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Proceeding contribution from Baroness Drake (Labour) in the House of Lords on Monday, 31 October 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill on Pensions Bill.


Pensions Bill

I thank the noble Lord for his detailed reply. I appreciate that trustees may not purchase individual annuities for individual members and can take out insurance policies for a number of members, but it is important to catch that issue of the policy or the annuity identifying the members covered so that it is clearly ring-fenced. One cannot leave an ambiguity at the purchase of the policy or annuity stage and then hope that somehow there will be clarity around ring-fencing if and when a legal challenge comes. I am very concerned that there are no ambiguities left, because either we will see another Bridge case or we will leave unprotected a group of members that the Government intend to protect. I note the Minister’s reference to making regulation and urge him to ensure that those regulations, when applied to this amendment in this clause, extend the protection with as much clarity as is possible to do under regulation. With regard to the new powers, I appreciate that evolution can occur in the area of money purchase benefits. It is important to have on the record the Government’s recognition that the insolvency directive will limit the way in which the Government can exercise those powers in Amendment 32 and that the protection of people in funded occupational schemes is not diminished by this amendment. On that basis, I beg leave to withdraw Amendment 29A. Amendment 29A withdrawn. Motion agreed. Motion on Amendments 30 to 35 Moved by


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
731 c1017 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Age Annuities Women Equality Insolvency Workplace pensions Pensions Consumer prices index Retail prices index State retirement pensions Retirement Occupational money purchase schemes
Legislation
Pensions Bill (HL) 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk