Theresa May answers your questions on pensions and women

We have already published the first installment of answers to the questions you recently posed to Theresa May, the newly appointed shadow secretary of state for work and pensions. Here is her second set of answers, covering issues surrounding pensions and her responsibilities as shadow minister for women.

Her final responses are here.

Question from Yogi: Will we have the courage and the will to reform the public sector pensions, and what about the obscene pension schemes provided for MPs?

Theresa May: Public sector workers do extremely important work and are entitled to security in retirement. However, I believe it would be irresponsible to ignore the rising cost of public sector pensions, particularly given the current state of the economy and the public finances, and the fact that many private sector workers have seen their pension savings badly affected by a number of issues including Gordon Brown’s £5bn a year raid on pension funds.  The current total size of unfunded public sector pension liabilities is estimated by some independent experts as being as high as £1 trillion and this is a bill that will ultimately have to be met by taxpayers. Conservatives have long been calling for more transparency in public sector pensions so that taxpayers fully understand the true costs and public sector workers can see just how valuable their retirement benefits are. We have so far taken no firm decisions about the future of public sector pension schemes. It would be inappropriate for us to do so without having proper access to assessments of the costs, and so nothing has been ruled in or out. However, any policy change would ensure that accrued rights were protected. We have always said that moving new MPs onto a defined contribution scheme is a crucial first step in any wider reform of public sector pensions.

Question from John Millar: Could you advise what a future Conservative Government would do to fill the £100 billion plus funding gap in the funding of private pensions. As someone nearing pensionable age and not wishing to be a burden on the State it is my biggest worry.

Theresa May: I also am concerned by the current state of private pension funds in the UK. Unfortunately this Labour Government has heaped red tape and regulation upon private pension funds, making it more cumbersome and expensive for employers to provide good quality schemes. During the passage of the latest Pensions Act, we tabled a number of amendments focused on reducing the regulatory burden on pension schemes, and helping to encourage employers to continue providing good quality schemes. We will continue to pursue this line of approach.

Question from David at Home: John Major’s Tory government restricted the award of state widows’ pensions to young widows and the New Labour government killed them off completely. Will the next Conservative Government reintroduce state widows’ pensions for young widows? If not, then why not?

Theresa May: I understand your concern but given the disastrous economic climate a future Conservative Government would inherit, we simply cannot make any promises.

Question from Steve Foley: Will a future Conservative Government assist those on a fixed income by lowering the age for free TV Licences to the State Pension Age, currently 65? 

Theresa May: Pensioners, especially those on a fixed income, will certainly bear the brunt of this recession. Rising food, fuel and council tax bills take up a greater proportion of a pensioners income; and this was already the case before falling interest rates drastically cut their income from savings. We have already committed to working with local councils to freeze council tax for two years, which would benefit pensioners; and we are pressing the Government to make changes in this year’s budget that would help people who are suffering from the low interest rates on savings. Specifically we want the Chancellor this year to abolish tax on income from savings for basic rate taxpayers and to raise the tax allowance for pensioners by £2,000 to £11,490. These moves would all help pensioners.

Question from Sally Roberts: In these difficult economic times, many women are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for childcare. What can you do to encourage more employers to provide creches or make other arrangements to enable good women to stay in the workforce?

Theresa May: This is a crucial issue. One in five women say they cannot find affordable childcare in their area, and because of the Government’s obsession with state-run, centralised childcare the number of voluntary and independent nurseries and childminders is declining. These different forms of childcare are important to meet the different needs of parents. Another problem is that Gordon Brown’s complicated tax and benefits system means that many women are not claiming the support that they are entitled to. So one thing we must do is simplify the tax and benefits system. I would also like to see a greater take-up of childcare vouchers. These come out of an employee’s salary and go straight towards childcare costs. They are exempt from tax and National Insurance, meaning both the employee and employer benefit. A mother can save up to £99 a month through this arrangement. We hope to see more working parents make use of this.

Question from Peter: You've said (for example, here) that you accept the research showing the pay gap is very much about men and women making different choices of careers and at school, with men being more single-minded and focused on money whereas women are more likely to choose sociable hours, work that interests them, and to take leave to look after children and so on. But if it is true that many women are consciously deciding that other things in their lives and careers matter more than a high salary, is it for politicians to second-guess women's choices and tell them they should instead be making the same decisions as men? I can see why the Conservative Party would want to end discrimination against women in pay, but not why it would want to discourage women from choosing to look after children, or following the career they find most interesting, even if their bank balance suffers.

Theresa May: Peter, what I have always tried to promote is choice. I certainly don’t believe that politicians should be encouraging women either to stay at home or go out to work but I think we have a duty to provide a level playing field for women. Parenthood still has much more of an impact on women’s careers than men’s and I don’t think it needs to, and I don’t believe all fathers are happy with the imbalance either. If we could make our workplaces more parent friendly, accommodating fathers’ responsibilities too, then I believe we could all benefit. This isn’t just about earning less or more, it’s about fairness and choice.

