Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information was provided to him on the public finances prior to taking office; whether he has received any additional information since taking office; and what his policy is on the provision of information to prospective future governments prior to elections.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The process for access talks is set out in the Cabinet Manual. Access talks are initiated with permission from the Prime Minister of the day and are confidential.
It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place between Cabinet ministers and officials is not shared publicly.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support high street post office counter services.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Post Office is an essential service in communities across the country. The Government is committed to finding ways to strengthen the Post Office, through consulting with sub-postmasters, trade unions and customers. This will include supporting the development of new products, services and business models that will help reinvigorate the high street.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what compulsory retirement ages exist in the private sector; what changes have been made to compulsory retirement ages in the public sector in the last ten years; and whether the Government plans to (a) introduce and (b) change mandatory retirement ages in the private sector.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations 2011 prohibited compulsory retirement taking place unless it could be objectively justified.
Compulsory retirement ages in the current Police pension scheme were removed with the introduction of the 2015 Police pension scheme. Compulsory retirement ages for Firefighters were removed more than 10 years ago.
Nothing in the private pension system sets a mandatory retirement age in the private sector. The Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA) sets the earliest point at which you can access your private pension without facing an unauthorised payments charge (except in cases of serious ill health).