Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stuart Andrew and Steve Webb

Monday 5th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Steve Webb]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that case. I have corresponded with Treasury colleagues about the issue, and, subject to their consent, I shall be happy to share with him the reply that I have just received.

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

2. What progress he has made on the Government's disability strategy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stuart Andrew and Steve Webb

Monday 28th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

18. What recent progress his Department has made in reducing pensioner poverty.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb)]

We have restored the earnings link for the state pension and given a triple guarantee that the pension will rise by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%. We will pay the winter fuel payment in 2011-12 exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government. We have made permanent the increase in the cold weather payment from £8.50 to £25 a week.

--- Later in debate ---

[Steve Webb]

Although policy on the tax treatment of savings is a matter for our friends in the Treasury, it is absolutely the case that the single tier provides a firm foundation for saving. Whereas under the current system, every pound one saves results in the clawback of means-tested benefits, a decent single pension will get one clear of means-testing to a far greater extent.

[Stuart Andrew]

Will my hon. Friend confirm that thanks to the re-linking of the basic state pension with earnings, the typical person retiring this year can look forward to receiving an extra £15,000?

[Steve Webb]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Although earnings are temporarily depressed, this is a policy for the long term, as many pensioners will draw a state pension for 20 or 25 years. He is absolutely right to say that the typical person retiring this year will have an enhanced state pension of about £15,000 through the restoration of the earnings link.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

T10. I have been approached by a number of constituents who are private landlords, who are concerned that they have not received payments that have been made to their tenants. What measures are the Government considering to alleviate that problem?

[Steve Webb]

We recognise that payments do not always get through to landlords. There is a provision that allows direct payment when there are eight weeks of arrears, and we have added a provision under our new rules so that direct payment can be made to a landlord when it will secure or maintain a tenancy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stuart Andrew and Steve Webb

Monday 18th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

16. What progress he has made on his plans to introduce automatic enrolment into workplace pensions in 2012.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb)]

The Government remain committed to the introduction of automatic enrolment. We have now received the conclusions of the review that we set up, and we will make an announcement to the House shortly. I am pleased to confirm that we will go ahead with auto-enrolment according to the previously intended timetable.

[Stuart Andrew]

Saving for old age is often not viewed as a pressing concern for the young. Given the likely pressures on graduate funding following Lord Browne’s review, it is likely to fall even lower. What steps will my hon. Friend take to encourage a savings culture among the young, and will he please ensure that the future needs of the young are taken into consideration when setting the age limit for automatic enrolment in workplace pensions?

[Steve Webb]

We have asked our review group to look at the age limits for auto-enrolment, but my hon. Friend is right to say that getting young people interested in pensions is a challenge. We think that automatic enrolment will be part of the answer to that because, for the first time, they will have to decide whether to stay in a workplace pension. We also have to ensure that it always pays to save.