James Cunningham

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MP Addresses Civil Service Widows Pensions

Mr. Jim Cunningham contributed to the Adjournment Debate on Civil Service Widows Pensions in the House of Commons on the 27th February 2006.

Mr. Cunningham said, We all appreciate the tremendous efforts that the Government have made with issues such as pensioner poverty and pensions in general. Nevertheless, this pension provision is discriminatory. A married couple in this case, a civil servant and his wife, may be married for a long time, and the wife ultimatley expects a share of his pension, but only about 10 per cent of women are actually entitiled to a pension.

Mr. Cunningham asked the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office, Mr. Jim Murphy, for clarification on the issue of some spouses who are unable to claim civil service pensions because they get married again. Very often in trade union negotiations, 1 per cent. might be traded off a wage increase to get something else, perhaps relating to pensions.

Mr Cunningham asked the Minister, will such things be part of wage negotiations, or will there simply be a general discussion with the trade unions?

The Minister responded, I am happy to confirm to the House that we are content to discuss the pension entitlement of widows and widowers in the event of remarriage or cohabitation with the relevant trade unions as part of negotiations on the wider reform of civil service pensions. The matter is an aspect of pensions negotiations, rather than wage negotiations. However, before my hon. Friend takes too much heart from that statement, I reiterate that negotiations on civil service pensions must progress with regard to the existing cost envelope.

Mr. Cunningham said,  I thought that the Minister was going to say that. He made a key point when he said that there was a ceiling on the amount of money that could be spent. As he and I know, one does trade-offs in such a situation. I asked the question in the first place for clarification on whether the matter was being considered as part of wage negotiations, or as a separate issue relating to civil service pensions, and I think that he has answered me.

Mr. Murphy said, Reforms to state pensions and other measures introduced since 1997 have helped virtually all pensioners and targeted substantial resources on those most in need. The Government are setting up a £300 million fund over the next three years to provide pension credit recipients with free central heating, and providing discounts of £300 on central heating systems for pensioners who do not have them.

“The classic Civil Service Scheme Provision does not allow a pension for life for scheme members' widows and unfairly excludes some widows who are already on low incomes from adequate protection. In light of the Government commissioned “Shaping a Fairer Future” report, which highlights the fact that women are earning 17% less than men, we must link the inequalities highlighted in that report to issues of inequality that women face during their pension futures as well.” – Jim Cunningham MP