Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will launch the Pensions Dashboard by the end of 2026.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
When we have assurances that the service is safe, secure and thoroughly user-tested, the Secretary of State will provide industry 6 months’ notice ahead of the launch of the government-backed MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard. Insights gained from the launch and operation of the MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard will help inform the launch date of private sector pensions dashboards.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what oversight her Department exercises over Network Rail’s commercial approach to major station redevelopments involving private capital.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department’s oversight of such propositions varies, depending on factors such as the conditions of any private capital contributions and impacts on the operation of the network.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that the recruitment process for the Digital Markets Champion includes interviewing candidates from a broad range of professional backgrounds, including those with experience in emerging technologies and digital assets.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Last July the government published the Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy. The strategy announced that the government will appoint an industry expert as Wholesale Digital Markets Champion, who will provide leadership from, and for, the sector on wholesale market digitalisation.
The government is working at pace to appoint a suitable candidate for the role, taking into account their backgrounds and previous experience, and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the importance of appointing a Digital Markets Champion with experience and understanding of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies, to help position the UK as a global hub for digital finance and innovation.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Last July the government published the Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy. The strategy announced that the government will appoint an industry expert as Wholesale Digital Markets Champion, who will provide leadership from, and for, the sector on wholesale market digitalisation.
The government is working at pace to appoint a suitable candidate for the role, taking into account their backgrounds and previous experience, and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that pension scheme communications are made more transparent and understandable for the general public.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Pension schemes are under legal obligations to provide key information to members. Schemes should ensure that all communications are accurate, clear, concise, relevant and in plain English.
Simpler Annual Benefit Statements, introduced in 2022, make defined contribution automatic‑enrolment pension statements shorter and more consistent, helping members see what they’ve saved; what they might have at retirement; and what actions they can take.
When launched, pensions dashboards will allow people to view their pensions, including State Pension, securely and in one place online. Dashboards will include clear contextual information alongside the values shown, supported by user testing, to ensure the information is easy to understand.
Decision making about how to use pension assets to secure an income can be complex. The Guided Retirement provisions in the Pension Schemes Bill require trustees to provide information in plain and simple language to support informed member decision making. The Government intends to consult on the Guided Retirement communications journey, ensuring that communications are structured, accessible, and delivered at the right points to help savers understand both the default pension plan and the options available to them.
The Government ensures everyone has access to free, impartial pensions guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage private investors to help deliver the commercial structures used for (a) Liverpool Street Station and (b) other major rail infrastructure developments.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Ten-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the Government is committed to increased private investment alongside public funding to transform the UK’s infrastructure.
Officials are engaged with Network Rail and Platform4 - the government’s new property development company, on the emerging proposition for the potential redevelopment of Liverpool Street station.
Government encourages Network Rail to secure third-party funding contributions to minimise the use of taxpayer funding and to demonstrate value for money.
The Government is already taking action to deliver the infrastructure the country needs, including around railway sites, recognising the opportunities stations present for housing, retail, commercial and community assets, as well as transport hubs.
In the future, Ministers have been clear that Great British Railways (GBR) will be set up to be a commercially agile organisation able to provide the integrated leadership of Britain's railway and long-term strategic framework that supports private sector investment.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people receive the basic state pension and the additional state pension.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Great Britain in 2025/26, around 8.1 million individuals were forecast to receive the basic State Pension (this is the State Pension under the pre-2016 system), with around 6.9 million of these individuals forecast to receive the Additional State Pension*. These estimates all refer to pensions administered by DWP for State Pensions accrued in Great Britain.
*The Additional State Pension is an earnings-related element of the pre-2016 State Pension and could include Additional Pension, State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and State Second Pension (S2P) elements.
Source: Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables 2025
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on the basic State Pension have inherited part of the additional State Pension from their deceased spouse or partner.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department does not hold published readily accessible data on the number of individuals in receipt of the Basic State Pension who have inherited part of the Additional State Pension from a deceased spouse or partner.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to expand the permitted development right for floating solar installations on reservoirs in England and Wales to allow the electricity generated by the floating solar projects to be exported to third parties.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to extend the permitted development right for floating solar installations to disused quarries and docks in England and Wales.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.