Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that low-paid workers in net pay workplace pension schemes can receive the same level of tax relief as they would if their employer used a relief at source scheme; and, if so, when they intend to implement them.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Non-taxpayers who save in relief at source pension arrangements are better off than those using net pay schemes. Legislation introduced in 2023 requires HMRC to make a top-up payment to affected individuals.
The government remains committed to this policy which will see approximately one million individuals in net pay schemes offered an annual payment of around £70. This means that individuals should receive similar outcomes regardless of whether they are members of a relief at source or a net pay pension scheme.
HMRC are developing the IT solution to identify eligible individuals and make these payments. Top-up payments will be made for tax-year 2024-25 and subsequent years. The first payment for 2024-25 will be offered to eligible individuals in 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the powers in the Football Governance Bill for the independent football regulator to require football clubs to set out action they are taking on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Clubs will be required to report on what action they are taking with regard to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as part of the corporate governance code included within the Football Governance Bill.
EDI is a key part of good corporate governance. Good EDI on boards and in clubs promotes better governance, decision-making and transparency, all of which links to improved financial sustainability.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest cost-benefit analysis of rolling out fracture liaison services across the country, including (1) how many people are likely to avoid fractures and how many fractures could be avoided per year as a result of early detection, (2) how much NHS resource could be saved, and (3) how many days of work absence or years of early retirement could be avoided.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We remain committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across every part of the country by 2030. That is what my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care promised before the election, and what he is delivering.
In the meantime, we are investing in 14 high-tech bone density DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans, to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier
FLS are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.
The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services. Impacts will be assessed, as these options are considered, taking into consideration the evidence gathered from the 60 services already in operation in England.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Financial Conduct Authority and other regulators have sufficient powers to intervene when retail investment platforms fail to inform their customers clearly, fully and in a timely manner (1) about the direct charges they pay for the investments they purchase on the platforms, (2) that they can exercise their rights to vote at the meetings of companies in which they hold shares, and (3) about the reasons for de-platforming listed, regulated investments that they may wish to purchase.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants to see more consumers benefit from the long-term financial security and returns that investing can provide and recognises that platforms will be crucial to achieving this objective.
Retail investment platforms are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which has the necessary powers to intervene should they find retail investment platforms to be in breach of their regulatory obligations.
The Government legislated to enable the FCA to reform the UK’s retail disclosure regime to ensure consumers have access to the most useful information – including on risks, costs and performance – to support their investment decisions. The FCA consultation is currently open for views.
The issue of shareholder rights, including where shares are held by an intermediary, is being considered by the Digitisation Taskforce. The government is fully committed to ensuring the UK’s shareholding framework is fit for purpose and looks forward to receiving the taskforce’s final report.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 22 November 2024 (HL2411) and the equalities assessment on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office flying the bisexual flag, what plans they have for it to fly (1) the transgender flag, (2) the asexual flag, (3) the aromantic flag, or (4) the intersex flag.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO's flag flying policy is that all our buildings should fly the Union flag, as appropriate, throughout the year on working days during office hours. In addition, the FCDO continues to fly the Ukrainian flag from the secondary flagpole at King Charles Street. Any other flags flown on the estate are considered on a case-by-case basis and must have a compelling reason for inclusion. The FCDO does not advertise in advance which additional flags it will be flying and when.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are any requirements to inform low-paid workers that they will pay 25 per cent more for their employer’s pension than they would if their employer auto-enrolled them into a pension fund with relief at source administration; and, if so, whose responsibility it is to inform them.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Employers are responsible for choosing a workplace pension scheme for their qualifying employees under the automatic enrolment framework.
The Pensions Regulator provides guidance for employers about how to comply with their automatic enrolment duties, including the information they must share with eligible employees.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of discrimination against older people, especially in the workplace; and whether the Office for Equality and Opportunity is reviewing this area.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
Unlawful age discrimination is unacceptable, whether occurring in employment, the provision of services or any other context covered by the Equality Act 2010. Any differential treatment based on age must be objectively justifiable, otherwise it will rightly be unlawful.
In a workplace context the abolition of the default retirement age has helped older workers and where unlawful treatment is alleged, the employee may take their case to an employment tribunal. As a first step in any dispute, the parties may consult Acas which operates a Government-funded helpline for people with employment disputes and early conciliation by Acas is required before a claim reaches a tribunal hearing.
The Government keeps all aspects of the Equality Act 2010 under review, to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any of the Ministers or Parliamentary Under Secretaries responsible for equalities are responsible for dealing with ageism.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The Minister for Women and Equalities and the Minister of State for Women and Equalities both have responsibility for ensuring that older people are protected from unlawful ageism (age discrimination) by maintaining the existing strong protections in the Equality Act 2010. These protections make it unlawful for an employer, service provider or someone exercising public functions to treat a person less favourably because of age, unless this can be objectively justified.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants work in (1) the Race Equality Unit, (2) the Disability Unit, (3) the Women and Equalities Unit, and (4) the Office for Equality and Opportunity.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
Overall staff figures for the Office for Equality and Opportunity total 133.8 Full Time Equivalents, of which the Race Equality Unit total 6 FTE, the Disability Unit total 19.8 FTE and the Women and Equalities Unit total 36.5 FTE. This excludes any temporary time limited resource from wider Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether simpler pension fund statements are being produced and sent to clients by all pension providers as required.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
From October 2022, new requirements were introduced for schemes used for automatic enrolment to provide a simpler annual benefit statement. The Department continues to work with the Financial Conduct Authority and The Pensions Regulator to ensure compliance. Additionally, the Department plans to monitor/review the regulations within 5 years of being introduced as per the regulations (Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) (Statements of Benefits: Money Purchase Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations 2021)).
The Department publishes annual official statistics on workplace pension participation and saving trends. This provides estimates on the total amount saved into workplace pensions for those eligible for Automatic Enrolment, which was over £131bn in 2023. The table below holds the estimates of the total amount saved over the last 5 years, in 2023 earnings terms, which are also found in the official statistics noted above. As requested, the breakdowns by DB and DC schemes and other/unknown are also shown.
(£ Billions) in 2023 earnings terms | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Defined Contribution (DC) | 49.3 | 49.9 | 53.8 | 55.7 | 60.8 |
Defined Benefit (DB) | 63.8 | 68.6 | 72.5 | 64.8 | 65.8 |
Other/Unknown | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 5.2 |
Total | 114.6 | 120.5 | 128.7 | 122.8 | 131.8 |
Notes: Estimates of amounts saved into workplace pensions are derived from ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data. The saving attributed to ‘other/unknown’ is a result of respondents answering ‘unknown’ or failing to answer when asking what their workplace pension scheme type was, despite reporting a positive value of pension saving.