Pensions Triple Lock

Debate between Pat McFadden and Douglas McAllister

Tuesday 13th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

I very much agree with my hon. Friend that wisdom comes with age. It is not a view I used to hold, but I am warming to it as the years go past—[Hon. Members: “Mr Ponzi scheme is here!”] I welcome to the Opposition Front Bench the shadow Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat), who of course referred to the triple lock as a Ponzi system.

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

We all need to do politics differently—to work with other parties constructively rather than feeding into a narrative of grievance. The people of Scotland deserve honesty from their politicians, not deceit and scaremongering. Does the Minister agree that the pensions of my West Dunbartonshire constituents will continue to rise year on year, as they will across the UK, and that the Prime Minister’s reforms will result in billions of pounds flowing to Scotland over the decades, which can help to fund Scotland’s creaking social care system?

[Pat McFadden]

I can certainly assure the pensioners of West Dunbartonshire that the state pension will continue to rise in each and every year. That is true for his constituents and true throughout Scotland. I can also assure his constituents that funds released from this package will flow to the Scottish Government to spend on social care, if they so wish, because we believe that the social care system throughout the UK is in need of improvement. Through this new settlement, that can happen.

Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report

Debate between Pat McFadden and Douglas McAllister

Thursday 29th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

We take the role of the ombudsman very seriously. The report was fully and properly considered, but decisions on a compensation scheme of this scale will always, in the end, be for Ministers and Government to take, and I think that is the right and understandable approach.

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

I have no doubt that my 6,000 WASPI women will be very angry about this decision. Will today’s announcement mean that the legal proceedings challenging the Government’s original decision will continue? What plans do we have, if any, to get round the table and try to avoid legal proceedings?

[Pat McFadden]

The initiation of legal proceedings is not a decision for me, and I cannot predict what will happen in future legal proceedings; that is a matter for others. My responsibility is to set out our decision to Parliament in the proper way, and I believe that in the statement that I gave in November, and in the one that I have given today, I have done that, and have given the House our reasons.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Pat McFadden and Douglas McAllister

Thursday 24th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Pat McFadden]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Here, in the spirit of the exchanges this week, I want to pay tribute to something the previous Government did, which was to improve the data operation at the heart of government. That does help when the Government are forming policy. We want to build on that and use data. It is important that we modernise how government works. The accurate use of data can help us to make better policy and that is what we want to do.

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

Almost 29,000 families in Scotland benefited from maternity pay last year, worth over £200 million. Does the Minister share my concern about suggestions from a Conservative party leadership candidate that it should be reduced?

[Pat McFadden]

I very much share my hon. Friend’s concern. In fact, the only economic policy we have had so far from the Conservative leadership contest has been the suggestion that we reduce maternity pay. That will do nothing for families, nothing for mothers and children, and nothing for the good operation of our economy. I hope they think twice about that suggestion.