Steve Webb, the Pensions Minister, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) and has insisted that the current review of the system would not cause delays to its launch.

NEST is the proposed new pension scheme for workers who currently have no pension cover from their employers.  It is due to be launched in 2012.  Workers will be automatically enrolled into the scheme unless they indicate they want to opt out.

Speaking at a conference organised by the Association of British Insurers this week, Webb said of the Coalition Government’s plans for auto-enrolment: “You look at the coalition document. Page one, world peace. Page two, automatic enrolment to workplace pensions. It’s in there for a reason, because we remain committed to it.”

He defended the review of NEST that is currently underway, saying it was being undertaken to “make absolutely sure we’ve got it spot on”.

The review was necessary he said, because the Pensions Commission inquiry which  originally proposed the scheme, took place five years ago.  He also pointed out that average life expectancy in the UK had increased by a year since in the meantime.

“The review team can absolutely come back to us and say ‘”he policy you inherited is the policy you should take forward’,” he said.

Webb added that if NEST remained “as right an answer now as when we originally conceived of it”, it would go ahead.

He said: “If they come back and say we need to look at changes to make it work differently, we will look at that as well.”

However, he noted the current timetable for NEST, which will see select companies begin auto-enrolment next year, was not being reviewed.