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Pensions Bill

So, the Bill as printed is confusing and the Explanatory Notes are right—I think that in précis is what the Minister is saying—and I am grateful. However, I think he would agree that the answer to his noble friend Lady Turner of Camden is that when the phrase ““state pension age”” is mentioned, it means the state pension age at the time and therefore so far as women are concerned, it is rising to 65, while in due course everyone will go up to 68. In the previous Pensions Bill, we tried to make this open-ended, but the Government were adamant that enough was enough for the time being, in other words up to 2050. Governments have a reputation, sometimes deserved and sometimes not, for short-termism, but I do not think that this decision fits into that category. I think that I now understand the position, so the amendment has served as quite a useful probe. I have to confess that I am not word perfect on the 1995 Act and I shall certainly look at it again. However, I rather doubt that I will need to come back to this point. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.