Work and Pensions

Guy Opperman Excerpts

Tuesday 9th July 2019 Ministerial Corrections

[Martyn Day]

Does the Minister think it right that the UK has the lowest state pension in the developed world?

[Guy Opperman]

The reality of the state pension in this country is that it has risen by £1,600 in real terms through the triple lock. It also needs to be looked at in the context of the significant high private pensions that, thanks to automatic enrolment and other reforms, show that this is comparable to many other European countries.

[Official Report, 1 July 2019, Vol. 662, c. 913.]

Letter of correction from the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman).

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk (Martyn Day).

The correct response should have been:

[Martyn Day]

Does the Minister think it right that the UK has the lowest state pension in the developed world?

[Guy Opperman]

The reality of the state pension in this country is that it has risen by £1,600 in cash terms through the triple lock. It also needs to be looked at in the context of the significant high private pensions that, thanks to automatic enrolment and other reforms, show that this is comparable to many other European countries.