Pensions (Hansard, 24 November 1999)

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the survivor benefits under public service pensions schemes to persons other than widows, widowers or children. [99390]

§ Mr. Andrew Smith
As set out in December 1998 in the Green Paper "A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions" (Cm 4179), the Government are prepared to consider how practicable arrangements could be devised for a statutory pension scheme to extend survivor pensions to unmarried partners of scheme members, if the general membership of the scheme sought that change and if scheme members were prepared to meet the costs of it. There is no central policy on whether such a change should be made by any public service scheme. It is a matter for the Department responsible for each public service pension scheme, in the light of the wishes of the membership of each scheme.

§ Mr. Chope
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the administrators of the Management Systems Development Limited pension scheme applied to his Department for the calculation of the guaranteed minimum pensions of the members of the scheme; in respect of how many members of the scheme the calculations have been completed; how many calculations are not yet completed; and by what date he expects the task to be completed. [99457]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
Finalised guaranteed minimum pension calculations for all former members of the Management Systems Development Limited pension scheme were completed by August 1997. The scheme's case was finally concluded in August 1999.

§ Mr. Chope
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for the calculation of guaranteed minimum pensions are awaiting decision by his Department; how many of these have been outstanding for more than(a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years and (d) over four years; and if he will make a statement. [99459]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
None of the 7,615 applications for Guaranteed Minimum Pension calculations presently awaiting decision are over one year old.

§ Mr. Chope
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many members of pension schemes in administration have had their guaranteed minimum pensions calculated by his Department in the last six months; and in respect of how many such members calculations have not yet been made. [99458]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
74,591 Guaranteed Minimum Pension calculations have been processed in the last six months and 7,615 are presently awaiting formal action.