§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) full-time and (b) part-time public servants for whom no occupational retirement pension provision exists; whether such provision will be made by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make retrospective pension arrangements for such public servants. [69255]
§ Dawn PrimaroloMost public servants now are covered by occupational pension schemes and any that are not have access to stakeholder pensions. Individuals may opt out of their employer's pension arrangements.
Precise eligibility for membership is a matter for the individual pension schemes. Since 1995 public service occupational schemes have been required to provide access to part-timers. Where eligibility has been extended retrospective membership has not usually been allowed unless it is legally required.
A recent ECJ ruling on the Preston case, concerning a part-timer working for the NHS who claimed retrospective admission, means that many thousands of part-timers will be admitted into public service scheme prior to 1995, once the outstanding legal issues have been resolved in the Employment Tribunals.