Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to enhance the moral hazard powers of the Pensions Regulator.
Answered by Guy Opperman
We have announced in the White Paper, Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes, that we intend to introduce a stand-alone interview power and enhanced inspection powers to enable the Pensions Regulator to conduct its investigations in a more efficient way.
The Government’s recent consultation on a stronger Pensions Regulator asked for views on proposals to strengthen the Pensions Regulator’s powers, including specifically enhancing its anti-avoidance powers, which deal with moral hazard. We are considering the responses and hope to publish our conclusions shortly, with a view to taking forward any necessary legislation in due course.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the the report Rough Justice, published by the Child Poverty Action Group on 6 August 2018, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the recommendations on a monthly assessment of income.
Answered by Lord Sharma
We are listening to stakeholders about payment cycles, and we will consider this important report carefully
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 July 2018 to Question 166475 on Universal Credit; whether her Department holds data on the number of enquiries received from universal credit (a) applicants and (b) claimants in relation to qualifying for a payment through the online journal system in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Sharma
This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 July 2018 to Question 166475 on Universal Credit; whether her Department holds data on the number of enquiries received from universal credit (a) applicants and (b) claimants in relation to qualifying for a payment on the universal credit telephone helpline in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Sharma
This information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of universal credit claimants who did not qualify for a payment as a result of receiving two wage payments during an assessment period in each of the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to increase the level of compensation payable by the Pension Protection Fund.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Labour government set up the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to pay a meaningful level of compensation to DB scheme members where the sponsoring employer becomes insolvent.
The PPF is fundamentally funded by a levy on eligible schemes. Therefore, any decision to increase either the level of compensation, or to provide inflation increases to pensions built up before April 1997, would result in significant increases to levy payers. It is not proposed to change the present law.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing inflation-linked increases to the amounts payable by the Pension Protection Fund to people with pre-April 1997 pensionable service.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Labour government set up the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to pay a meaningful level of compensation to DB scheme members where the sponsoring employer becomes insolvent.
The PPF is fundamentally funded by a levy on eligible schemes. Therefore, any decision to increase either the level of compensation, or to provide inflation increases to pensions built up before April 1997, would result in significant increases to levy payers. It is not proposed to change the present law.