My Lords, I shall speak briefly to Amendment 68. I put my name to it and raised the issue at Second Reading in the Chamber. We have had a long debate this afternoon, and I think most of us are pretty clear that pension dashboard services are going to provide...

My Lords, I shall speak briefly to Amendment 68. I put my name to it and raised the issue at Second Reading in the Chamber. We have had a long debate this afternoon, and I think most of us are pretty clear that pension dashboard services are going to provide...

I hear what the Minister is saying and am very grateful for the thoroughness with which he is responding to these issues, but will pension scheme members have any direct legal redress against a dashboard services operator should things go wrong? As I am hearing him, most of the remedies...

I hear what the Minister is saying and am very grateful for the thoroughness with which he is responding to these issues, but will pension scheme members have any direct legal redress against a dashboard services operator should things go wrong? As I am hearing him, most of the remedies...

It was clearly not appropriate for me to say at that meeting, before the ombudsman’s report had been published, that I was going to reject it.

It was clearly not appropriate for me to say at that meeting, before the ombudsman’s report had been published, that I was going to reject it.

Recent research shows that the figure was never £5 billion. The sum was accompanied by tax cuts for business, and it may well be not much more than half of the widely quoted figure. Finally, the hon. Gentleman argued that Governments must always accept the findings of the parliamentary commissioner,...

Recent research shows that the figure was never £5 billion. The sum was accompanied by tax cuts for business, and it may well be not much more than half of the widely quoted figure. Finally, the hon. Gentleman argued that Governments must always accept the findings of the parliamentary commissioner,...

I agree, in some respects, with what the hon. Gentleman has said. It is important that we establish proper arrangements for confirming the security and confidence that people have in their pension investments and pension savings. We have taken action to try to strengthen those arrangements, and I am confident...

I agree, in some respects, with what the hon. Gentleman has said. It is important that we establish proper arrangements for confirming the security and confidence that people have in their pension investments and pension savings. We have taken action to try to strengthen those arrangements, and I am confident...

The financial assistance scheme will top up those people’s pensions with financial support, to give a maximum income of up to £12,000 a year. The Government are prepared to look again at all aspects of the scheme as part of the current spending review, and my right hon. Friend the...

The financial assistance scheme will top up those people’s pensions with financial support, to give a maximum income of up to £12,000 a year. The Government are prepared to look again at all aspects of the scheme as part of the current spending review, and my right hon. Friend the...

With permission, I should like to make a statement on the ombudsman’s report on the security of final salary occupational pensions published yesterday. The Parliamentary Commissioner’s report is a detailed piece of work and, of course, deserves a proper, full and formal response. It is my intention to publish such...

With permission, I should like to make a statement on the ombudsman’s report on the security of final salary occupational pensions published yesterday. The Parliamentary Commissioner’s report is a detailed piece of work and, of course, deserves a proper, full and formal response. It is my intention to publish such...

Yes, I agree with my hon. Friend and I can give her that assurance. As part of the review of the financial assistance scheme, we will have to examine the way in which it currently operates—the time it takes to process applications and the interim financial payments that we can...

Yes, I agree with my hon. Friend and I can give her that assurance. As part of the review of the financial assistance scheme, we will have to examine the way in which it currently operates—the time it takes to process applications and the interim financial payments that we can...

I have made it clear that no Government can take responsibility for underwriting the total value of people’s private savings. That is impossible and untenable. The Pension Protection Fund and the new powers of the pensions regulator mean that we have a much stronger regulatory environment to deal with the...

I have made it clear that no Government can take responsibility for underwriting the total value of people’s private savings. That is impossible and untenable. The Pension Protection Fund and the new powers of the pensions regulator mean that we have a much stronger regulatory environment to deal with the...

I fully accept what my right hon. Friend says. This is a very difficult group of cases, and I pay tribute to the work that he has done in drawing our attention to them. We will need to have another look at it as part of the review, but I...

I fully accept what my right hon. Friend says. This is a very difficult group of cases, and I pay tribute to the work that he has done in drawing our attention to them. We will need to have another look at it as part of the review, but I...

Yes.

Yes.

That is why the financial assistance scheme was established: to provide financial assistance and support for people who find themselves in those terrible circumstances. As I keep saying, we are re-examining the scheme to ascertain what further scope there might be for providing additional help. That is at the heart...

That is why the financial assistance scheme was established: to provide financial assistance and support for people who find themselves in those terrible circumstances. As I keep saying, we are re-examining the scheme to ascertain what further scope there might be for providing additional help. That is at the heart...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his opening remarks. The essence of our argument is that we strongly dispute the findings of maladministration, and I have tried to explain to the House why that is so. That is an entirely proper and sensible thing for any Minister to...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his opening remarks. The essence of our argument is that we strongly dispute the findings of maladministration, and I have tried to explain to the House why that is so. That is an entirely proper and sensible thing for any Minister to...

I fully respect the views that my hon. Friend has expressed. As it happens, I am meeting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor later this afternoon, and I promise her that I will relay to him the very strong views that she expressed.

I fully respect the views that my hon. Friend has expressed. As it happens, I am meeting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor later this afternoon, and I promise her that I will relay to him the very strong views that she expressed.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made it clear yesterday that we are looking to expedite the review of the FAS, and I hope that we can do so in the near future.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made it clear yesterday that we are looking to expedite the review of the FAS, and I hope that we can do so in the near future.

The ombudsman has prepared a thorough report and reached conclusions. We disagree with them.

The ombudsman has prepared a thorough report and reached conclusions. We disagree with them.

I agree with my hon. Friend. It is important to expedite the review of the financial assistance scheme and I look forward to discussing that with him.

I agree with my hon. Friend. It is important to expedite the review of the financial assistance scheme and I look forward to discussing that with him.

My apologies, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Everyone is probably fed up to the back teeth with hearing from me this afternoon. There is a significant problem with taking my hon. Friend’s advice about dropping the requirement to purchase an annuity. If we dropped it, there is clearly the potential for creating...

My apologies, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Everyone is probably fed up to the back teeth with hearing from me this afternoon. There is a significant problem with taking my hon. Friend’s advice about dropping the requirement to purchase an annuity. If we dropped it, there is clearly the potential for creating...

We have considered the ombudsman’s report carefully. It is the first time in more than 40 years that my Department has taken such a view of an ombudsman’s report. We have not done that lightly or in a cavalier way, as the hon. Gentleman suggested. I can only reiterate the...

We have considered the ombudsman’s report carefully. It is the first time in more than 40 years that my Department has taken such a view of an ombudsman’s report. We have not done that lightly or in a cavalier way, as the hon. Gentleman suggested. I can only reiterate the...