To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the failure of five public sector pension schemes to take account of the guaranteed minimum pension element in 95,000 overpayment cases was due to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) not advising the schemes, to a failure of the schemes to act on HMRC advice, or to design failure in the schemes' computer systems. [HL1224]

The Written Statement by my right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16 December (Official Report, col. 111 WS-113WS) explained the circumstances in which pension overpayments occurred and the further steps the Government are taking to identify the causes of the problem. As my right honourable friend’s Statement explained, he has commissioned the National Audit Office (NAO) to carry out a review of the end-to-end process in order to pinpoint accountabilities. It is not appropriate to comment on the causes of the error until the NAO's work has concluded. The House will be updated in due course.