VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Workplace Pensions: Regulation

Asked by Sureena BrackenridgeLabourDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 12 March 2025UIN 35880

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what protections exist for pensioners in the case of scheme buyouts.

Answered by Torsten Bell

Insurance buyout is a long-established way of defined benefit pension schemes securing members’ full pensions. Members are guaranteed to receive their full pension from an insurer, backed by a rigorous capital adequacy regime and underpinned by 100 per cent compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Trustees have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the members and must be satisfied that transferring the liabilities of the scheme to an insurer is in the best interests of the members before the transfer can take place.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim