Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, why UK state pensioners resident in Canada do not receive an annual pension increase; what assessment they have made of whether, in the light of the annual pension increases received by UK state pensioners in the USA and other counties, UK state pensioners resident in Canada should also receive such an increase; and what plans they have to provide such an increase to UK state pensioners resident in Canada.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 26 October (HL10597), in how many countries there is a legal requirement to uprate the UK State Pensions paid to those UK pensioners who live there; and which countries they are.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The UK State Pension is payable worldwide to those who meet the qualifying conditions, without regard to nationality, and the amount is based on an individual’s National Insurance record. UK State Pensions are up-rated overseas only where there is a legal requirement to do so. The Government has no plans to change this policy.

People who live outside the UK will not receive an increase in their State Pension unless they live in:

- an EEA country or Switzerland; or

- a country with which DWP have a reciprocal agreement that allows for it. These countries are:

• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Gibraltar
• Guernsey
• The Isle of Man
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Jersey
• Mauritius
• the Philippines
• Turkey
• The United States of America, and
• the separate republics of the former Yugoslavia* that are not EU Member States (Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; and Serbia).

*Following the break-up of Yugoslavia, the UK agreement with former Yugoslavia now covers Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 26 October (HL10597), when they last had discussions with the government of Canada about uprating UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners residents in that country; and what was agreed at that meeting.

Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government of Canada last raised this issue during a meeting on 17 April 2023. Following this meeting, the UK Government reiterated in writing that it is not intending to change the existing social security relationship with Canada under the arrangements made in 1995 and 1998.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in the Autumn Statement to make up to £7 million available to tackle antisemitism in schools and universities, whether they intend to allocate some of those funds to the University Jewish Chaplaincy, a charity which employs professional chaplains to provide support to Jewish students.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Following the Autumn Statement announcement, the government is preparing to issue an invitation for interested organisations to tender for contracts to tackle antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities. The tender process will be run in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015. The University Jewish Chaplaincy may wish to consider submitting a bid in response to the invitation to tender.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many times the pay of (1) Police and Crime Commissioners, and (2) Chief Officers of Police in England and Wales, has been increased since November 2012; and when these increases took place.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.

PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.

PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.

In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners, which was initially roughly equivalent to that of Assistant Chief Constables, is now roughly equivalent to that of Chief Inspector.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.

PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.

PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.

In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government by what percentage the pay of (1) Police and Crime Commissioners, and (2) Chief Officers of Police in England and Wales, has been increased between November 2012 and 15 March 2024.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.

PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.

PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.

In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.

Found: Victims and Prisoners Bill 12 After Clause 14 LORD BACH LORD WASSERMAN 65_ After Clause 14

Found: After Clause 14 LORD BACH LORD WASSERMAN 65_ After Clause 14, insert the following new Clause