Clause 172 - Annual reports to Secretary of State
Pensions Bill
11:15 am

Mr George Osborne (Tatton, Conservative)

I beg to move amendment No. 516, in

clause 172, page 109, line 11, leave out 'the Secretary of State' and insert 'both Houses of Parliament'.

Mr James Cran (Beverley and Holderness, Conservative)

With this it will be convenient to discuss amendment No. 517, in

clause 172, page 109, line 13, leave out subsection (3).

Mr George Osborne (Tatton, Conservative)

This is just a good old stab at trying to defend the rights of Parliament, by changing the person to whom the PPF reports from being the Secretary of State, as it is under clause 172, to Parliament.

Many organisations report to Parliament rather than to the Secretary of State. One could argue that parliamentary pressure and campaigns, for example that of the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Kevin Brennan), have pushed the Government into creating the PPF in the first place. I would freely concede that much of that has come from the Government Benches rather than from Conservative or Liberal Democrat Members—although we have played our part. Therefore, it seems only appropriate that having created that organisation and the PPF ombudsman, Parliament should be reported to by the ombudsman about how things are proceeding.

I am ever an optimist; after all, I was calling for a referendum on the European constitution three weeks ago, and we have seen what has happened. If the Government feel minded to accept my amendment, the PPF ombudsman would send a report to Parliament rather than to the Secretary of State as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year for which it is prepared. I have proposed deleting subsection (3), but I would assume that in those circumstances Parliament would make the report available or it would have it published. That was the purpose of the amendment and I look forward to its being accepted by the Government.

Mr Malcolm Wicks (Minister for pensions, Department for Work and Pensions; Croydon North, Labour)

As drafted, clause 172 requires the PPF ombudsman to prepare an annual report on the discharge of his functions. It will be sent to the Secretary of State as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year to which it relates and they must then arrange for it to be published. As the PPF ombudsman is to be appointed by the Secretary of State, those matters are an important part of the Secretary of State's stewardship role. It is therefore important for the Secretary of State to be involved with the annual report's publication and that involvement would be removed if the amendment were to be accepted.

The clause as drafted mirrors the provisions in place for the pensions ombudsman. While there is no requirement for his annual report to be sent to both Houses of Parliament, that is done as a matter of courtesy. The same courtesy will apply to the PPF ombudsman's annual report. The important thing is that members of the public and Members of Parliament are able to read it. I suspect that when people read the first report in the public taverns of Tatton they will not say to themselves, ''Oh crikey, this went to the Secretary of State first''. They will simply get on and read what will, no doubt, prove to be a fascinating report about a unique and important piece of social progress. I beg to move.

Mr George Osborne (Tatton, Conservative)

I was very excited as the Minister begged to move my amendment; suddenly, I could see my troops lining up behind me.

I made a small point and I was trying to defend the rights of Parliament. Of course, it is good to have the Minister's assurance that the report will be given to Parliament and published by the Secretary of State. It might not be a thing that we talk about in pubs in my constituency or, indeed, in Croydon. However, maybe they were not talking in the pubs of Croydon about the arrest by Charles I of the MPs when it happened, but that did not mean that it was not important.

Mr Malcolm Wicks (Minister for pensions, Department for Work and Pensions; Croydon North, Labour)

Whose side was the hon. Gentleman on?

Mr George Osborne (Tatton, Conservative)

I was on the parliamentary side, of course. With that, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven o'clock, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned till this day at half-past Two o'clock.