Skip to main content

Written question asked by Lord McCabe (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 November 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 4 November 2016. It was answered by Brandon Lewis (Conservative) on Wednesday, 9 November 2016 on behalf of the Home Office.


Police: Pensions

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the Government plans not to reinstate police widow pensions for widowers who have had their pensions revoked due to remarriage or co-habiting under the Police Pension Regulations 1987; and if she will bring forward new proposals to ensure that all police widows are treated equally for the provision of such pensions.

Answer

Successive governments have been clear that we have a general presumption against making retrospective changes to public service pension schemes.

However the Government believes that the arguments for making this change in respect of police officers who died on duty are sufficiently compelling to allow a limited exception in this case.

The changes to survivor benefits in the police, firefighters and Armed Forces pension schemes have a common implementation date and it is not possible to reinstate the pensions of those who have married before this.

There are no plans to make any further changes to survivor benefits for police pension schemes.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
51600
Session
2016-17
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Police Pensions Widowed people
Legislation
Police Pensions Regulations 1987
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk