Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Kevin Foster

Monday 11th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

I know that the hon. Lady has met my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment on the issue of her constituent and that the Department awaits more details to investigate it in more detail. The wider point is that the Minister for Employment is looking into this issue with Her Majesty’s Treasury and will, I am sure, update her.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

I welcome the reduction in the maximum deduction rate, but what analysis has the Minister done of what that may mean for the poorest households and how will he communicate the impact of the change?

[Guy Opperman]

We believe that it is a positive step in the light of the review that took place. I draw my hon. Friend’s attention to the Breathing Space scheme that is being introduced by Her Majesty’s Treasury to assist people on an ongoing basis. That scheme came in in the legislation that we introduced last year.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Kevin Foster

Monday 19th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

6. What steps the Government have taken to support industry to deliver the pensions dashboard.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Guy Opperman)]

The pensions dashboard is the great leap forward for the pensions industry, and the Government are 100% behind it. We have consulted the industry at length and will publish our feasibility study very shortly.

[Kevin Foster]

I thank the Minister for his answer. The pensions dashboard will be a welcome addition to the information available to Torbay residents about their retirement plans. What work will the Government do, though, to ensure that pension schemes relating to employers of all sizes are included?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Guy Opperman and Kevin Foster

Monday 18th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

In days gone by, the Liberal Democrats were a party of fiscal discipline. In 2011, when this matter last came before the House for debate, the hon. Gentleman and I accepted the need to take the decisions that were made, and he joined me in the Lobby to vote for them. It is a shame that he has forgotten those views now.

[Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)]

14. What assessment he has made of the level of preparedness in Torbay for the roll-out of universal credit.