Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: PM’s TUC Speech, Pensions, Incapacity Benefit and Derek Scott.
PM’s TUC Speech
Questioned about the Prime Minister’s speech to the TUC annual conference this afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as had already been reported, the Prime Minister would focus on general themes such as working in partnership with the trade unions, in addition to issues that were of a more political nature.
Pensions
Asked for a reaction to today’s Times report suggesting that taxpayers would have to pay more in National Insurance in order to fund bigger state pensions, the PMOS said that the Pensions Commission, under the chairmanship of Adair Turner, was currently producing a report on pensions policy. It was therefore inevitable that the media would speculate on what its conclusions might be. However, until the report was actually published - it was due in the autumn - he did not think it would be helpful to get drawn into discussions about individual issues - and that should be taken neither as a confirmation or denial. On a more general point, it was important to recognise that the Government had addressed, and was addressing, both the immediate and longer term issues on pensions, which Governments worldwide were having to deal with. For example, under the terms of the Pensions Bill, a Pension Protection Fund was being set up to guarantee protection if a company went bust. We had also set aside £400m for the Financial Assistance Scheme to help those who were already victims of this problem. The Turner Commission was also looking at how to address the longer term pension issues and would publish its conclusions in the autumn.
Asked about the prospect of compulsory pensions, the PMOS said that journalists should exercise a little patience and wait for the Turner review to be published. He took the opportunity to underline the new DWP Secretary of State’s point yesterday that there was no plan to increase the state pension age from 65.
Incapacity Benefit
Asked if there were any plans to change the Government’s policy on incapacity benefit in the light of reports yesterday about people abusing the system, the PMOS cautioned journalists against getting too ahead of themselves. He pointed out that progress had already been made in stabilising the situation. Equally, it was also a matter of encouraging those claiming incapacity benefit to go back to work both for the sake of their own self esteem and their role in society, as well the wider economic picture.
Derek Scott
Questioned about Derek Scott’s allegations concerning the relationship between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor as reported over the weekend, the PMOS said that he had no intention of commenting on Mr Scott’s book. The people who wrote such tomes had their own PR machines to help shift sales. Put to him that Mr Scott’s allegations merited a Downing Street comment inasmuch as they were coming from someone with special access to the Prime Minister, the PMOS said that, tempted as he might be, he had nothing further to say about this matter.
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