Question from Harry Sharpe: I am currently studying Goverment and Politics as an A level subject and female MPs have been cause for debate recently. In particular the way that New Labour has imposed only women candidates upon certain constituencies to make the party more representative. In your personal opinion do you believe this to be a good step or not and if so, could it practically be introduced to the Conservative party?

Theresa May: I don’t support all-women shortlists. In the Conservative Party we’ve actually made significant progress in selecting high quality women candidates without the need for all women shortlists. I firmly believe that attracting people from a wide range of backgrounds who would make good MPs, should be our prime concern. All MPs should get there on merit. But as a party we did need to do something to address the apparent bias in the selection system which meant that we were missing out on many talented women who could have become MPs. We all need to do more to attract more women and BME candidates to consider a political career. I don’t think that can be done effectively by quotas and restricted shortlists, but by making politics and political parties more accessible. We’ve had success with our women candidates but there is still a lot more to do.

Question from David Strauss: As Shadow Minister for Women, do you think that there should be a Shadow Minister for Men and please give a reason for your answer.

Theresa May: As you can imagine I get asked this a lot! My brief actually covers Women and Equality so men come under this as well. However, I think it’s right to have a specific Minister for Women because of the number of issues that exclusively or predominantly affect women, such as domestic violence, rape, the gender pay gap and other workplace issues. I’m not sure there’s quite the same need for a Minister for Men.

Comments

[David_at_Home]

Thank you for answering my question, Theresa May.

I note that the New “Caring” Conservative Party does not regard the support of widows and orphans as a matter of great importance.

[Tommy]

"I think it’s right to have a specific Minister for Women because of the number of issues that exclusively or predominantly affect women, such as domestic violence, rape, the gender pay gap and other workplace issues."

Yes, domestic violence and rape never affect men.

[JMB]

Tommy - I think 80% of domestic violence and rape victims are women. Hence 'predominantly affect women'.

[GB£.com]

If a man is great at tennis, but excels at 3-set matches, rather than 5, is it not sexually discriminating him not to allow him to enter the Wimbledon women's tournament?

Considering that the prize money for the 3 and 5 set tournaments are now equal, it seems the height of discrimination to bar men from the 3-set tournament based solely on their sex.

[WIlliam's Blake Ghost]

My brief actually covers Women and Equality so men come under this as well. However, I think it’s right to have a specific Minister for Women because of the number of issues that exclusively or predominantly affect women, such as domestic violence, rape, the gender pay gap and other workplace issues. I’m not sure there’s quite the same need for a Minister for Men.

If I lived in her constituency, as a man, I would not vote for her. Making assumptions and sticking your head in the sand about what it's like to be something she can never be shows what a lousy politician she is!

Go find out May earn your money! Prove you do not suffer from the sexual prejudice your words seem to display!

David Cameron should take the 'equality' (sic) brief away from her!

[David_at_Home]

By legislating against “discrimination” against women, successive governments of both parties have made the lives of many women more difficult. I previously cited the case of young widows, for whom the widows’ pension was progressively devalued and then withdrawn. There is also the example of married couples’ personal allowance, the demise of which not only made life harder for married women looking after young children but also for married couples where, for whatever reason, the wife has to be the main breadwinner.

Finally, although state funded organisations and to some extent large companies, may still employ women of child bearing age, employment in SMEs is now virtually a no-go area for such women, other than family members.

In practice, the Conservative Party was rather more caring when it was “nasty”.

[Onemarcus]

I'd love to know if she regrets using her nasty party tag? I certainly do was one of the most stupidest things ever to give the opposition line after line in their speeches.

[Sally Roberts]

" I would also like to see a greater take-up of childcare vouchers. These come out of an employee’s salary and go straight towards childcare costs. They are exempt from tax and National Insurance, meaning both the employee and employer benefit. A mother can save up to £99 a month through this arrangement. We hope to see more working parents make use of this."

Thank you very much Theresa for your very full answer to my question. I think regarding the part of your answer I have quoted here, we need to publicise these Childcare Vouchers more as I suspect very many parents are unaware that they exist.

[Reece Wilkes]

"because of the number of issues that exclusively or predominantly affect women, such as domestic violence, rape, the gender pay gap."

For God's sake, even as a 15 year old I can counteract these aspects - Domestic Violence: New statistics show us that 1 out of 6 men will suffer Domestic Violence in their lifetime, and men in their 20s are MORE likely to be abuse than women of the same age. Rape: Figures in the past have shown that 47 percent of rape allegations are completely false. They don't give any consideration to the fact that men have committed suicide in the past because of false allegations like these. Gender Pay Gap: What about the Gender Health Gap where recent statistics have shown that men are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and are 70% more likely to DIE from any form of cancer than women. All MP's responses are completely a cop-out in regards to calls for a Minister ensuring the welfare of equality for men (A Minister for Men).
WE NEED A MINISTER FOR MEN!!!

[Reece Wilkes]

UPDATE:In my hasty response to the outrageous statement made by Theresa May; she took the idea of a Minister for Men lightly. I inadvertently stated my age as 15, I was 16 in January.