Ministerial statement on Monday, 6 July 2026, in the House of Commons, led by Nick Thomas-Symonds.

Civil Service Pensions

Statement on the administration of the civil service pension scheme.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 789 cc62-82
Session: 2026-27
Department: Cabinet Office
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Proceeding contributions: Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 cc62-4 (Link to this contribution)
I want to provide the House with an important update on the administration of the civil service p...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c64 (Link to this contribution)
I call the shadow Minister.
5.51 pm; Mike Wood | 789 cc64-5 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement. Nobody in this House should be in any do...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 cc65-6 (Link to this contribution)
I am quite astonished by the shadow Minister’s contribution. The House should be in no doubt that...; Clive Betts | 789 c66 (Link to this contribution)
The Public Accounts Committee and Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, its Chair—; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c66 (Link to this contribution)
Order. We refer to colleagues not by their names, but by their constituencies. You have already n...; Clive Betts | 789 c66 (Link to this contribution)
I will dive very deeply into the question, Madam Deputy Speaker.
The Chair of the Committee...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c66 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that these cases are harrowing. He is also right to say that t...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c66 (Link to this contribution)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.; Lisa Smart | 789 c67 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the Minister for advance sight of his statement. The failure of Capita to meet t...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c67 (Link to this contribution)
To take the hon. Lady’s final point first, yes, bereavement cases are being prioritised. Capita’s...; Meg Hillier | 789 c68 (Link to this contribution)
This is a real mess, and I am pleased the Minister has acknowledged that, but there are a few pra...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c68 (Link to this contribution)
I am more than happy to take on board what my hon. Friend has said about streamlining MPs’ intera...; Simon Hoare | 789 c68 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for his statement and, through him, his officials, and particularly the surg...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c68 (Link to this contribution)
As ever, the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee makes very s...; 789 c68 (Link to this contribution); Nusrat Ghani | 789 c68 (Link to this contribution)
Order. To help more Members get in, questions need to be short and limited to just one question.<...; Paula Barker | 789 cc68-9 (Link to this contribution)
Like other Members across the House, I have constituents who have faced unacceptably long delays,...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
First, in line with the Government’s policy of looking across contracts of high value, as I set o...; Gagan Mohindra | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
One of my constituents, Caroline from Rickmansworth, has been waiting over six months to receive ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
I am very sorry to hear about Caroline’s case. If the hon. Member is willing to write to me direc...; Catherine McKinnell | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
The family of a terminally ill constituent contacted me in desperation last month after trying to...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
I am very sorry to hear about my hon. Friend’s constituent; it is a tragedy that she passed away ...; Edward Argar | 789 c69 (Link to this contribution)
Sadly, it is not just Capita that is missing deadlines; it is the Government, too. I raised a con...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c70 (Link to this contribution)
On the right hon. Gentleman’s first point, we will look specifically at why that was the case. It...; Katrina Murray | 789 c70 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for his statement. New cases are still coming into my office, with tales of ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c70 (Link to this contribution)
Yes. First of all, the interest-free loans introduced earlier in the year are important, but I kn...; Christine Jardine | 789 c70 (Link to this contribution)
I welcome the statement, and whenever we have come to the Government, they have reacted quickly. ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c70 (Link to this contribution)
Well, quite. I am grateful to the hon. Lady, who I believe has had a few virtual surgeries. She h...; Mary Kelly Foy | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
I have heard from dozens of my constituents across the City of Durham who have been impacted by e...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, it should absolutely be prioritising bereavement cases and people in the position my hon. Fr...; Gregory Stafford | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
I currently have 11 unresolved cases in my constituency and the numbers are going up. My constitu...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman will be aware from my statement that £9.9 million has been withheld from Capit...; Chris Webb | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
I am sure it will come as no surprise to anyone in this House that the deadline was missed today,...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c71 (Link to this contribution)
Looking forward, the Government have already announced their new public interest test to end outs...; Seamus Logan | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
My constituents Scott and Pamela McBride from Peterhead are victims of this shambolic bùrach. The...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
The simple answer is yes, and I am sorry to hear about what has happened with Scott and Pamela.; Lola McEvoy | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
I recently met a woman who had spent her career fighting fraud for the Department for Work and Pe...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
I have not hesitated to use commercial levers to withhold millions of pounds from Capita when it ...; Alec Shelbrooke | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
Like all of us, several constituents have raised heartbreaking issues with me—they are getting in...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
On the principle of compensation, the right hon. Gentleman has a valid point. I set out some of t...; John McDonnell | 789 c72 (Link to this contribution)
I declare a non-pecuniary interest as the chair of the Public and Commercial Services Union parli...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
To my right hon. Friend’s first point: yes, of course, the stakeholder group includes PCS. His qu...; Claire Young | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
One of my hard-working caseworkers attended one of the virtual surgeries that have been mentioned...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
Quite simply, that should not be happening. If the hon. Lady is willing to write to me with preci...; Florence Eshalomi | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for coming to the House to give this important update. To be honest, I think...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that the situation has been totally and utterly unacceptable. ...; Blake Stephenson | 789 c73 (Link to this contribution)
Capita’s failures have caused significant hardship to retiring civil servants across the country....; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s constructive tone. The Government have introduced the new ...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
Order. The questions are far too long. Too many colleagues will be disappointed unless questions ...; Kim Johnson | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
I really welcome the Minister’s statement, and his acknowledgment that Capita has failed—and fail...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Gosh—a long question and the hon. Member is saying “you”; it is not my responsibility. Min...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, we will continue to work with trade unions and other stakeholders. Yes, it is correct that £...; Danny Kruger | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
