Private companies could oversee payments to make up billions in austerity savings. George Galloway’s motion opposes it.

Respect MP George Galloway has submitted a parliamentary motion opposing a proposal to privatise the delivery of pensions. It is being mooted to save money from a department suffering from swingeing budget cuts.

The motion says:

That this House totally opposes any outsourcing to private companies of the delivery of the state pension; notes that the Department for Work and Pensions presently administers £100 billion in public monies; is concerned that a review by the DWP indicates that it is considering privatising the delivery of state pensions in an attempt to slash costs; points out that the service currently employs 7,000 staff and that over 93% of pensioners are satisfied with the current model; believes that the only way savings can be achieved by the department or any private company is by cutting staff, pay and conditions, or by reducing the quality of the service; and urges the government to reject any privatisation proposals for the delivery of the state pension.