Clause 3 - Savings credit
State Pension Credit Bill [Lords]
3:30 pm
Mr Ian McCartney (Minister for pensions, Department for Work and Pensions; Makerfield, Labour)
I do not wish to detain the Committee much longer. Clause 3 is a key building block of the Bill, and as a consequence it is a significantly detailed part of it. Not many amendments were tabled but despite that, and because of the Chairman's tolerance, we have had a wide-ranging debate on the concepts and principles of the clause. The clause has enabled my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary and me to be completely open and frank, and will allow us to lead debate on further subjects under clauses 15, 16 and beyond, so that Members are clear about them. We have provided a further written note on clause 3, to help hon. Members with regard to clauses 15 and 16.
Although not many hon. Members have taken part in our discussion, it has been a quality debate. I am pleased that we have reached clause 3, and I hope that it will remain in the Bill because many pensioners and pensioners' organisations have been waiting a generation for its provisions.
The Bill will end poverty, give people assurances about their security in old age and for the first time ever it will provide a reward for savings and small second private pensions. This has been a long time coming. Some of us have been campaigning for it for generations, but I am pleased that, at 3.35 pm today, we have finally achieved it. I look forward to moving on to clause 4—and beyond.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.