Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the number and proportion of 2006 Attitudes to Pension Survey participants who (a) were women, (b) were born in the 1950s and (c) reported awareness of the changes to the State Pension age, broken down by those aged (i) 45-54 and (ii) 55-64 at the time of the survey.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our response to the PHSO report on the communication of changes to State Pension age was based on evidence of awareness of the change from two key reports.
The Public Awareness of State Pension Age Equalisation, published in 2004, was conducted as part of the National Statistics Omnibus survey and interviewed a representative sample of around 2,700 working age adults. This 2004 research found that 73% of respondents aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age for women was increasing, with no significant gender differences in awareness levels. Both the 2004 and 2006 awareness surveys, based on independent samples, demonstrate a high level of awareness of State Pension age changes amongst 45–54-year-old women.
The Attitudes to Pensions: the 2006 Survey was a large-scale survey commissioned by DWP and carried out by the respected National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the School of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham. The authors included a mix of academics and research professionals, experienced in survey design and delivery, and the report was quality assured to Government Social Research standards. Almost 2,000 adults took part in the survey, and weightings were applied to ensure results were representative of the population.
The percentage of women who reported knowing that women’s State Pension age would increase in the future was 90% for women aged 45-54, and 86% for women aged 55-64.
Those born in the 1950s would have been 46-56 at the time of this survey. The closest age category provided by the survey is the female 45-54 subgroup, which has a sample size of 203, and makes up 10.4% of the overall sample of 1,950 individuals aged 18 to 69. With a sample of this size, we can get a reliable estimate of the percentage of women among this group who reported knowing that the women’s State Pension age would increase in the future. Using confidence intervals, we can have 95% confidence that this figure would be around 85-95%.
The 95% level is a widely accepted standard of confidence. Therefore, even at the lower estimate, the data shows the majority of 1950s women were aware.
The exact number of women born in the 1950s in the 55-64 age group is not given in the survey report. However, assuming an even spread, by far the majority of this group falls within the 45-54 subgroup of respondents in the survey. Those who are in the relevant age group but don't fall in the 45-54 subgroup would be in the 55-64 subgroup, and the rate of knowing about the increase in women’s State Pension age is 86% for this group, which corroborates that there were high levels of awareness.
There were 227 women aged 55-64 included in the survey, which represents 11.6% of the overall sample of individuals aged 18 to 69.
Further information on the design and make up of the survey is available in the survey report.
The 2006 Attitudes to Pensions Survey report is available online at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100208141655mp_/http:/research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep434.pdf.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the data her Department holds from the 2006 Attitudes to Pension Survey on the levels of awareness of the proposed increase in State Pension age for women born in the 1950s.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our response to the PHSO report on the communication of changes to State Pension age was based on evidence of awareness of the change from two key reports.
The Public Awareness of State Pension Age Equalisation, published in 2004, was conducted as part of the National Statistics Omnibus survey and interviewed a representative sample of around 2,700 working age adults. This 2004 research found that 73% of respondents aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age for women was increasing, with no significant gender differences in awareness levels. Both the 2004 and 2006 awareness surveys, based on independent samples, demonstrate a high level of awareness of State Pension age changes amongst 45–54-year-old women.
The Attitudes to Pensions: the 2006 Survey was a large-scale survey commissioned by DWP and carried out by the respected National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the School of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham. The authors included a mix of academics and research professionals, experienced in survey design and delivery, and the report was quality assured to Government Social Research standards. Almost 2,000 adults took part in the survey, and weightings were applied to ensure results were representative of the population.
The percentage of women who reported knowing that women’s State Pension age would increase in the future was 90% for women aged 45-54, and 86% for women aged 55-64.
Those born in the 1950s would have been 46-56 at the time of this survey. The closest age category provided by the survey is the female 45-54 subgroup, which has a sample size of 203, and makes up 10.4% of the overall sample of 1,950 individuals aged 18 to 69. With a sample of this size, we can get a reliable estimate of the percentage of women among this group who reported knowing that the women’s State Pension age would increase in the future. Using confidence intervals, we can have 95% confidence that this figure would be around 85-95%.
The 95% level is a widely accepted standard of confidence. Therefore, even at the lower estimate, the data shows the majority of 1950s women were aware.
The exact number of women born in the 1950s in the 55-64 age group is not given in the survey report. However, assuming an even spread, by far the majority of this group falls within the 45-54 subgroup of respondents in the survey. Those who are in the relevant age group but don't fall in the 45-54 subgroup would be in the 55-64 subgroup, and the rate of knowing about the increase in women’s State Pension age is 86% for this group, which corroborates that there were high levels of awareness.
There were 227 women aged 55-64 included in the survey, which represents 11.6% of the overall sample of individuals aged 18 to 69.
