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Pensions Bill

There was a lot of discussion on this subject in another place, where the Government committed themselves to going to Brussels to sort out the exact meaning of the distance marketing directive. Being of a suspicious nature, I wonder what the Government wanted the result to be. Is it the result that we have here, which ensures that workplace pensions can be used to discharge the duty on employers to operate an automatic enrolment scheme? In his speech, the Minister referred to ““enabling”” them so to do. Alternatively, did the Government in their heart of hearts hope that they would get approval for compulsion? It is important that we know this, because I have been asked the question in several letters from employers and occupational pension schemes. I would like to know the answer.