New online National Pensions Debate

Paul_Herring

D.W.P wrote:

From: National Pensions Debate <national_pensions@email.emv1.com>
Date: Mar 9, 2006 2:01 PM
Subject: Have Your Say - the new online National Pensions Debate

The new look National Pensions Debate website gives you a chance to have your say on the independent Pensions Commission's proposals for reform and to help inform the Government's forthcoming White Paper.

The website contains fact sheets, video presentations from Commission Chairman Adair Turner and questions designed to provide you with an overview of the Commission's proposals and an opportunity to contribute your views.

Results from the online National Pensions Debate will, alongside those from our UK-wide events, play an integral part in the Government's decision-making process. Visit https://www.dwp.gov.uk/debate to make your view count.

For anyone interested.

EdInvestor

It's just propaganda - there are plenty of people who don't agree with what the Pensions Commission says.

caveat_emptor

EdInvestor wrote:

It's just propaganda - there are plenty of people who don't agree with what the Pensions Commission says.

Well thanks for that well considered comment. I would have thought that was the point of the debate.

EdInvestor

Have a look at the questionnaire they have on the site. It requires you to accept the conclusions of the Pensions Commission as gospel and choose which is least worst of the PC's options.

There is nowhere to state you don't agree with the options.

Start with their simple little 'even an idiot can grasp this one' illustration of how many people there are below pension age and above it. Designed to show we have a pensions crisis because there are more old people being supported by fewer young people than there used to be.

But that's not necessarily the point at all. Half of present day pensioners pay tax, for instance, and are thus not only self-supporting, but paying towards other people who need support.In addition many people under pension age don't pay tax, indeed they may be getting benefits - paid for by the taxes of pensioners.

It is said that the upcoming generation of pensioners will be the best-off ever, not least because they include the first generation of women where many worked in a pensionable job: most of today's poor pensioners are elderly widows who never had such a job.

It's far from clear that we have a looming pensions crisis IMHO, that's all I meant.

Paul_Herring

EdInvestor wrote:

Have a look at the questionnaire they have on the site. It requires you to accept the conclusions of the Pensions Commission as gospel and choose which is least worst of the PC's options.

There is nowhere to state you don't agree with the options.

How strange; the questionairre I completed had questions like the following:

D.W.P. wrote:

• Pensioners will have to get poorer compared to the rest of society.
• A greater proportion of our taxes will have to be spent on pensions
• People will have to save more for their own retirement
• People will have to work longer
• More employers will have to contribute to their employee's pensions

All of which I think most people (who know about it) understand to be the results the Commission. My questionairre had "Strongly disagree" as an option available for all of these statements. Did yours not?

EdInvestor

Yes, but if you keep going with the questionnaire you get to the point where you have to make choices between the options on a "one or the other" basis: ie you have to accept their analysis as the correct one and just choose which option is the least worst. Anyone who doesn't agree with the analysis has no way to register their opinion.

BTW, Gordon Brown doesn't agree with the analysis.

Paul_Herring

EdInvestor wrote:

Yes, but if you keep going with the questionnaire you get to the point where you have to make choices between the options on a "one or the other" basis: ie you have to accept their analysis as the correct one and just choose which option is the least worst.

Was this the (IIRC) 2 questions which required you to allocate 10 points (no more, no less) to the 4 options? Well answer it on the basis that those are the only options available (which I realise is what you're balking at here ) - presumably if enough people "strongly disagree" to the leading statements (and there were more of these than the "you must spend 10 points" questions) then this will show in the final analysis.

Not that (as you've already pointed out with GB and the analysis) that the gubbmint is required to take notice of this survey. If the results happily co-incide with policy no doubt we'll see news items stating this. On the other hand if they don't, then the lack of comments regarding this survey will say just as much.

That said, incidentally, this /is/ the 2nd survey about this that I recall; has anyone found the results of the first one?

Nothing in the archives about results, but two links to the old one starting:
http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/aboutus/whats-new-2005.asp