§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional costs there will be for the pensions schemes for the Police and Fire Services as a result of the changes contained in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill to incapacity benefit for claimants with occupational pensions; and what other public service schemes will be similarly affected.[84043]
§ Mr. Bayley[holding answer 13 May 1999]: Currently Police, Fire and other public service pensions awarded on injury grounds are abated to take account of benefits. The Regulatory Impact Assessment published with the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill made it clear that there may be some additional costs for such schemes from the proposal to take pension income over £50 a week into account for future Incapacity Benefit claims. But until the schemes consider the implications in detail, the scale of these costs cannot be assessed.