HL Deb 10 January 1995 vol 560 cc23-4WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will introduce legislation to secure to part-time workers their right to join occupational pension schemes and to obtain benefits under those schemes without sex discrimination, so as to give full effect to the rights conferred by Article 119 of the EC Treaty and by the EC Equal Pay Directive 75/117/EEC, in accordance with the decisions of the European Court of Justice and the principle of legal certainty.

Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish

In response to recent rulings of the European Court of Justice, the Government propose to legislate to bring domestic legislation into line with European law, to prohibit sex discrimination in occupational pensions. The proposals were included in the Pensions Bill put before the House on Thursday 15 December 1994. Clauses 55–59 provide that schemes must comply with an equal treatment rule which relates to the terms on which persons become members of the scheme and terms on which members of the scheme are treated.