Pensions and Welfare Reform — 13 Oct 2004 at 18:45

I beg to move,

That this House condemns the Government's continued failure to bring forward proposals to strengthen pensions and savings or to reform the welfare state; takes note of the deeply worrying interim findings of the Turner Commission and of the contrast between the Commission's detailed analysis and the Prime Minister's empty and inadequate rhetoric on pensions and welfare reform; further notes with concern the high levels of economic inactivity; condemns the lack of incentive to make private pension provision and the failure to help 1.7 million people, including many of the poorest pensioners, who are entitled to the Pension Credit but do not receive it; regrets the failure of the Government to address the crisis in state, personal and company pensions; observes that the Pensions Bill is still widely regarded as poorly drafted and that the Pension Protection Fund does not provide the 'guarantee' claimed for it by Ministers; and urges the Government to join the growing consensus of organisations representing pensioners, pension providers, employers and trade unions that the basic state pension needs to be significantly improved and that the spread of means-testing should be reversed so that older people can be assured of dignity and security in retirement.

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

"welcomes the Pensions Report commissioned by the Government; notes that it reinforces the conclusions of the 2002 Green Paper identifying the need for all to work longer or save more; commends the Government's commitment to face the challenges of an ageing society and to tackle inactivity by helping those who want to work; welcomes Pension Credit, benefiting over 3.1 million people, and the state second pension, helping millions build decent second pensions; further welcomes new tax credits making a huge difference to saving incentives for 3 million lower earners; commends steps to restore confidence in pensions through the Pension Protection Fund and the £400 million Financial Assistance Scheme; notes the Government's commitment to tackling age discrimination, and to rewarding those continuing to work after state pension age; believes both main Opposition parties' policies are unaffordable and do nothing for the very poorest; notes that Conservative policies would create a £500 million deficit within four years and be unsustainable in the longer term; commends proposals building on the Government's historic success in tackling pensioner poverty, which will continue to build a pension system with the basic state pension at its core, while still helping the poorest and offering saving incentives for hard-working families."

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

The House divided: Ayes 201, Noes 313.

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