Further information on the design and make up of the survey is available in the survey report.
The 2006 Attitudes to Pensions Survey report is available online at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100208141655mp_/http:/research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep434.pdf.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of the 2006 Attitudes to Pension Survey participants aged between 18 and 69 were women born in the 1950s.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our response to the PHSO report on the communication of changes to State Pension age was based on evidence of awareness of the change from two key reports.
The Public Awareness of State Pension Age Equalisation, published in 2004, was conducted as part of the National Statistics Omnibus survey and interviewed a representative sample of around 2,700 working age adults. This 2004 research found that 73% of respondents aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age for women was increasing, with no significant gender differences in awareness levels. Both the 2004 and 2006 awareness surveys, based on independent samples, demonstrate a high level of awareness of State Pension age changes amongst 45–54-year-old women.
The Attitudes to Pensions: the 2006 Survey was a large-scale survey commissioned by DWP and carried out by the respected National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the School of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham. The authors included a mix of academics and research professionals, experienced in survey design and delivery, and the report was quality assured to Government Social Research standards. Almost 2,000 adults took part in the survey, and weightings were applied to ensure results were representative of the population.
The percentage of women who reported knowing that women’s State Pension age would increase in the future was 90% for women aged 45-54, and 86% for women aged 55-64.
Those born in the 1950s would have been 46-56 at the time of this survey. The closest age category provided by the survey is the female 45-54 subgroup, which has a sample size of 203, and makes up 10.4% of the overall sample of 1,950 individuals aged 18 to 69. With a sample of this size, we can get a reliable estimate of the percentage of women among this group who reported knowing that the women’s State Pension age would increase in the future. Using confidence intervals, we can have 95% confidence that this figure would be around 85-95%.
The 95% level is a widely accepted standard of confidence. Therefore, even at the lower estimate, the data shows the majority of 1950s women were aware.
The exact number of women born in the 1950s in the 55-64 age group is not given in the survey report. However, assuming an even spread, by far the majority of this group falls within the 45-54 subgroup of respondents in the survey. Those who are in the relevant age group but don't fall in the 45-54 subgroup would be in the 55-64 subgroup, and the rate of knowing about the increase in women’s State Pension age is 86% for this group, which corroborates that there were high levels of awareness.
There were 227 women aged 55-64 included in the survey, which represents 11.6% of the overall sample of individuals aged 18 to 69.
Further information on the design and make up of the survey is available in the survey report.
The 2006 Attitudes to Pensions Survey report is available online at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100208141655mp_/http:/research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep434.pdf.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of 2006 Attitudes to Pension Survey participants were (a) in the 55-64 age group and (b) women born in the 1950s.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our response to the PHSO report on the communication of changes to State Pension age was based on evidence of awareness of the change from two key reports.
The Public Awareness of State Pension Age Equalisation, published in 2004, was conducted as part of the National Statistics Omnibus survey and interviewed a representative sample of around 2,700 working age adults. This 2004 research found that 73% of respondents aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age for women was increasing, with no significant gender differences in awareness levels. Both the 2004 and 2006 awareness surveys, based on independent samples, demonstrate a high level of awareness of State Pension age changes amongst 45–54-year-old women.
The Attitudes to Pensions: the 2006 Survey was a large-scale survey commissioned by DWP and carried out by the respected National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the School of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham. The authors included a mix of academics and research professionals, experienced in survey design and delivery, and the report was quality assured to Government Social Research standards. Almost 2,000 adults took part in the survey, and weightings were applied to ensure results were representative of the population.
The percentage of women who reported knowing that women’s State Pension age would increase in the future was 90% for women aged 45-54, and 86% for women aged 55-64.
Those born in the 1950s would have been 46-56 at the time of this survey. The closest age category provided by the survey is the female 45-54 subgroup, which has a sample size of 203, and makes up 10.4% of the overall sample of 1,950 individuals aged 18 to 69. With a sample of this size, we can get a reliable estimate of the percentage of women among this group who reported knowing that the women’s State Pension age would increase in the future. Using confidence intervals, we can have 95% confidence that this figure would be around 85-95%.
The 95% level is a widely accepted standard of confidence. Therefore, even at the lower estimate, the data shows the majority of 1950s women were aware.
The exact number of women born in the 1950s in the 55-64 age group is not given in the survey report. However, assuming an even spread, by far the majority of this group falls within the 45-54 subgroup of respondents in the survey. Those who are in the relevant age group but don't fall in the 45-54 subgroup would be in the 55-64 subgroup, and the rate of knowing about the increase in women’s State Pension age is 86% for this group, which corroborates that there were high levels of awareness.
There were 227 women aged 55-64 included in the survey, which represents 11.6% of the overall sample of individuals aged 18 to 69.
