The government is working to provide a response to the Work and Pensions Committee's (WPC) report on defined benefit (DB) pensions "in the new year", Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, has confirmed.

The WPC shared its recommendations for the DB pension market in March 2024, arguing that a "fresh approach" is needed to both funding regulation and the treatment of surpluses in DB pension and compensation schemes.

Writing to the WPC with an update, Kendall noted that while a government response on the committee's inquiry into DB pension schemes was due at the end of May, the government was unable to respond at that time because the General Election was called.

However, she confirmed that work on a government response is still underway, stating: "The select committee's report raises a number of very complex questions which the department needs time to work through with the new ministerial team.

"Therefore, my officials are working on providing a full response to the DB report in line with the government’s priorities with a view to responding in the new year."

Appearing in front of the committee for the first time since her appointment to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Kendall also confirmed that Pensions Minister, Emma Reynolds, will write to the committee "as soon as possible", to discuss the recommendation that the policy of not providing indexation of pre-1997 benefits for members of the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme be revisited "as a matter of urgency".

This was not the only update on ongoing work from the minister, as Kendall also wrote to the WPC to confirm that the DWP is still working to respond to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman report on issues around women’s state pension age.

"This is a serious report, and we are giving it the serious consideration that it deserves," she continued, noting that Reynolds also previously met with representatives from the WASPI campaign on 5 September, making her the first government minister to do so since 2016.

"I wish to assure you that as we consider the ombudsman’s report and all the evidence, we are also considering the proposals in the letter from your predecessor, the views expressed in parliament and views expressed by the WASPI campaign representatives," Kendall wrote.

"Once this work has been undertaken, we will be in a position to outline our approach. "

Asked about this work further during the committee hearing, Kendall emphasised the need for the government to respond "as soon as possible", clarifying however, that "this is extremely complicated".

"I know how long this issue has taken," she stated. "I think even the ombudsman took six years to do his report. It was not responded to by the previous government.

"I want this resolved as quickly as possible but this is again extremely complicated. There is lots of information to go through. We need to get it right but I want this resolved as soon as possible."

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