Pensions Bill

moved Amendment No. 30: 30: Clause 35, page 30, line 43, leave out from ““State”” to end of line 3 on page 31 The noble Lord said: My Lords, I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 31 and 32. Government Amendments Nos. 30, 31 and 32 relate to the provisions for the wind-up of the delivery authority. As I made clear in Committee, Clause 35 is included in the Bill as an act of prudence—we would not wish to pre-empt the will of Parliament by taking for granted its approval of a proposed second pensions Bill. Should this second Bill not receive Parliament’s support and it became clear to the Secretary of State that the delivery authority was no longer needed, Clause 35 would enable the Secretary of State to wind up the authority. In doing so, any wind-up order could also make provision for the transfer of the authority’s property, rights and liabilities. As drafted, the Bill enables transfer to the Secretary of State or to ““any other person””. In Committee, the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, tabled an amendment that sought to remove ““any other person””, but we did not debate the point. Nevertheless, in the light of her amendment, I have reflected on the provision and concluded that transfer to ““any other person”” is not required. The delivery authority will be funded by grant in aid throughout its initial stage. In the unlikely event that it was necessary to wind up the authority, it would be appropriate for any property, rights or liabilities to be transferred solely to the Secretary of State. Government Amendment No. 30 therefore removes the provision that would enable these to be transferred to ““any other person””, and Amendments Nos. 31 and 32 make consequential amendments to tidy up the clause and to reflect this change. I beg to move.