Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency plans his Department has made to manage the teachers' pensions scheme in the event of Capita being unable to fulfil its contractual obligations.

The contractual arrangements covering the administration of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme include a requirement to maintain an exit transition ready for use at any point during the contract term, regardless of the reasons for the contract ending. A plan is in place and its effectiveness is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it remains fit for purpose. The plan includes a range of options, including transferring responsibility to a new service provider as nominated by the Department or transferring the service to the Department to operate.

The contract includes additional provisions under which, if Capita is unable to continue to fulfil its contractual obligations, the Department could use existing IT systems, premises and staff resources to maintain service delivery.