Superannuation Bill — Decline Second Reading — 7 Sep 2010 at 21:44

The majority of MPs voted to cap civil service redundancy payments at a maximum of 12 months’ pay for compulsory redundancy and 15 months’ for voluntary exits.

The majority of MPs voted against a proposal to deny the Superannuation Bill^[1] a second reading on the grounds that it is unfair on certain classes of public sector workers and that there was a lack of scrutiny and consultation during its development.

The vote was on a proposal to replace the original motion text:

• That the Bill be now read a Second time

support of which would have indicated approval of the main principle of the Bill, with an alternative text:

• This House,
• whilst affirming its belief that civil service compensation should be reformed,
• declines to give a Second Reading to the Superannuation Bill because it provides inadequate protection for some of the lowest paid and longest serving public sector workers;
• believes that the reform proposals of February 2010 were fair, reasonable and non-age discriminatory, offering protection for the lowest paid workers whilst making substantial savings; and
• is strongly of the opinion that the publication of such a Bill should have been preceded by a full process of pre-legislative scrutiny of a draft Bill and in full consultation with Civil Service employees.

Immediately after this, MPs held another vote to pass the bill through its Second Reading.^[3]

• [1] Superannuation Bill UK Parliament page showing progress of the bill
• [2] House of Commons Order paper for the 7th of September 2010 which contains the text of the amendment.
• [3] Division 55, House of Commons, 7 September 2010

Debate in Parliament | Source |