HC Deb 27 November 1996 vol 286 c246W
Mr. Touhig

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what procedures are in place to ensure that fraudulent claims are not made after the death of a person receiving a teacher's pension. [5968]

Mrs. Gillan

Notification of the death of a teacher pensioner can come from a variety of sources. Generally, it comes from the family, but the registrars of births, marriages and deaths also notify public sector pension scheme administrators of the death of one of their members.

This process is backed up by issuing periodic declarations to pensioners to ensure continued entitlement to benefits. The declarations are issues at age 75, then at five—yearly intervals until age 90 when they are issued annually. For those living abroad, regular declarations are required from all pensioners.

Each declaration is required to be signed by the pensioner or declarant and witnessed by a qualified person. the returned declarations are examined on receipt to check signature and ensure they have been correctly completed and witnessed.

Mr. Touhig

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many tenders were received when the Teachers Pensions Agency was market-tested. [5967]

Mrs. Gillan

Four tenders were received for the administration of the teachers superannuation scheme.

Mr. Touhig

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what consultations she undertook with organisations representing those receiving teachers' pensions, before market testing for those agencies involved in the administration of teachers' pensions. [5969]

Mrs. Gillan

Management consultants were commissioned to consider the feasibility of letting a contract to the private sector for the administration of teachers' pensions. Their findings were published in January 1995, and formed the basis of an extensive consultation exercise during which we sought the views of a wide audience, including representatives of members of the scheme, their employers and other interested parties. The consultation period ended in April 1995.