How did it feel to be given the pensions brief?

Delighted! I have been very interested in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and this brief in particular for many years. I knew that it was an important job, in a vibrant industry, with lots of interesting challenges and opportunities so I was naturally excited to accept it and get on with the job.

What do you think will be most challenging area to tackle in pensions?

While automatic enrolment is so far proving to be a great success with more than 8.7 million people now enrolled, there is still an ongoing challenge to make it even better. It’s a seismic shift in the way this country thinks about pensions and savings and there is still work to do to increase contributions and coverage. We’re working hard on that.

What is the one thing you would like to achieve as Pensions Minister that you would like to be remembered for?

Taking good long-term decisions to get our pensions system match fit for the future.

Outside of politics what are your hobbies?

I’m sport mad. I’m an ageing amateur jockey and veteran of many cricket tours supporting England.

The industry would love to know more about you, what was your dream job as a child…pensions minister?

I would have loved to be a professional steeplechase jockey and novelist.

What is your greatest work achievement so far?

I think I need to pick two things I’ve done on tackling inequality in society. First, setting up the Tynedale Community Bank and providing old fashioned savings and loans to local people – taking on Wonga. Secondly helping dozens of women get into parliament as Women2Win co-chairman. We’re really starting to see the benefits of that now with some great new parliamentarians.

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