Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid out to NHS pension scheme members in (1) 2023, and (2) 2024.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the value of pension benefits paid to NHS Pension Scheme members in financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25:

These figures comprise the value of annual pensions and lump sums paid. It does not include other payments made by the scheme such as contribution refunds or pension tax payments to HM Revenue and Customs.

Annual accounts for the scheme are published for each financial year and record the total value of all payments made. The annual accounts are available on the GOV.UK website and on the NHS Business Service Authority’s website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid into the NHS pension scheme by (1) NHS employers, and (2) NHS pension scheme members, in (a) 2023, and (2) 2024.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows how much was paid into the NHS Pension Scheme in the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, broken down by the contributions paid into the scheme by employees and employers:

The employee contribution figures include the standard employee contributions, added years, additional pension purchases, and early retirement reduction buy‑out contributions. The employer contribution figures include National Health Service employer contributions for exiting staff, as well as other contributions payable on retirement/redundancy.

Annual accounts for the scheme are published for each financial year online and record the total value of all payments made. The annual accounts are available on the GOV.UK website and on the NHS Business Service Authority’s website.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the average duration to apprenticeship gateway and what was the maximum apprenticeship funding available in (1) 2015, (2) 2022, and (3) 2025 for the apprenticeship standards of (a) engineering operative, (b) maintenance and operations engineering technician, (c) engineering technician, (d) hairdressing professional, (e) advanced and creative hairdressing professional, (f) creative, hair and fashion director, and (g) hair, skin and scalp specialist.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Apprenticeship starts for individual apprenticeship standards are published in the Apprenticeships accredited official statistics publication:

• 2020/21 to 2024/25 academic years: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d12ce978-389f-4d10-e79b-08de72e09202

• 2016/17 to 2019/20 academic years: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c5962d9f-97d1-425f-ba6c-08de72dfeafa

Please note that there were no apprenticeship starts on these standards prior to 2016/17. The Hairdressing Professional (ST0213) standard was previously named Hair Professional. No standards exist for (f) and (g).

The typical duration from apprenticeship start date to apprenticeship gateway and the maximum funding available for standards (a) to (e) are in the below table. This information is published at Apprenticeship search / Skills England.

Please note that as the listed standards were not approved until after 2015, the maximum funding available for this year is not available.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people started apprenticeships in (1) 2015, (2) 2017, (3) 2022, and (4) 2024 in the apprenticeship standards of (a) engineering operative, (b) maintenance and operations engineering technician, (c) engineering technician, (d) hairdressing professional, (e) advanced and creative hairdressing professional, (f) creative, hair and fashion director, and (g) hair, skin and scalp specialist.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Apprenticeship starts for individual apprenticeship standards are published in the Apprenticeships accredited official statistics publication:

• 2020/21 to 2024/25 academic years: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d12ce978-389f-4d10-e79b-08de72e09202

• 2016/17 to 2019/20 academic years: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c5962d9f-97d1-425f-ba6c-08de72dfeafa

Please note that there were no apprenticeship starts on these standards prior to 2016/17. The Hairdressing Professional (ST0213) standard was previously named Hair Professional. No standards exist for (f) and (g).

The typical duration from apprenticeship start date to apprenticeship gateway and the maximum funding available for standards (a) to (e) are in the below table. This information is published at Apprenticeship search / Skills England.

Please note that as the listed standards were not approved until after 2015, the maximum funding available for this year is not available.

Found: No relevant interests to declare Baroness Wheatcroft No relevant interests to declare Baroness Wolf of Dulwich