Debates between Cat Smith and Iain Duncan Smith during the 2015-2017 Parliament

Wed 2nd Mar 2016

State Pension Age

Debate between Cat Smith and Iain Duncan Smith
Wednesday 2nd March 2016

(8 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Iain Duncan Smith Portrait Mr Duncan Smith
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Tempting though it is to involve the review in other areas, it is focused on the need to figure out whether, given the circumstances, demographics and affordability, the state pension age should rise and what it should be in years to come. I am happy for the review to be limited to that.

Cat Smith Portrait Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)
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There are 2.6 million women who feel that they have not been given enough notice of changes to their pensions. I implore the Secretary of State to be straight with young people today about the fact that those of them who are born in areas of low life expectancy will be dead before they receive a pension.

Iain Duncan Smith Portrait Mr Duncan Smith
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I am not sure that the hon. Lady came into politics to decide that the future for people is so bleak that nothing can be done. Our role in this House is to make the changes necessary to improve people’s life chances and lengthen their life expectancy, so that they may enjoy the fruits of that life expectancy, having worked hard and saved hard, in a decent time of retirement. I am an optimist about Britain; she is a pessimist about Britain.