Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Written Statement of 1 July 2026 on the Civil Service Pension Scheme, what commercial levers his Department is considering in response to Capita’s performance; and whether those levers include financial penalties, withholding payments, contract variation, termination or bringing administration of the scheme back in-house.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government.
The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.
While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita.
To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser is being appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.
Looking forward, the Government has already announced their new public interest test to end outsourcing of public services by default. From April 2027, all contracts over £1 million must be assessed for in-house viability before renewal. Departments exceeding £100 million in annual spend must also develop five-year insourcing strategies. This framework builds the exact long-term capability that we need, shifting our focus from short-term pricing to service quality and operational resilience.
The Cabinet Office is unable to provide a specific breakdown of the number of Civil Service Pension Scheme members who are awaiting payment beyond the expected timescale, as members retire at different times, including early, late, or partial retirement. Around 6,700 members currently await pension quotations from Capita, including outstanding historical cases left unprocessed by the previous administrator.
Capita were initially instructed to prioritise and clear the most urgent cases such as Death in Service and Ill-Health during February and March. While Capita previously assured us that performance standards for Death in Service and Ill-Health were being met by mid-March, recent information continues to demonstrate unacceptable delays in some ill-health retirement and death-in-service cases. We have urgently escalated this to Capita, who are actively investigating the underlying data and reasons for these continued delays.
As of 30 June, Ill-Health numbers outstanding are 429, of which 60 have outstanding data or information requirements before processing can be completed. In respect of Death in Service, numbers outstanding are 618, of which 400 have outstanding data or information requirements before processing can be completed.
Capita has issued lump sum payments to 19,362 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £16.2 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,932 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.
Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.
Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.
The scheme will automatically pay interest on delayed benefits to protect members from financial loss. The statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis, to determine whether any compensation is due, and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he will establish a compensation scheme for Civil Service Pension Scheme members and beneficiaries affected by delayed pension payments, bereavement delays, ill-health retirement delays or financial hardship; and whether his Department is reviewing the case for bringing administration of the scheme back into the Civil Service.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government.
The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.
While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita.
To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser is being appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.
Looking forward, the Government has already announced their new public interest test to end outsourcing of public services by default. From April 2027, all contracts over £1 million must be assessed for in-house viability before renewal. Departments exceeding £100 million in annual spend must also develop five-year insourcing strategies. This framework builds the exact long-term capability that we need, shifting our focus from short-term pricing to service quality and operational resilience.
The Cabinet Office is unable to provide a specific breakdown of the number of Civil Service Pension Scheme members who are awaiting payment beyond the expected timescale, as members retire at different times, including early, late, or partial retirement. Around 6,700 members currently await pension quotations from Capita, including outstanding historical cases left unprocessed by the previous administrator.
Capita were initially instructed to prioritise and clear the most urgent cases such as Death in Service and Ill-Health during February and March. While Capita previously assured us that performance standards for Death in Service and Ill-Health were being met by mid-March, recent information continues to demonstrate unacceptable delays in some ill-health retirement and death-in-service cases. We have urgently escalated this to Capita, who are actively investigating the underlying data and reasons for these continued delays.
As of 30 June, Ill-Health numbers outstanding are 429, of which 60 have outstanding data or information requirements before processing can be completed. In respect of Death in Service, numbers outstanding are 618, of which 400 have outstanding data or information requirements before processing can be completed.
Capita has issued lump sum payments to 19,362 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £16.2 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,932 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.
Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.
Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.
The scheme will automatically pay interest on delayed benefits to protect members from financial loss. The statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis, to determine whether any compensation is due, and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is considering changes to miscarriage care pathways, including earlier access to investigations and support for people who experience miscarriage.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
We are committed to improving the care received by women and families through the pending maternity and neonatal national action plan, overseen by the Government’s National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.
We welcome the report on the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care pilot study at Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital. As set out in the Women’s Health Strategy, will carefully consider the findings presented in the Tommy’s report as part of our broader work on miscarriage care.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with Tommy’s on the potential wider rollout of its Graded Model of Miscarriage Care.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health and Mental Health (Baroness Merron) has previously met with Tommy’s regarding the Graded Model of Miscarriage Care, and officials have recently met with the charity to discuss its report and pilot study at Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital.
As set out in the Women’s Health Strategy, we will carefully consider the findings presented in the Tommy’s report as part of our broader work on miscarriage care.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures are being taken to ensure age verification on social media platforms is effective in preventing their usage by under-16s.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Age assurance technologies play a critical role in protecting children online.
The Secretary of State has asked Ofcom to launch a rapid assessment of what constitutes highly effective age assurance for establishing whether someone is over 16, as part of the announcement to ban social media companies from offering their services to under 16s.
In its assessment, Ofcom will consider how age assurance can be highly effective while avoiding excluding users without passports and driving licenses. This assessment will also prioritise data protection in the context of age assurance.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, a) what tools Government can use to ensure big technology companies comply with the new proposals, b) enforce strong age verification systems, and c) make their social media platforms safer for the wider public.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
Ofcom has strong enforcement powers under the Online Safety Act 2023 and has the government’s support to use the full range of the powers available to it. These powers will support the effective enforcement of the ban on social media companies from offering their services to under 16s, and requirements such as robust age assurance.
The Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom’s leadership this week to make clear that enforcement of the Act, and these new protections, must be treated as a top priority.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which limits on social media usage the Government is considering beyond a minimum age, including on addictive features, algorithmic amplification, and harmful content.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Government will restrict harmful functionalities including communicating with strangers and creating livestreams for under-16s on online services, including gaming. These functionalities will also be off by default for 16 and 17 year olds. As the Secretary of State outlined, she is also considering implementing an overnight curfew by default on social media for 16 and 17 year olds, as well as addressing persuasive features such as infinite scroll with further default restrictions.
The Government is committed to addressing functionalities posing the greatest risks to children. Further announcements will be made in July.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative models of compensating Coastguard Rescue Officers for training, operational duties and emergency callouts were considered before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency decided to remove hourly remuneration.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers. They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer.
Contingency plans are in place to enable the continuation of maritime and coastal search and rescue.
Coastguard Rescue Officers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment as they do today.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will request the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to pause the implementation of changes to Coastguard Rescue Officer remuneration while further consultation with Coastguard Rescue Officers and their teams takes place.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers. They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer.
Contingency plans are in place to enable the continuation of maritime and coastal search and rescue.
Coastguard Rescue Officers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment as they do today.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has conducted an equality impact assessment of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision to remove hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026.
Public safety remains our priority and careful consideration was given to the options for a revised operating model. The legal position, the operational implications, and the wider organisational impact have all been looked at in detail, as well as the views of current Coastguard Rescue Officers. They were clear that serving their community was a major reason why they volunteer.
Contingency plans are in place to enable the continuation of maritime and coastal search and rescue.
Coastguard Rescue Officers will continue to receive training, equipment and operational support as well as uniforms and personal protective equipment as they do today.