Oral Answers to Questions

Catherine McKinnell Excerpts

Monday 11th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)]

3. What recent assessment he has made of the effects of the Government’s proposal for a single-tier pension on women born between 6 April 1952 and 6 July 1953.

[Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab)]

6. What recent assessment he has made of the effects of the Government’s proposal for a single-tier pension on women born between 6 April 1952 and 6 July 1953.

[Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the effects of the Government’s proposal for a single-tier pension on women born between 6 April 1952 and 6 July 1953.

--- Later in debate ---

[Steve Webb]

I take your correction on the question numbers, Mr Speaker.

I think that the hon. Gentleman should apologise to the 700 women in his constituency, as he seems to be asking us to treat them the same as a man born on the same day—that appears to be the essence of his problem. If we did that, those women would have to wait up to three years longer for their pension, and they would not thank him for that.

[Catherine McKinnell]

Some 1,700 women in Newcastle will miss out on the single-tier pension, yet men born in the same period will qualify. Claiming that those women are better off because they are allowed to retire earlier is simply not good enough. If they are retired for 20 years, they could lose up to £38,000, which is well over twice what they would receive through benefiting from retiring earlier. What message does this send out to the hard-working women of Newcastle, many of whom celebrated not only mother’s day yesterday, but international women’s day on Friday?

[Steve Webb]

The message it sends out is that their MP did not listen a moment ago. We have published research today that shows that 85% of these women will do better over their entire retirement—both the first few years and their entire retirement.

[Catherine McKinnell]

indicated dissent.

[Steve Webb]

Unless the hon. Lady has read the research, I do not know why she should be shaking her head. It says that 85% will do better by being treated as women than they would by being treated the same as men.