A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the government and the Fire Brigades Union over pension rules for retained firefighters, potentially allowing thousands to claim pension entitlements dating back earlier in their careers once legislation is passed.

The Ministry of Justice has announced it will compensate judges who incur additional tax liabilities as a result of the immediate choice they will take later this year, while other departments left their proposals largely unchanged following consultations on phase one of the McCloud remedy.

On the go: Staff at Staffordshire University are set to walk out over plans to hire new staff through a subsidiary company, meaning they will not be given access to a defined benefit pension.

On the go: The Universities Superannuation Scheme has discouraged members from using alternative benefits modellers to work out how they will fare following the conclusion of the scheme’s 2020 valuation, warning that they operate on very different assumptions to those agreed by employers and the trustee.

The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has recommended three thresholds that must be met before pensions dashboards are launched to the public, but there is widespread industry concern around liability for incorrect or misinterpreted information, and significant doubts whether its launch is achievable by the government’s preferred dates.

This week – Pensions minister bemoans lack of long-term vision in industry, government confirms it will impose McCloud remedy costs on public sector schemes, dashboards’ staging deadline slated as too ambitious, and Abrdn and XPS announce DB master trust launch.

Podcast: LCP partner Mary Spencer and Cartwright’s director of investment consulting Sam Roberts debate the merits of expanding auto-enrolment, discuss pension schemes’ reaction to war in Ukraine, and explore the industry’s readiness for long-term inflation.

Pensions minister Guy Opperman has suggested a reshuffle may be on the cards, and has criticised a perceived lack of long-term vision in the pensions industry.

On the go: The Pensions Regulator is considering league tables as a way of implementing a new value for money framework for pension schemes, though it is not “leaning towards” them at present.

On the go: Unions have suspended plans for more strike action at 23 private schools to allow talks to take place over planned changes to teachers’ pensions.