Clause 3
Pensions Bill
5:15 pm
Andrew Selous (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; South West Bedfordshire, Conservative)
As the hon. Lady said, amendment No. 27 would retrospectively convert existing home responsibilities protection records into weekly contributions. It would clearly be helpful to those concerned and enable periods spent caring, either as a parent or as a carer, to be converted into the equivalent number of weeks’ worth of contribution credits.
We understand what the hon. Lady is trying to achieve, but it is none the less retrospective legislation and, like a number of Liberal Democrat amendments, would come with a price tag. She did not say in her remarks how much it would cost; I fear I shall have to rely on the Minister yet again to supply a price tag for a Liberal Democrat policy proposal. It will not be the first time, and I do not suppose that it will be the last. I would also be interested to know from the hon. Lady how it would be paid for.