On the go: Increased public sector employment driven by the government’s coronavirus pandemic response led to a rise in workplace pension participation last year, according to fresh data from the Office for National Statistics.

On the go: The “outsize role” passive funds find themselves in when it comes to environmental, social and governance investing may be hampering efforts to sustainably invest, according to the Common Wealth think tank.

This week – Mothercare shies away from its pension promises, regulators warn P&O staff over DB transfers, UCU secures mandate for more strikes in USS pensions row, and McCloud remedy causes schemes to breach their cost cap floor.

On the go: The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority has ordered banks against “gaming” deals linked to their defined benefit schemes to offset regulatory requirements.

Employers participating in Local Government Pension Scheme funds could face legal action from members over their schemes’ non-compliance with sharia principles and a failure to offer staff a compliant alternative, according to one legal expert.

On the go: The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has appealed for “a degree of latitude” from regulators in the months after the pensions dashboards are introduced.

Some employers are struggling to provide their Local Government Pension Scheme funds with the necessary information to complete the McCloud data remedy exercises.

On the go: The Labour party is consulting its staff over closing its defined benefit scheme to new members and future accrual for current active members.

ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including Volkswagen’s rebuff of a shareholder letter concerning its so-called “lobbying activities”, and new research revealing widespread ignorance over how pensions are invested.

Retailer Mothercare will not fully pay the first instalment of its deficit repair contributions schedule this month and will enter into negotiations with its schemes’ trustees over its timetable for future payments.