Tag: Ian Blackford

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-02-29.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on reducing the Government’s stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) of the (a) decision to defer the redemption of dividend payment by and (b) recent changes in the share price of that bank.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government has consistently said that disposing of our stake in RBS is the right thing to do for the taxpayer and the British economy. Returning RBS to private ownership will promote financial stability, a more competitive banking sector, and the interests of the wider economy.

The first sale of government shares in RBS was conducted in August 2015, and raised £2.1 billion for the taxpayer. The government will continue to return RBS to private ownership and conduct further sales of RBS shares, subject to market conditions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding the uprating of pensions that are frozen for people living overseas.

Justin Tomlinson

The Secretary of State is in regular contact with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on pensions issues. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated overseas where we have a legal requirement to do so – for example in the European Economic Area or in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement in place which allows for uprating. There are no plans to change this policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of housing wealth to supporting the income of pensioners.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government has created the foundation for saving for retirement via automatic enrolment and the State Pension reforms and given individuals the freedom to use their own savings and access other sources of income or capital in the way that best suits their needs. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that around 80% of pensioners hold some form of housing equity. However, people who might choose to access potential sources of income, such as equity release or flexible pension products, will need to give careful consideration to whether it best suits their needs and how it could affect their income and entitlement to welfare, both now and in the future.

That is why the government set up Pension Wise to provide information and guidance on how people can access their pension saving flexibly. Information is widely available in terms of how income and capital are treated in the means-tested benefits. Officials have held discussions with the equity release industry in May 2014 and February 2015 to explain the interactions between equity release and means tested benefits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will suspend the process of determining the application for the licence for ship-to-ship transfers in the Cromarty Firth until he has formally consulted Marine Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Mr Robert Goodwill

There are no valid reasons to suspend the process of determining the application for an Oil Transfer licence for ship to ship transfers in the Cromarty Firth.

Officials from Marine Scotland were sent the application details and information by email on 9 December 2015. A reminder about the deadline for comments on this application was sent to the same officials by email on 3 February, five days before the end of the extended consultation period.

A Marine Scotland official confirmed to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 11 February that they had seen the information and had no intention of submitting a response.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2016 to Question 37321, on healthy life expectancy, what specific assessment he has made of what account is taken of healthy life expectancy distinct from life expectancy in making decisions on future levels of pension age.

Justin Tomlinson

In making decisions on future State Pension age arrangements the Secretary of State will be informed by the first review, established under the Pensions Act 2014, which is due to report by May 2017. This review will take into account up to date life expectancy data and the report from the independently led review.

The purpose of the independent report is to recommend to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what to consider when making decisions on future State Pension age arrangements. In conducting its analysis and reaching recommendations the review will also to have regard to variations between different groups and the views of organisation and individuals on factors to be taken into account. It will consult widely to ensure that it has considered the appropriate evidence and the range of views of interested parties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with the equity release industry on the potential contribution of equity release to supporting the income of pensioners.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government has created the foundation for saving for retirement via automatic enrolment and the State Pension reforms and given individuals the freedom to use their own savings and access other sources of income or capital in the way that best suits their needs. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that around 80% of pensioners hold some form of housing equity. However, people who might choose to access potential sources of income, such as equity release or flexible pension products, will need to give careful consideration to whether it best suits their needs and how it could affect their income and entitlement to welfare, both now and in the future.

That is why the government set up Pension Wise to provide information and guidance on how people can access their pension saving flexibly. Information is widely available in terms of how income and capital are treated in the means-tested benefits. Officials have held discussions with the equity release industry in May 2014 and February 2015 to explain the interactions between equity release and means tested benefits.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the uprating of pensions of British pensioners living in EU member states with which there was no previous bilateral agreement on the uprating of pensions of the UK leaving the EU.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU. Of course there is uncertainty about how a vote to leave the EU could impact on access to pensioner benefits for UK pensioners living in other parts of Europe. These questions would need to be answered as part of the process of negotiating the UK’s exit if there is a vote to leave. We could only consider the detail of access to pensions and benefits for people in receipt of UK state pensions who are resident in Europe as part of the process for leaving the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons people who have leave to remain in the UK while seeking permanent residence do not have the right to work.

James Brokenshire

Those with temporary leave to remain keep the conditions of that leave, including any associated work rights, until a new application is decided.

Those whose leave to remain has already expired do not have permission to work and must normally make an application to regularise their stay within 28 days.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-12-02.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding Pension Wise to include consideration of housing wealth as a source of retirement income.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government is committed to ensuring that individuals are equipped and empowered to make informed decisions about how to use their pension savings through the Pension Wise service.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) standards for the service state that guidance should provide the consumer with information about long-term care needs, sustainability of income in retirement and life expectancy, to the extent that they are relevant. Pension Wise guidance therefore prompts consumers to think about their retirement objectives and wider financial circumstances when deciding on what to do with their pension pot. As part of this consumers are asked about whether they receive any benefits, other retirement income, outgoings in retirement, and plans to continue working. The guidance is designed to equip consumers to consider questions about their situation as a whole, and directs them to further sources of information as suitable. Where it is clear that consumers need specialist help, they are directed to the appropriate source of guidance and information.

Pension Wise is constantly assessing and evaluating the service to ensure that user needs are met. As such, it is currently actively considering a number of developments, as part of our continuous service improvement, to make Pension Wise even more useful to consumers, including tailoring session content more closely to individual circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to transfer responsibility for Scottish prison officers’ pensions to the Scottish Government.

Matthew Hancock

Prison Officers employed in the Scottish Prison Service are members of the Civil Service. Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 the Civil Service is a reserved matter and legislation on pensions and compensation is a matter for Parliament at Westminster.