To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of assets held in (a) self-administered private sector occupational defined benefit schemes, (b) self-administered private sector occupational defined contribution schemes, (c) self-administered public sector defined benefit schemes, (d) insured occupational defined benefit schemes, (e) insured occupational defined contribution schemes, (f) group personal pensions, (g) group stakeholder pensions, (h) individual personal pensions and (i) individual stakeholder pensions. (141552)

I have been asked to reply.

Information on the total value of assets held in each category of pension scheme is not available. The market value of self-administered pension funds in total is collected by ONS as part of the annual balance sheet survey to self-administered pension funds and published as part of the Business Monitor Investment by insurance companies, pension funds and trusts on the National Statistics website. The market value is the difference between their asset holdings and short-term liabilities such as borrowing and other creditors. The latest published figure is £970 billion for end 2005.

The value of other private pension funds is included in aggregates collected by ONS in the annual balance sheet survey to long-term insurance companies. However, the aggregates cover all long-term business, including life assurance, pensions and other business, written by the companies. A split of the insurance companies’ funds between pensions and other business is not available. Consultation with insurance companies has indicated that this split would be too difficult for them to produce on a company basis and that the respondents would not be confident of any data provided on this basis.