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Stakeholder Pensions
23. Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of the stakeholder pension. [93772]
Mr. Rooker: We aim to enable the first stakeholder pension schemes to be set up from April 2001. We will be announcing decisions, following our consultations, around the end of the year, and our final proposals will be set out in draft regulations for further consultation. Stakeholder pension regulations should then be laid by around April 2000, thereby giving a clear year for industry to develop schemes for the market.
Mr. Rammell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made with developing his proposals for stakeholder pensions. [93783]
Mr. Rooker: Between 2 June and 16 September, we issued six consultation documents on Minimum Standards, Employer Access, Clearing Arrangements, Advice, Governance and the Tax Regime.
We have also held discussions with the Stakeholder Pensions Advisory Group and the Core Group.
We will be announcing decisions around the end of the year before issuing draft regulations for consultation.
24. Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to compensate people who have been misinformed about the inheritance rules for SERPS; [93773]
Mr. Rooker:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
(2) what estimate he has made of (a) the net costs of, (b) the gross costs of and (c) how many people would benefit from delaying the changes to the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers from (1) 2000 until 2010 and (2) 2000 until 2005 in (i) 2000 and (ii) every subsequent year until 2020; and how the (x) gross and (y) net costs of such a delay are calculated. [95256]
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| Delay until 2005 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gross costs (£ million) | Potential numbers affected (thousand) | |
| 2000-01 | 60 | 100 |
| 2001-02 | 160 | 300 |
| 2002-03 | 280 | 490 |
| 2003-04 | 390 | 670 |
| 2004-05 | 510 | 830 |
| 2005-06 | 560 | 890 |
| 2006-07 | 550 | 840 |
| 2007-08 | 530 | 790 |
| 2008-09 | 510 | 750 |
| 2009-10 | 500 | 700 |
| 2010-11 | 480 | 660 |
| 2011-12 | 460 | 620 |
| 2012-13 | 450 | 580 |
| 2013-14 | 430 | 550 |
| 2014-15 | 410 | 510 |
| 2015-16 | 390 | 470 |
| 2016-17 | 370 | 440 |
| 2017-18 | 360 | 410 |
| 2018-19 | 340 | 380 |
| 2019-20 | 320 | 350 |
| 2020-21 | 300 | 330 |
Notes:
1. Gross costs and potential numbers affected are supplied by the Government Actuary's Department. An explanation of the method for calculating gross costs of Additional Pension is given in the Government Actuary's Department publication 'National Insurance Fund: Long Term Financial Estimates', Appendix D (paragraphs 14.39 to 14.45), available in the House of Commons Library.
2. Precise estimates of net costs are not available.
3. Estimates of numbers affected assume that all widows and widowers have some SERPS entitlement although in reality there will be some who do not. Cases where the widower is over State pension age but the deceased partner is under State pension age are included in the estimates. These will both tend to overestimate the numbers affected.
4. Gross costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million, and are in 1999-2000 price terms. Potential numbers affected are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
5. Estimates assume average earnings growth from 1999 onwards of 1.5 per cent. per year above prices. The State Second Pension and Welfare Reform Bill changes are not taken into account in these figures.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he intends to announce his decision as to what action he will take to remedy the problem of the changes to the inheritance of SERPS by spouses; and what provision has been made in the (a) CSR and (b) Contingency Fund to meet any extra costs; [95180]
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(3) what assessment he has made of the ability of those misled about the halving of the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers to prove they were misinformed; and if he will make a statement. [95181]
Mr. Rooker:
We will make an announcement about SERPS inheritance provisions shortly.
26. Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he takes before making his annual assessment on uprating benefit and pension levels. [93775]
Mr. Rooker:
The annual review of benefits is subject to the same decision-making processes as many other policy considerations. We will make an announcement on the uprating in due course in the normal way.
28. Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors he uses to measure child poverty. [93779]
Angela Eagle:
I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 19 October 1999, Official Report, column 486.
29. Fiona Mactaggart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the measures in his welfare reform programme which will assist disabled people to take up work. [93780]
Angela Eagle:
Together with my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment we have introduced New Deal for Disabled People to help disabled people move into or remain in work; piloting a voluntary personal adviser service in 12 areas throughout Great Britain, for claimants of incapacity benefits; and funding 24 innovative schemes to test different approaches.
The first four ONE pilots were successfully launched in June and a further 8 pilots will start in November. In these pilot areas, where appropriate, people of working age who claim benefits will be given a Personal Adviser who will be able to access information and the opportunities for employment, training and rehabilitation, and will help them plan a route back to independence.
In October 1998, we introduced a new 52-week linking rule for incapacity benefits and abolished the 16 hour limit for voluntary work. We have increased the therapeutic earnings limit from April 99 and are piloting further measures to help disabled people who wish to work. We are replacing the All Work Test with the Personal Capability Assessment which will focus on what people can do, not just their incapacities. From October 1999 the
25 Oct 1999 : Column: 725
Disabled Persons' Tax Credit will replace Disability Working Allowance which will ensure that disabled people are better off in work than out of work.
30. Mr. St. Aubyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future of widows' benefits. [93781]
Angela Eagle:
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 5 July 1999, Official Report, column 353.
31. Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to assist parents with the costs of bringing up children. [93782]
Angela Eagle:
We recognise the additional costs that families with children have to bear. As part of our strategy to increase opportunity for all, we are determined to improve family prosperity, reduce child poverty, and ensure that the tax and benefit system properly acknowledges the costs of bringing up children.
(2) what assessment he has made of (a) the administration costs and (b) the setting-up time of a scheme to compensate those misled about the halving of the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers; and if he will make a statement; [95178]
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