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Pensions Policy
Baroness Castle of Blackburn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the report on pensions policy by the committee set up by the Department of Social Security under the chairmanship of Tom Ross.[HL1538]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): To inform our review of pensions, the independent Pension Provision Group have been asked to determine the current level of pension provision in the UK, and likely future trends. The group's report will bring together in one document an up-to-date analysis of all forms of pension provision. It will provide an authoritative basis upon which we will be able to shape our plans to ensure that today's and tomorrow's pensioners have a decent income in retirement.
We expect the report to be published soon.
National Insurance: SERPS Accruals
Baroness Castle of Blackburn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What would be the impact on National Insurance contribution rates of restoring the original intention of SERPS of enabling contributors to qualify for a pension of 25 per cent. of earnings between the lower earnings limits and the upper earnings limits at the end of their working lives.[HL1539]
Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information requested is set out in the following table.
| Year | Current baseline | Increase in respect of 25 per cent. accrual rate | Total contribution rate required |
| 2000/01 | 17.7 per cent. | 0.7 per cent. | 18.4 per cent. |
| 2010/11 | 17.4 per cent. | 0.6 per cent. | 18 per cent. |
| 2020/21 | 16.8 per cent. | 0.6 per cent. | 17.4 per cent. |
| 2030/31 | 17.2 per cent. | 0.6 per cent. | 17.8 per cent. |
| 2040/41 | 15.8 per cent. | 0.6 per cent. | 16.4 per cent. |
| 2050/51 | 14 per cent. | 0.7 per cent. | 14.7 per cent. |
Notes:
1. Estimates have been prepared by the Government Actuary based on the Third Quinquennial review (National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates HC 160).
2. The current baseline refers to the pension system as provided for in the 1995 Pensions Act.
3. The contribution rates given are those required to balance the National Insurance fund by producing sufficient income to match expenditure on benefits and administration in each year shown.
4. Assumptions are as follows:
(a) Price uprating of benefits and earnings limits.
(b) SERPS accruals at the 25 per cent. rate would commence in 2000/01.
(c) All contribution rates increase proportionately.
(d) The illustrative rates exclude the NHS allocation.
Baroness Castle of Blackburn asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information requested is set out in the table.
Sources:
1. The Government Actuary's Department Quinquennial Review [HC 160].
2. Government Actuary's Department.
Notes:
1. The contribution rates are those required by the National Insurance Fund in order to provide sufficient income to balance expenditure on benefits and the costs of administration.
2. The rates are the main rates of Class 1 contributions i.e. the sum of the employee rate on earnings above the lower earnings limit and the upper rate for employers. It is assumed that all contribution rates are increased proportionately. The contribution rates shown are for the National Insurance Fund and exclude the National Health Service allocation.
3. The cost of uprating linked benefits on an index mid-way between prices and earnings has not been included.
4. Estimates are based on the 1995 Pensions Act regime. Subsequent data and policy changes has not been taken into account.
Baroness Serota asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington): We have agreed the agency's key targets for 1998-99, and placed copies in the Library.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): We understand that the delay in publishing reports to the Commission on Human Rights was a result of mounting pressure of work at the Office of the High Commissioner. The Head of the UK Delegation to the Commission has raised this issue with the High Commissioner. In the event, the Secretariat were able to release all documents before the relevant agenda item was opened for discussion. We are now looking carefully at ways of strengthening the Office of the High Commissioner, a central theme of the Secretary-General's Track II reform programme.
Lord Braine of Wheatley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Prime Minister visited Yad Vashem during his visit to Israel. He was deeply moved by this memorial to the suffering of the Jewish people in the Holocaust.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign Secretary has, in his national capacity, raised both issues with his Malaysian counterpart and urged Malaysia to allow the UNHCR access to individuals of concern.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As Presidency we issued a statement on behalf of the European Union on 24 April 1998 appealing to the Tibetan hunger strikers to call off their fast. We take every opportunity to raise our concerns about Tibet with the Chinese authorities. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister last did so himself when he met the Chinese Premier on 2 April. In view of the EU's special concerns about Tibet, a delegation of EU Ambassadors in Beijing are visiting Tibet from 1 to 10 May in order to make an assessment of the situation there.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UK supports the Pope's appeal and, as EU Presidency, co-ordinated an EU declaration on the release of prisoners, calling for the liberation back into society of all those imprisoned for the peaceful expression of their political views. This declaration was delivered to the Cuban authorities. We await a formal response.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UK and EU believe constructive dialogue and co-operation, not isolation, is the way to promote change towards pluralist
What would be the cost in terms of contribution rates of uprating the basic pension on an index mid-way between prices and earnings, assuming that the lower earnings limits and the upper earnings limits are linked to earnings.[HL1542]
Year Contribution rate under current pension arrangements Contribution rate uprating basic retirement pension by mid point between earnings and prices from 1999-2000 and indexing lower and upper earnings level in line with earnings
2000/2001 17.7 per cent. 17.9 per cent.
2010/2011 17.4 per cent. 18.4 per cent.
2020/2021 16.8 per cent. 18.4 per cent.
2030/2031 17.2 per cent. 19.6 per cent.
2040/2041 15.8 per cent. 18.7 per cent.
2050/2051 14 per cent. 17 per cent.
Whether they will publish the key targets for
1998-99 for the Medical Devices Agency.[HL1748]
Whether they can explain the delay in publication of most of the reports to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) of the country rapporteurs, thematic rapporteurs and working groups, which still remain unpublished two weeks after the UNHRC's 1998 session began.[HL1373]
Whether the Prime Minister visited the Holocaust Memorial at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem during his recent visit to Israel.[HL1570]
Whether, as holders of the Presidency of the European Union, they will make representations to the Government of Malaysia about the refoulment of Achehnese asylum-seekers, and the denial
to the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees' Representative in Kuala Lumpur of access to the Achehnese held in detention pending refoulement.[HL1573]
5 May 1998 : Column WA66
Whether, as holders of the Presidency of the European Union, they will issue a statement concerning the demands of the six Tibetan hunger strikers in New Delhi, as the United Nations Secretary-General's spokesperson and the High Commissioner for Human Rights have done recently.[HL1574]
Whether they support the appeal to Cuba by the Pope for a general amnesty for political prisoners; and, if so, whether they are making representations.[HL1631]
What is their attitude to the United States economic blockade of Cuba; whether there exists any international authority or approval for this; and whether they will use their good offices to help secure its removal.[HL1632]
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