Civil Partnership (Contracted-out Occupational and Appropriate Personal Pension Schemes) (Surviving Civil Partners) Order 2005

On this occasion, I am delighted to sing from the same hymn sheet as the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, on two main issues. We support the orders, but I feel strongly—we have talked a little about regulatory impact assessments—that the Government must take more seriously the need for—can I say?—““individually tailored”” regulatory impact assessments, rather than just having them roll off the old production line. Both Opposition Benches feel strongly about that. We support the order. But again the points made by Stonewall seem to us to be very persuasive, that this does not, so far as we can see, deal with the non-contracted out element of schemes, which are often more financially lucrative. It seems to us that it is appropriate, where at present the majority of large occupational pension schemes provide survivor’s benefits to same-sex couples only at the discretion of the trustees after investigation of the nature of relationship, that these practice notes should be appropriately amended so that everyone is put on the same basis before the law.