Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the consultation on changes to NHS pension schemes only runs from 4 January to 28 January 2019.

The Department set out the proposed changes in a consultation document titled ‘NHS Pension Scheme: proposed changes to scheme regulations 2019’. This was published on 18 December 2018, with the consultation period closing on 28 January 2019.

Prior to the finalisation of the consultation document, the proposals included in the consultation were shared and discussed with the NHS Pension Scheme Advisory Board in October. This a statutory board, comprising NHS Trade Union and employer representatives, that advises the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the merits of making changes to the scheme.

The consultation period is proportionate to the nature and impact of changes being proposed. HM Treasury has committed to providing extra funding to meet the costs to the National Health Service arising from the actuarial valuation of the NHS Pension Scheme. Work is ongoing to ensure the additional cost to participating employers is appropriately funded. No change is proposed to member contribution rates, following a recommendation by the Scheme Advisory Board to renew current arrangements. Some proposed changes simply make necessary changes to implement legal judgments, one of which, together with some other amendments had already been consulted on in an earlier consultation exercise. Some are minor or technical changes. The changes regarding forfeiture only affect a small number of members, such as those convicted of certain offences.