Sale of Annuities Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Sale of Annuities

Desmond Swayne Excerpts
Wednesday 19th October 2016

(7 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I did not interrupt the Minister in his flow, but may I ask that from now on we avoid the use of the word “disingenuous” or “disingenuously”? There is an imputation of dishonour and we should avoid that. The Minister is a dextrous fellow with, I am sure, an extensive vocabulary and he can deploy some other term to get his point across. On the subject of those with dexterity and great vocabulary, I call Sir Desmond Swayne.

Desmond Swayne Portrait Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)
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It is the right decision for the circumstances, but does my hon. Friend think that there is any connection between poor value in the annuities market and the Bank of England’s monetary policy?

Simon Kirby Portrait Simon Kirby
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Mr Speaker, I acknowledge your sound advice, as ever, and apologise if I have been anything other than my usually well-behaved self.

My right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) raises an interesting point, but this is about people, many of whom are older and more vulnerable, making the right choices, and the Government making sure that the market is there to support them. That is not the case, which is why we have changed tack.