Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) the introduction of a compensation scheme to support those facing financial hardship as a result of the delays in administering pensions and lump sums and (b) the prioritising of hardship cases including unpaid retirees, people retiring imminently, ill-health retirement cases and bereavement cases.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December.
The issues and delays facing some civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions is unacceptable.
In response, we have set up a dedicated a surge team of 150 staff to work alongside the 500 Capita staff to clear the backlog. There is an agreed recovery plan in place that prioritises the most urgent cases including bereavements, ill health and hardship cases and has clear timelines and targets for full-service restoration for all members.
No former civil servant should be facing financial hardship as a result of delays to their pension and we are putting in place direct support for people facing delays in their first payments. We are also actively working with all partners to ensure affected members do not suffer permanent financial loss as a result of this issue.
The Cabinet Office has set out arrangements whereby employing departments are able to make interest-free hardship loans to those who are waiting for their pension benefits.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what resources he has allocated to help ensure the timely and efficient processing of the 86,000 cases inherited by Capita from My CSP.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. Administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December.
The issues and delays facing some civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions is unacceptable.
In response, we have set up a dedicated a surge team of 150 staff to work alongside the 500 Capita staff to clear the backlog. There is an agreed recovery plan in place that prioritises the most urgent cases including bereavements, ill health and hardship cases and has clear timelines and targets for full-service restoration for all members.
No former civil servant should be facing financial hardship as a result of delays to their pension and we are putting in place direct support for people facing delays in their first payments. We are also actively working with all partners to ensure affected members do not suffer permanent financial loss as a result of this issue.
The Cabinet Office has set out arrangements whereby employing departments are able to make interest-free hardship loans to those who are waiting for their pension benefits.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will outline the role of the Cabinet Secretary in relation to the civil service code.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the Minister for the Civil Service (the Prime Minister) is responsible for the Civil Service Code. As Head of the Civil Service, the Cabinet Secretary is the Prime Minister’s most senior policy adviser, including in relation to the Civil Service Code.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland's report entitled Windsor Framework realities - barriers to trade in the UK internal market, published in June 2025.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government stands by its view that the Windsor Framework is delivering practical benefits in Northern Ireland and we are committed to its implementation alongside protecting the UK internal market.
The Windsor Framework provides a wide range of support for business between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government will keep working with businesses and organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses as we move forward.
The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with the European Union, once agreed and implemented, will make it easier to move goods across the Irish Sea, so Northern Ireland can enjoy the same products as the rest of the UK.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will have discussions with his EU counterparts to improve the functioning of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As co-Chair of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee I regularly discuss the functioning of the Windsor Framework with my European Commission counterpart Maroš Šefčovič. At the recent UK-EU summit we announced a new SPS agreement that will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, whilst protecting the facilitations available to businesses under the Windsor Framework. This achievement is a product of a closer partnership with the EU, which will unlock real improvements for businesses and consumers - alongside the recent switch on of new customs facilitations for freight and parcels so that goods can flow smoothly within the UK internal market.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that the findings of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework are considered during UK-EU negotiations.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Review reflects the Government’s commitment to securing the broadest possible confidence of communities in Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements. The Government looks forward to considering Lord Murphy’s recommendations when the Review reports. In doing so, we will follow the duties contained within Schedule 6A Northern Ireland Act 1998 including in respect of engagement with the European Union.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the EU on the impact of General Product Safety regulations on small and medium businesses sending goods to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government maintains a dialogue with the EU on matters of mutual interest. The updated General Product Safety Regulation largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be adapting anyway in order to continue trading with the EU. We are keeping this matter under careful review and are supporting small and medium businesses through providing detailed guidance and via regular engagement to ensure we are enabling them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had on the appointment of a chair for the compensation arms length body for infected blood victims.
Answered by John Glen
The Government will respond in full to Sir Brian’s recommendations on compensation following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report, however, we are making progress. In particular, the Government will bring forward amendments at Report Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the Other Place with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government’s response to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure interim payments to infected blood bereaved families are made without delay.
Answered by John Glen
In October 2022, we made interim payments of £100,000 to chronic infected beneficiaries and bereaved partners registered with existing support schemes. I recognise the importance the infected blood community places on interim payments relating to those deaths not yet recognised, and the Government is working through the technical implications of recommendation 12.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will reassess the criteria for ministerial severance payments.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The entitlement to severance payments for those who cease to hold ministerial office is set out in the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. The Government has no current plans to amend the Act.