20. To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that more women are entitled to the full state pension. (102915)

The Queen’s Speech announced we would bring forward a Bill to provide for the long-term reform of pensions.

It will set out the way we intend to implement the White Paper proposals which will ensure more women are entitled to better state pension outcomes.

In particular, reducing the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic State Pension to 30 will increase the proportion of women reaching State Pension age in 2010 entitled to full basic State Pension to over 70 per cent., compared with around 30 per cent. today. Additionally it will include measures to allow more women to accrue better State Second Pension entitlement.