§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what considerations led to the decision to include a request for information on the time, place and nature of marriage ceremonies undergone on the form of request for a state pension.
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe administration of Retirement Pension is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Winnick, dated 3 November 1994:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to our Parliamentary Question about information requested on the time, place and nature of marriage ceremonies in the claim to a state pension.The state pension claim form is form BR1 and this form does request the date of marriage for a spouse or former spouse. If the form BR1 is being completed by a woman we also request the marriage certificate. This form does not ask for the time, place and nature of marriage ceremonies.We need to verify the date of marriage if the customer is a married woman claiming wholly or partly on her husband's contributions. In these circumstances it is essential to establish that the woman is married to the person on whose contributions her claim is to be based.For marriages that took place in the UK where the customer does not supply a certificate with the BR1, a form is sent to her requesting the certificate and giving information on how to obtain it if she does not have it. If this does not result in the production of the certificate a reminder is sent out. This reminder should be completed only if the customer is still unable to supply the certificate and it requests details including the date and place of the marriage, but not of the nature of marriage ceremony. This information is required so that the Benefits Agency can obtain verification of the marriage from the General Registrar's Office.In cases where marriage took place in a country which permits polygamy details are requested at the time, place and the law, religion or custom under which the marriage was performed. This information is required in order to enable the adjudication officer, whose responsibility it is to decide claims to benefit, to determine whether the marriage in question is monogamous on the day when all the entitlement conditions are satisfied.I hope you find this reply helpful.