HC Deb 13 January 1999 vol 323 cc221-2W
Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many, and what proportion of, employers submitting evidence to the Pension Review called for the right to make the membership of occupational pension schemes compulsory. [64937]

Mr. Timms

It is not possible to identify how many of the respondents to the Pensions Review were employers. Of the more than 2,000 submissions to the Pensions Review, 310 commented on compulsion and a small number proposed that membership of occupational schemes should be compulsory. As part of the consultation arising from the Green Paper on Pensions "A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions" the Government are seeking views on whether employers should be allowed to require employees to be members of their occupational schemes, subject to a right for employees to opt out in certain circumstances.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the consultation paper on occupational pension changes. [64820]

Mr. Timms

The consultation document, "Strengthening the Pensions Framework", was published on 16 December 1998. Copies were placed in the Library.

Mr. Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the grounds were for his decision not to make membership of occupational pension schemes compulsory for relevant employers. [64936]

Mr. Timms

While we recognise that most employees benefit from membership of occupational schemes, not all employees do so.

We are therefore seeking views on whether we should allow employers to require employees to be members of their occupational schemes, subject to a right for employees to opt-out. We are also seeking views on the conditions which should be satisfied before an opt-out is permitted.