Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans a review into pension adequacy.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government remains committed to shaping the pensions system to serve the interests of savers and pensioners to provide security in retirement. The State Pension is at the heart of that commitment, and it provides a sustainable foundation to support people’s individual savings for retirement. The Government has made a commitment to the Triple Lock for the entirety of this Parliament which means spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion, this will see pensioners’ yearly incomes being up to £1900 higher.
Also crucially, Automatic Enrolment (AE) has succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. However, we know we need to do even more to build on the success of AE in getting people in to saving by ensuring security in retirement for all. This is a key focus of our landmark pensions review.
We must first start by boosting the returns members can get from their savings. The first phase of our review is focused on investment and growth with the twin objectives of increasing investment in the UK and delivering improved returns for savers. In November 2024 we published the interim report of this review with consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme. These consultations closed in January, and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.
We also acknowledge the importance of addressing the broader question of adequacy and how to build on the success of AE to ensure that people are saving enough for retirement. Therefore, the second phase of the review will in due course look at further steps to improve pension outcomes, and pension adequacy for all.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether they have made an estimate of the potential impact of abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion roles in their Department on annual staffing costs.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) activity and staffing requirements is decided by departments as the employer. DWP is committed to being an inclusive employer and is committed to creating an environment where everyone belongs and can be at their best, and our workforce is representative of the customers and communities that we serve.
DWP has not made an estimate of the potential impact of abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion roles on annual staffing costs. The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025 (as well as the 2025-2030 strategy under development) underscores the importance of EDI in supporting the delivery of the Government’s Plan for Change. The strategy highlights the need for a diverse workforce to drive performance and innovation.
The Civil Service Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Expenditure guidance, published in May 2024 under the previous government, states:
Internal Efficiency Measures
18. Internal measures are important to promote efficient and effective EDI practice, which aligns to Government priorities. To ensure EDI spend in the Civil Service is commensurate with agreed organisational priorities the following measures must be considered:
c. Incorporate standalone EDI staffing roles into broader HR: The responsibility for EDI delivery should be embedded into HR professionals’ broader accountabilities. The CS D&I Strategy frames an approach where diversity and inclusion is not an end in itself, but an integral means of delivering better outcomes for our citizens. To deliver this, and move away from tokenistic, albeit well-intentioned actions, to produce truly transformative delivery our HR professionals are required to take ownership of EDI and focus the approach against the key areas of an employee lifecycle that make the biggest impact for all our people: recruitment, talent management, learning & development, leadership, culture and tackling bullying harassment and discrimination when it occurs.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Virgin Media v NTL Pension Trustees Ltd on the pension market.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
While we recognise that the judgment could result in uncertainty for schemes and members, the impact on individual schemes and their members will vary.
We are actively considering our next steps.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
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 potential cost to the public purse of overlap between the Motability scheme and claimants entitled to free school transport provided by local authorities.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the disability benefits that act as a gateway to the Motability Scheme and facilitates the transfer of eligible benefits to Motability. Whilst an eligible benefit allowance provides access to the Scheme, the recipient can also choose not to join the Scheme, and to spend the allowance however they see fit for their individual circumstances.
We do not hold information that could identify those who may qualify for the Motability Scheme and who are also entitled to free school transport provided by local authorities.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP has access to AI software tools to support day-to-day workings such as the drafting process for responding to written parliamentary questions. The terms of use are clear that the license holder must review the content provided by the tool. All responses are drafted and reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off by Ministers.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners were in poverty in Mid Leicestershire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are not available at a constituency level.
Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are published annually in the Households Below Average Income statistics: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK. These statistics include regional breakdowns.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners are considered to be in poverty in Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are not available at a constituency level.
Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are published annually in the Households Below Average Income statistics: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK. These statistics include regional breakdowns.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the level of expenditure on young people who were not in education, employment or training in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The information is not collated centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
As part of the Great Britain Working plan, we will launch a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Youth Guarantee will build upon and enhance existing entitlements and provisions with the aim of tackling the rising number of young people who are not participating in education, employment or training.
The East Midlands Combined Authority, which Leicestershire is a part of, is one of the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England set to receive grant funding to deliver the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper from Spring 2025.
We will use the learning from the Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on tackling financial crime in relation to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will help government better identify, prevent and deter public sector fraud and error and enable the better recovery of debt owed to the taxpayer. DWP has close links with other government departments and law enforcement agencies, including strong collaborative relationships with HMRC, Home Office and National Crime Agency, and will continue to build upon these to ensure the Bill measures are designed effectively.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the National Crime Agency on tackling financial crime in relation to the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will help government better identify, prevent and deter public sector fraud and error and enable the better recovery of debt owed to the taxpayer. DWP has close links with other government departments and law enforcement agencies, including strong collaborative relationships with HMRC, Home Office and National Crime Agency, and will continue to build upon these to ensure the Bill measures are designed effectively.