§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to consult on allowing the NHS Pensions Agency to pay benefits from the NHS pension scheme to a contributor's unmarried partner. [115116]
§ Mr. DenhamProviding survivor benefits for unmarried partners is one of a number of possible changes to the National Health Service Pension Scheme currently under consideration. There are no firm proposals for change at this time.
We have made our position clear at paragraph 60, Chapter 8 of the Green Paper "A new contract for welfare: partnership in pensions" published on 15 December 1998 Cm 4179. If the general membership of a public service scheme wanted, in future, to extend eligibility for survivors' pensions to unmarried partners and were prepared to meet the additional costs, the Government would be prepared to consider how practicable arrangements could be devised for achieving this in the context of a statutory scheme.