---

Pensions Bill

My Lords, my understanding is that the department contacts a range of people. I am happy to write to the noble Baroness about the specifics of the research behind that particular comment. A number of noble Lords, and perhaps I should thank them, raised the issue of voluntary national insurance contributions. I should perhaps express even greater thanks to those who did not raise it. I understand that it is a matter of great concern. The Government have acknowledged the inequity in the system. It is not fair to say that we have simply walked away and reneged on our commitments; a lot of work has been focused in this area. In particular, we have looked at a range of options on the basis of the criteria that we set before Parliament—fairness, affordability and simplicity—but we have not yet identified an option that is well targeted at those women about whom I know my noble friend and others are most concerned. We need to be mindful that buyback does not help people who are heading for pension credit or the one-third of women retiring before 2010, numbering some 250,000, who paid reduced-rate contributions. We should also keep in mind that the opportunities under existing buyback rules enable more than 90 per cent of women reaching state pension age after 2014 to buy back enough contributions for full basic state pension under current arrangements, and that will rise to 95 per cent by the end of that decade.