Pensions Bill
10:30 pm
James Purnell (Minister of State (Pensions Reform), Department for Work and Pensions; Stalybridge and Hyde, Labour)
I beg to move,
That—
(1) the Committee shall (in addition to its first meeting at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday 23rd January) meet—
(a) at 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 23rd January;
(b) at 9.10 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Thursday 25th January;
(c) at 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 30th January;
(d) at 9.10 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Thursday 1st February;
(e) at 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 6th February;
(f) at 9.10 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. on Thursday 8th February;
(2) the proceedings shall be taken in the following order: Clauses 1 to 11; Schedule 2; Clauses 12 and 13; Schedule 3; Schedule 1; Clauses 14 and 15; Schedule 4; Clauses 16 and 17; Schedule 5; Clause 18; Schedule 6; Clauses 19 to 24; Schedule 7; Clauses 25 to 29; new Clauses; new Schedules; remaining proceedings on the Bill;
(3) the proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 8th February.
I am sure that I speak on behalf of everyone, Mr. Gale, when I say how delighted we are to be sitting under your experienced chairmanship on this important Committee, and also how much we are looking forward to the chairmanship of Mr. David Taylor, who is also very experienced.
The Bill has been widely welcomed, including on Second Reading, and there appears to be a broad consensus on the crux of the proposals that it contains. That is in large part owing to the extensive consultation and research that went on beforehand, not only in the exemplary work of the Pensions Commission, but in the national pensions debate in which more than 5,000 people participated, and in the White Paper consultation to which 350 organisations and individuals responded.
I put on record the Government’s gratitude to the members of the Pensions Commission—Lord Turner, Jeannie Drake and John Hills—for their work in shaping the proposals in the Bill. The Committee will agree that the Pensions Commission’s report is a model of what commissions can do to shape Government policy.
I also put on record my gratitude to the main Opposition parties for the spirit in which they have approached the Bill. The Government have tried to work closely with the Opposition parties on the principles and to give them as much access as possible to our thinking, and they have helped to shape some of the proposals in the Bill. Of course, that does not preclude the need for scrutiny of the proposals, and it is right that the Committee do so. In the past, Bills have gone through with a measure of consensus that some retrospectively say means that they have not been effectively scrutinised, so scrutiny is an important task for the Committee. The reforms contained in the Bill will put in place a state pension system that is fit for the 21st century, one that will meet the demographic challenges that we face, and address many of the injustices of the current system, particularly those regarding women and carers.
The Bill also puts in place measures to support the widening of private pensions saving. The Committee will have the opportunity to examine the issue of the delivery authority for personal accounts. I am sure that there will be some scrutiny of, and enthusiastic discussion about, the arrangements for the delivery authority. However, on a point of detail, it is worth saying at the outset that the Bill is not concerned with the details of the personal accounts scheme in themselves. As hon. Members will know, the Government are in the process of consulting on our proposals for the technical details of the operation of personal accounts.
I am pleased that we have been able to meet Opposition requests for 12 sittings without guillotine motions, on the basis that the Committee will now find its own way through proceedings. I am very lucky to be joined by the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Plaskitt), who will assist us in our discussions. There is a great deal of knowledge and expertise in the Committee. I look forward with interest to the points that will be raised and discussed, and I hope that we will be able to continue the consensual approach to the Bill that we have had to date.