Clause 2
Pensions Bill
4:00 pm
Andrew Selous (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; South West Bedfordshire, Conservative)
It is also my pleasure, Mr. Taylor, to welcome you to this second sitting of our Committee. I have had the pleasure of serving under you before, and look forward to doing so again.
Clause 2 is short and uncontroversial. It is generally to be welcomed and I see no amendments or new clauses tabled in relation to it. The removal of a restriction on entitlement to category B retirement pension has to be generally welcomed, meaning that, in future, it will be possible for one member of a couple to receive such a pension even if the other has deferred a category A pension. This is particularly important, as more and more people are likely to be deferring their pensions by keeping on working, as older people generally enjoy better health and working in later life—past state pension age—becomes more common. As the Minister said, there are clearly benefits to deferring a pension in the increases that come later. Because we are going to see more of that, Opposition Members are happy to see clause 2 in the Bill.