To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what retirement ages are set for members of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and what estimate she has made of the number of scheme members eligible to retire at 60 years under the Rule of 85 test. (261990)

The Local Government Pension Scheme has a retirement age of 65 although members can choose to retire from age 60 when their pension may be subject to actuarial reduction. New benefit arrangements came into force from 1 April 2008, and as part of its development it was estimated that some 14 per cent. of members would be covered by the rule of 85 transitional protection up to 31 March 2016, and a further 6 per cent. by the removal of the tapered protection between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2020.