To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what estimate he has made of the annual change in the cost to the public purse arising from the recent changes to civil service pensions; and if he will make a statement. (229487)

I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron) on 26 July 2007, Official Report, column 105WS, which gave details of the package of civil service pension reform. The impact to date of the introduction of the nuvos scheme on the overall membership of the civil service pension scheme, and on overall costs, is limited. However, the scheme actuary has estimated long-term annual savings in employer contributions at 1.2 per cent. of the total pensionable payroll (the total pensionable payroll is currently around £14 billion).

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants will receive payments from the civil service pension scheme in 2008-09. (231289)

Details of benefits payable under the principal civil service pension scheme will be included in the Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation Resource Accounts 2008-09, expected to be published shortly before the summer recess.