I welcome the statement. I want to follow on from the question from the hon. Member for Mid Bedfo...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
I know that the hon. Gentleman has looked carefully at a number of these things. The point of the...; Sarah Coombes | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
Angela, from Great Barr, worked for the civil service for 42 years. She was looking forward to re...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c74 (Link to this contribution)
I am sorry to hear about the experience of my hon. Friend’s constituent; she can be assured that ...; David Simmonds | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
The Minister set out for the House the robust accountability measures that he has in place. I app...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, and I am very sorry to hear about what has happened to Keith. The hon. Member will know abou...; Justin Madders | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
My constituent logged into the pension portal this morning and it told him that he had only been ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
I am very sorry to hear about what has happened to my hon. Friend’s constituent. He is right: com...; Zöe Franklin | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
My constituent Anita was widowed suddenly in December 2025, and Capita has failed to calculate he...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c75 (Link to this contribution)
I am very sorry to hear about the hon. Lady’s constituent. First, if her case is not being priori...; Douglas McAllister | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for his statement and I appreciate all the Government’s work to resolve this...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to all the public servants in my hon. Friend’s constituency and indeed across the c...; Ben Lake | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
One of my constituents submitted a request for their pension just over a year before their propos...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman makes a very good point. I stand ready to continue with the surge resource; I ...; Bill Esterson | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
Paul and Susan Robinson each worked for the Health and Safety Executive for more than 40 years. T...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
It is precisely because of that concern that I am looking to come back to the House in very short...; Calum Miller | 789 c76 (Link to this contribution)
I declare an interest as a former civil servant and a future civil service pensioner. Many of my ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his many years of service to the public and pay tribute t...; Josh Newbury | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
A constituent of mine who served for 44 years in the civil service contacted me in May and said t...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right.; Sorcha Eastwood | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
I also must declare an interest, as my husband is a civil servant and is currently paying into a ...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I have not said anything. End your question quickly.; Sorcha Eastwood | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
There has been a cost to the taxpayer in people’s lives. What can you do to restore confidence in...; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
Order. What can I do to restore confidence, or what can the Minister do? You mean the Minister?; Sorcha Eastwood | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
indicated assent.; Nusrat Ghani | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
Good.; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to talk about the cost in people’s lives; considering what has ...; Olivia Blake | 789 c77 (Link to this contribution)
Mr Evans applied for early release of his civil service pension on health grounds because of term...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
On compensation, there is provision around interest. I would be very grateful if my hon. Friend c...; Bobby Dean | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
I am pleased to hear the Government accept that part of the issue here is successive Governments’...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, absolutely. That is why it is so important for the public interest test that we look at the ...; Ruth Cadbury | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for this statement. Time and again, our constituents have been failed by out...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why the introduction of the public interest test to e...; Sarah Dyke | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
My team are dealing with 18 civil service pension scheme cases. One of them involves Frosoulla, f...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
The only way to restore confidence is quite simply to get this service to the level it should be ...; Josh Fenton-Glynn | 789 c78 (Link to this contribution)
I have been contacted about this issue by 14 constituents and have raised their cases. Only three...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes a very good point about the drop-in for MPs. Again, that is why I felt I had...; Brendan O'Hara | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
My constituent Jamie Dalgleish served 25 years in the submarine service, followed by 23 years in ...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
I am more than happy to do that for the hon. Gentleman’s constituent Jamie. That is totally unacc...; Lorraine Beavers | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
My constituents have been treated appallingly by Capita. Some of them have died waiting for their...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend has spoken powerfully on many occasions about how her constituents have been affec...; Gerald Jones | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for his statement and the work he is doing to bring this issue to a resoluti...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, I am certainly happy to do that. We now have taskforce members on each one, but if Members a...; James Naish | 789 c79 (Link to this contribution)
One of my nine remaining open cases is Dr Carol Furlong, who lost her husband in 2015. She was to...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
Yes; they should be being prioritised. I can assure my hon. Friend that I will continue with the ...; Torcuil Crichton | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
My constituent Carol Campbell is a marine coastguard team leader in Stornoway. Civil servants lik...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to Carol for her service. She can be assured that I will robustly continue to hold ...; Tom Rutland | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
Too many of my constituents are seeing delays to receiving their civil service pensions because o...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend puts his finger on the issue. That is why the Parliamentary Secretary escalated th...; Jim Dickson | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister for his statement. He may recall that in a Westminster Hall debate on 4 Febr...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c80 (Link to this contribution)
Absolutely. Public servants, who are represented in the Chamber by Members across the House, dese...; Danny Beales | 789 c81 (Link to this contribution)
Several of my constituents have been failed by Capita; with the support of my team, they have bee...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c81 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is right that that situation is totally unacceptable. People should not have to ba...; Mark Sewards | 789 c81 (Link to this contribution)
Can I place on record my thanks to the pensions recovery taskforce that the Minister deployed? Th...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 789 c81 (Link to this contribution)
It is a good question. First, we will continue to prioritise operational delivery day to day, so ...
Subjects: Complaints Contracts Administration Civil servants Correspondence Cabinet Office Workplace pensions Members Standards Capita
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Civil Service Pensions

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