Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reintroducing the cost control mechanism for public service pensions.

The cost control mechanism was introduced following the recommendations of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission in 2011. Whilst the Commission recommended a mechanism to protect the Exchequer from increased costs, the Government went a step further and introduced a mechanism that is symmetrical and so also maintains the value of pensions to members when costs fall.

The mechanism still operates with respect to the main public service pension schemes and so is not in need of reintroduction. It was tested for the first time at the 2016 valuations, but the process was paused before results were finalised due to uncertainty regarding the value of pension schemes following the McCloud judgment. The Government subsequently published amending Directions in October 2021 which enable schemes to complete the cost control element of the 2016 valuations. Most schemes have now finalised their results and those that haven’t will do so shortly.

The mechanism will be tested again at the next scheme valuations (“the 2020 valuations”). The Government previously announced that, following a review by the Government Actuary and a full public consultation, it will implement three reforms to the cost control mechanism for the 2020 valuations onwards to ensure it is operating more in line with its objectives. All three changes are expected to make the mechanism more stable, meaning changes to member benefits or contributions become less likely. The reforms thus help provide greater certainty regarding members’ projected retirement incomes and level of contributions.