Recommendation 24

HM Treasury told us it does not collect and analyse data on how pension outcomes differ across groups of scheme members or across generations.57 GAD told us that insufficient data means government is unable to analyse similar gaps that are likely to exist in other groups, such as black and minority ethnic members. However, GAD said it would expect that similar gaps exist in the average pensions of black and minority ethnic members compared to white scheme members, because they are similarly affected by differences in historic earnings.58 HM Treasury told us that schemes do not typically hold 48 HM Treasury (Catherine Little) letter to the Committee, 12 May 2021 49 Qq 30–31 50 Qq 30–32, HM Treasury (Catherine Little) letter to the Committee, 12 May 2021 51 Qq 20–21, 30–32, 57–60, 74 52 Q 35 53 Qq 21, 36–41, 57, 74 54 C&AG’s Report, para 11 55 Qq 5–6, 26–29 56 C&AG’s Report, para 11 and Figure 3 57 Qq 57–60 58 Qq 7, 30, 58–60 Public Sector Pensions 15 data on members’ protected characteristics (other than gender because this is relevant to longevity assumptions), because of data protection regulations.59 However, HM Treasury recognised the possibility that there could be other legal challenges in the future.60