Found: Bill (17th Report, Session 2017–19, HL Paper 279), para 6; Constitution Committee, Pension Schemes Bill

Found: our first months in government, we launched the landmark Pensions Review and announced the Pension Schemes Bill

Found: consulted on, and we urge the Government to take forward the necessary legislation in the Pension Schemes Bill

Found: The UK can learn from this, and the recent Pension Schemes Bill mark steps in the right direction. 4.9

Found: Pension Schemes Bill 22.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming Pensions Schemes Bill on the ability of Pension Scheme Administrators to support the the transfer of defined benefit pension schemes to insurance providers.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the Pension Schemes Bill.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support the allocation of a greater share of defined contribution pension capital into UK productive assets, in the context of the Mansion House reforms.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government published the Interim Report of its Pensions Investment Review at the Mansion House event on 14 November. This Report puts forward ambitious proposals to reform the UK pension system which could unlock productive investment while boosting savers’ pension pots.

The government is currently considering whether further interventions may be needed by the government to ensure that these reforms are benefiting UK growth.

The final report of the Pensions Investment Review will be published in the Spring, ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to bring forward any legislative proposals from the first phase of the Pensions Investment Review.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The final report of the Pensions Investment Review, including the policy proposals to be legislated for, will be published in the Spring ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to reform the Pension Protection Fund through the Pension Schemes Bill.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Pension Protection Fund provides a safety net to members of eligible private sector defined benefit schemes in the event of their employer’s insolvency.

The Government plans to introduce measures in the Pension Schemes Bill that amend the Special Rules for End of Life in the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme. These measures will extend the definition of terminal illness within both schemes, allowing eligible members to access payments sooner in their illness. We will continue to consider whether there are further opportunities for change in the pensions compensation system.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of occupational pension scheme investment supporting economic growth.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the member to the answer given to PQ UIN 34987 on 6 March 2025.

The Government published the Interim Report of the Pensions Investment Review at Mansion House, which sets out proposals to reform the UK Pensions system. These reforms could unlock up to £80 billion in new productive investment including in businesses and infrastructure, including sustainable infrastructure to help reach the Government’s net zero targets, and help improve returns for savers.

The proposed reforms to the defined contribution workplace pension market will accelerate consolidation, creating fewer, larger schemes, with a minimum scale requirement. This will allow schemes to deliver better value, governance, and investment opportunities, through larger ‘mega-funds’ more able to undertake productive investment.

The Review also proposes reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales) to tackle fragmentation and inefficiency. The LGPS manages £392 billion worth of assets, and the Interim Report proposes to require all 86 administering authorities to delegate investment management to pools. This will create large pools of professionally managed capital, in line with international best practice, and enhance the capacity and capability of the scheme to continue to drive national, local and regional investment and will help to ensure investments are able to reach all corners of the nation.

The final Pensions Investment Review report, including the final proposals to be legislated for, will be published in the Spring ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

In addition to these reforms, the Government announced in January that it will pave the way for more well-funded DB pension schemes to share surplus funds with sponsoring employers and members, helping to drive growth by freeing up these funds for the benefit of the economy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.11 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of investments by occupational pension schemes on the (a) place, (b) people and (c) net zero pillars of the growth mission.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government published the Interim Report of the Pensions Investment Review at Mansion House, which sets out proposals to reform the UK Pensions system. These reforms could unlock up to £80 billion in new productive investment including in businesses and infrastructure. Amongst other things this would help improve returns for savers and support the net-zero transition.

The proposed reforms to the defined contribution workplace pension market will accelerate consolidation, creating fewer, larger schemes. This will allow schemes to deliver better value, governance, and investment opportunities, through larger ‘mega-funds’ more able to undertake productive investment.

The Review also proposes reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales) to tackle fragmentation and inefficiency. The LGPS manages £392 billion worth of assets, and the Interim Report proposes to require all 86 administering authorities to delegate investment management to pools. This will create large pools of professionally managed capital, in line with international best practice, and enhance the capacity and capability of the scheme to continue to drive national, regional and local investment.

