Stakeholder Pensions — 13 Nov 2001 at 21:46

I beg to move,

That this House regrets the Government's failure to deliver stakeholder pensions to its target group of 'those with moderate incomes of between £10,000 and £20,000 a year'; condemns the failure to reform the obligation to purchase an annuity at age 75, which is a disincentive to taking out stakeholders and other forms of personal pension; regrets the spread of means-testing which acts as a disincentive to saving; condemns the burdens on company pension schemes which are causing employers to close them to new members; and calls on the Government to review its pension policies so as to reverse the decline in funded pensions.

I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

'welcomes the Government's reformed framework for pensions, which ensures that today's pensioners share in the country's rising prosperity and that tomorrow's pensioners are encouraged to save for their retirement, building on the foundation of the basic state pension; believes that pensioner poverty must be tackled through the minimum income guarantee; supports the reform of SERPS to create the State Second Pension which will give more help to low paid earners and people with broken work records, such as carers and disabled people; further supports stakeholder pensions which provide a low cost, flexible option for moderate or higher earners who do not have access to a good occupational scheme; welcomes the Government's plans to ensure that pensioners with modest savings or a small occupational pension are rewarded for their thrift through the new pension credit; and supports the need for an effective system of financial regulation through the FSA and other measures to build public confidence.'.

Question put, That the original words stand part of the Question:-

The House divided: Ayes 194, Noes 328.

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