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

I begin by saying how grateful I am to the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, and the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, for welcoming these   orders and, particularly the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, for asking a number of fair questions, to which I hope I can give satisfactory answers. We absolutely agree with the statement of the noble Baroness that people getting involved in these partnerships really should know what they are letting themselves in for. I would like to explain briefly what we are doing to make sure that people do know what they are letting themselves in for. The Women and Equality Unit in the Department for Trade and Industry issues regular email updates to interested parties. Currently, there are 700 addressees on the mailing list. Information, leaflets and flyers have been printed for distribution at appropriate events; for example, they were distributed widely at last weekend’s Gay Pride event. In the run up to the implementation date, a more detailed guidance booklet will be published on the Intranet, and a small number will be printed for postage to those individuals who contact the DTI and do not have Internet access. That is what the DTI is doing. The DWP is doing various things to enhance customer awareness. It is providing further advice and information. Officials and officers within the department have been, and will continue to attend pride events around the country and are currently working closely with external advisers and intermediaries. Information will be available within specialist press articles and also on the Internet. A general information leaflet will be produced, which will advise that same sex couples will, for benefit purposes, be treated in the same way, as I said in my opening remarks, as opposite sex married and unmarried couples, whether they have formed a civil partnership or are living together as if they were civil partners. Individuals would be advised that they should contact the office that deals with their benefit claim if they consider that the change applies to them. It is intended that the leaflet will be distributed as widely as possible and will be available in all the usual outlets; for example, Citizens Advice Bureaux, Job Centre Plus offices and social security offices. So, a great deal is being done to make sure that people know what they are letting themselves in for. The noble Baroness asked a question about the RIA. All costs were included in the RIA for the Act. I was asked whether there would be other orders.