Further information on the design and make up of the survey is available in the survey report.
The 2006 Attitudes to Pensions Survey report is available online at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100208141655mp_/http:/research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep434.pdf.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of 2006 Attitudes to Pension Survey participants were (a) in the 45-54 age group and (b) women born in the 1950s.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our response to the PHSO report on the communication of changes to State Pension age was based on evidence of awareness of the change from two key reports.
The Public Awareness of State Pension Age Equalisation, published in 2004, was conducted as part of the National Statistics Omnibus survey and interviewed a representative sample of around 2,700 working age adults. This 2004 research found that 73% of respondents aged 45-54 were aware that the State Pension age for women was increasing, with no significant gender differences in awareness levels. Both the 2004 and 2006 awareness surveys, based on independent samples, demonstrate a high level of awareness of State Pension age changes amongst 45–54-year-old women.
The Attitudes to Pensions: the 2006 Survey was a large-scale survey commissioned by DWP and carried out by the respected National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the School of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham. The authors included a mix of academics and research professionals, experienced in survey design and delivery, and the report was quality assured to Government Social Research standards. Almost 2,000 adults took part in the survey, and weightings were applied to ensure results were representative of the population.
The percentage of women who reported knowing that women’s State Pension age would increase in the future was 90% for women aged 45-54, and 86% for women aged 55-64.
Those born in the 1950s would have been 46-56 at the time of this survey. The closest age category provided by the survey is the female 45-54 subgroup, which has a sample size of 203, and makes up 10.4% of the overall sample of 1,950 individuals aged 18 to 69. With a sample of this size, we can get a reliable estimate of the percentage of women among this group who reported knowing that the women’s State Pension age would increase in the future. Using confidence intervals, we can have 95% confidence that this figure would be around 85-95%.
The 95% level is a widely accepted standard of confidence. Therefore, even at the lower estimate, the data shows the majority of 1950s women were aware.
The exact number of women born in the 1950s in the 55-64 age group is not given in the survey report. However, assuming an even spread, by far the majority of this group falls within the 45-54 subgroup of respondents in the survey. Those who are in the relevant age group but don't fall in the 45-54 subgroup would be in the 55-64 subgroup, and the rate of knowing about the increase in women’s State Pension age is 86% for this group, which corroborates that there were high levels of awareness.
There were 227 women aged 55-64 included in the survey, which represents 11.6% of the overall sample of individuals aged 18 to 69.
Further information on the design and make up of the survey is available in the survey report.
The 2006 Attitudes to Pensions Survey report is available online at https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20100208141655mp_/http:/research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep434.pdf.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship salary threshold requirements introduced in April 2024 on retention of civil service staff initially employed on graduate visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The graduate route is designed to allow UK graduates time to work, or look for work, for a 2 or 3 year period after completing their studies. After this time, they must be able to meet the requirements of another immigration route to stay in the UK. These rules apply equally to the Civil Service as to all other UK workplaces.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many private recruitment agencies his Department uses to fill senior vacancies; what the potential cost to the public purse is of these services; and what steps his Department is taking to monitor performance.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
To date in financial year 2024-25, there have been three permanent Senior Civil Servant (SCS) Payband 1 or 2 recruitment campaigns, and three SCS Payband 3 or 4 campaigns that have engaged a private sector Executive Search firm. The cost of these services is commercial-in-confidence so cannot be provided at this time.
Top Level Budgets in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) hold individual commercial contracts with Executive Search firms and are responsible for monitoring performance, with the MOD also overseeing this centrally.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning entitled Leasehold and Commonhold Reform of 21 November 2024, HCWS244, when the consultation on (a) service charges and (b) legal costs under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will commence.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The consultation on introducing permitted insurance fees for landlords, freeholders and property managing agents was launched on 2 December and can be found on gov.uk here.
As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government will look to consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s provisions on service charges and on legal costs next year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.
We remain firmly committed to our manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.
The government funds the provision of free information and advice by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of urgent provision of legal aid for leaseholders facing unfair charges.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The consultation on introducing permitted insurance fees for landlords, freeholders and property managing agents was launched on 2 December and can be found on gov.uk here.
As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government will look to consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s provisions on service charges and on legal costs next year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.
We remain firmly committed to our manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.
The government funds the provision of free information and advice by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Independent - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning entitled Leasehold and Commonhold Reform of 21 November 2024, HCWS244, when the consultation on the detail of the ban on buildings insurance remuneration under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will commence.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The consultation on introducing permitted insurance fees for landlords, freeholders and property managing agents was launched on 2 December and can be found on gov.uk here.
As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government will look to consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s provisions on service charges and on legal costs next year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.
We remain firmly committed to our manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.
The government funds the provision of free information and advice by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).