The final Pensions Investment Review report, including the final proposals to be legislated for, will be published in the Spring ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that workers contribute sufficiently into their pensions to achieve an adequate standard of living in retirement.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Ensuring current and future pensioners have an adequate retirement income is a key priority for this Government and a focus of our landmark pensions review.

Automatic enrolment has already succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. Over 22m employees in Great Britain are benefiting from participating in a workplace pension, with over £131bn saved for eligible individuals in 2023.

The first phase of our pensions review – focused on investment and growth – published its interim report in November 2024. Two consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme closed in January and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.

The second phase of our review will follow in due course – focussing on pension outcomes and retirement adequacy.

Alongside this, the Pension Schemes Bill, announced in the King’s Speech includes measures which could boost pension pots by over £11, 000 for average earners saving over their lifetime in a defined contribution scheme.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to help raise awareness of the risks of under-saving in pensions for retirement.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Ensuring current and future pensioners have an adequate retirement income is a key priority for this Government and a focus of our landmark pensions review.

Automatic enrolment has already succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. Over 22m employees in Great Britain are benefiting from participating in a workplace pension, with over £131bn saved for eligible individuals in 2023.

The first phase of our pensions review – focused on investment and growth – published its interim report in November 2024. Two consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme closed in January and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.

The second phase of our review will follow in due course – focussing on pension outcomes and retirement adequacy.

Alongside this, the Pension Schemes Bill, announced in the King’s Speech includes measures which could boost pension pots by over £11, 000 for average earners saving over their lifetime in a defined contribution scheme.

Found: DWP too are aware of the issue but have not yet committed to resolving it as part of their Pension Schemes Bill

Found: Any future pensions policy, including the Review and the Pension Schemes Bill, should put savers first

Found: will provide clarity to the industry ahead of the upcoming Pensions Investment Review and Pension Schemes Bill

Found: we will soon publish the final Pension Investment Review, ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill

Found: £1000 and save businesses £225 million a year in unnecessary admin costs Comes as part of Pension Schemes Bill

Question

What assessment has the Minister made of the potential of Welsh public sector pension schemes to invest in and fund infrastructure projects in Wales?

Answered by Minister for Finance and Trefnydd

The main public sector pensions scheme in Wales which is invested in funds is the Local Government Pension Scheme. The majority of civil service pensions are met by members’ current contributions.

Investment decisions are a matter for the relevant pension authorities under a legislative framework, which is a reserved matter. This imposes a fiduciary duty on pension trustees to choose investments, which are in the best financial interests of the scheme members. 

Fund managers must also take into account ethical considerations in their investment decisions and this requirement will soon be strengthened in respect of fossil fuel investments by provisions contained in the Pension Schemes Bill currently being considered by the UK Parliament. Provided that fund managers are meeting these duties they may invest to support local or national infrastructure. The Welsh Government has no powers to intervene in these decisions.

Question

What assessment has the Minister made of the latest divestment status of Welsh public sector pension funds and of the steps that are being taken as a result of a commitment to the divestment of Welsh public sector pension funds?

Answered by Minister for Finance and Trefnydd

I wrote to all local government pension fund managers in April 2019 to ask how they were developing their investment strategies to respond to climate change including their plans for disinvestment from the fossil fuel sector or active engagement with funds to achieve carbon positive investment plans.

The responses indicated that all schemes across Wales were aware of their obligations to consider environmental and social factors as part of their investment decision-making in the context of their fiduciary duty. As an example, Torfaen pension fund has made a major switch of funds into a low carbon index tracker fund designed to reduce the carbon exposure on that part of the fund by 80%.  

The Welsh Government does not have legislative competence in this area but the move to disinvestment from fossil fuels will be further strengthened by the UK Government’s Pension Schemes Bill, which completed its passage through the House of Lords on 15 July and will now be considered by House of Commons. 

The Bill will ensure occupational pension schemes take climate change into account as both a risk and an opportunity, and compel trustees to disclose how they have done so to their members and the public. It also contains a requirement for schemes to take the government’s net zero targets into account, as well as the Paris Agreement goals of limiting the rise of average global temperatures, for the purposes of managing their own climate risk.

Question

What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the expected costs to Wales of implementing the terms of the Pension Schemes Bill?

Answered by None