not? Because there is no geographical definition of those six pools, Cornwall could, as I mentioned earlier, find itself investing in Leeds. That…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q Minister, thank you for coming to give evidence—we have a long few weeks together. I will start with the evidence we heard from the Deprived Pensioners Association and the…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q Yes, but there is a serious issue here, which is that you are now the Minister for Pensions and in a position to be able to do something about this. We can look back on the last…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q When you talk about the wider public finance implications, I completely get it; we understand that there is a lot of debt and all the rest of it. The bit I am struggling with is…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q I move on to value for money, something which, in the broadest sense, everybody seems to agree is a good thing, but I want to pick up on a couple of points. In the evidence…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q I have one very last question, if I may, going back to the mandation piece and the evidence that we heard from Helen Forrest Hall. The mandation piece is a reserved power, with…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (First sitting)So do I.02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Thank you very much.02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you very much for coming to give evidence. It can be a little intimidating, even for us, to see so many Government Back Benchers sitting across the table. I will start…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (First sitting)Q To summarise, you are saying that the general direction of the policy, which is to get more investment into the UK and therefore more infrastructure, is not in itself a bad…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q 64 Thank you for coming to this afternoon’s session. Councillor Phillips, I will start with you on the big argument about mandation. Obviously, these are reserved powers, which…02 Sept 2025HANSARDPension Schemes Bill (Second sitting)Q For trustees, the arrangement will be slightly different if it goes into a big pool, but to what extent do you think local authorities, if they are going to see mandation, would…02 Sept 2025