CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS BILL – PENSION PROPOSALS

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Conference
2004 National Lesbian & Gay Conference
Date
30 July 2004
Decision
Carried as Amended

This Conference welcomes the proposed legislation to establish Civil Partnerships, and believes that this will constitute a positive step forward in the legal recognition of our relationships.

However, Conference is concerned that some of the proposals for survivor pensions are flawed and need revision.

Conference believes:

1.Where a final salary scheme provides a spouse’s pension, this entitlement should be extended retrospectively to the whole of the member’s pension;

2.The Inland Revenue’s definition of a dependent for survivor pension purposes should be changed so that partners in a registered partnership may always be assumed to be financially dependent on one another, as is the case for married couples.

Conference therefore instructs the NLGC to work together with Stonewall and the NEC to press for these changes prior to the legislation being enacted.