§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a further statement on the estimates, given in his Written Answer of 22nd February to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead, regarding estimated numbers of persons in occupational pension schemes in 1980, 1990 and 2000 on the assumption that the Social Security Bill becomes law.
65W
§ Sir K. JosephI am sorry that an arithmetical error occurred in the estimates given in my reply on 22nd February to the right hon. Member, and I welcome this opportunity to put the record straight. The figures for 1990 and 2000 should have been 15 and 17 million respectively instead of 16 and 19 million. —[Vol. 851, c.188.]
§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, under the terms of the Social Security Bill, a woman who married a man when he was 35 years of age would be entitled to a widow's pension from a deferred pension earned in respect of an employment ending when he was 34 years af age, first where that employment was covered by an occupational pension scheme, and secondly where it was covered by the reserve pension scheme.
§ Mr. DeanIn the first case, there would be no entitlement so far as the recognition conditions or preservation requirements were concerned. In the second case, the woman would be entitled to a widow's pension from the reserve pension scheme.
§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what, under Clause 51 of the Social Security Bill as he proposes to amend it, would be the position of a person aged 25 years, who leaves an employment after seven years' membership of an occupational pension scheme, in respect of preservation, return of contributions and payment of reserve scheme premium.
§ Mr. DeanClause 51 is concerned only with the benefits to be provided on termination of recognised pensionable employment. If the employee had been in such employment during the latter part of his scheme membership the effect of this clause, together with the Government amendment tabled to Clause 72(1), would be that a reserve scheme premium would be payable unless his minimum benefits were preserved in accordance with Clause 51(3) and (4) or transferred under the conditions in Clause 55(3) and (4). As the member left before the age of 26, there would be no requirement to preserve his occupational scheme benefits, and the scheme would be free to refund66W his contributions; under Clause 73, if a reserve scheme premium was paid, three-eights of the premium could be deducted from the contribution refund.
§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision there is, under the Social Security Bill, that the minimum pension entitlement of a man or a woman, who voluntarily continue in the same employment, beyond pensionable age, shall be increased on an actuarial basis.
§ Mr. Dellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services who, under the terms of the Social Security Bill, will receive the widow's benefit on a deferred pension in the case of a man who earns a deferred pension before a divorce or the death of his wife, and then, having remarried before retirement, dies after retirement leaving a widow in each of the following two situations: first, where the deferred pension had been earned in an occupational pension scheme; and, secondly, where the deferred pension had been earned in the reserve pension scheme.
§ Mr. DeanIn the first case, no widow's benefit would have to be provided under the recognition conditions or the preservation requirements. In the second case, a widow's benefit would be paid to the widow.