Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department plans to offer micro-businesses in adapting to new automatic enrolment pension provisions; and if he will make a statement.

The Department continues to work with The Pensions Regulator to support micro employers in meeting their automatic enrolment duties as simply and cost effectively as possible. This includes working with accountants, bookkeepers, payroll bureaus and other intermediaries to ensure they are ready to support smaller employers effectively.

The first cohort of the smallest employers began to comply with their automatic enrolment duties from 1 June this year. We continue to receive feedback about the experience of employers. We are learning all the time and have adapted and improved the process and the support available.