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Pensions UK Investment Conference coverage
Pensions UK: Mandation, markets and the future of pensions
Pensions UK’s new defined contribution policy chief Phil Brown looks back at the trade body’s investment conference earlier this month and the key themes and talking points that emerged.
Volatility, value, and venture: Top stories from the Pensions UK Investment Conference
Pensions Expert picks the top stories from a busy week, from the pensions minister’s latest update on mandation, to how the biggest schemes are tackling volatility and uncertainty.
Always A Pensions Angle: Live From Edinburgh!
In this special edition of the Always a Pensions Angle podcast, Nick and Tom give us the lowdown on all the biggest stories to come out of the recent Pensions UK Investment Conference in Edinburgh.
Why Nest is embracing deliberative democracy
The UK’s largest master trust is exploring innovative ways in which to achieve better member representation within its governance structure.
Lay trustees remain important as sector consolidates, government says
An external voice is needed “to ask the difficult questions that sometimes professionals either don’t want to hear or don’t quite understand”, says Des Healy of the DWP at a conference in Edinburgh.
Government bodies advocate ‘significant’ opportunity in venture capital
Senior representatives from the Office for Investment, the British Business Bank, and the National Wealth Fund sought to flesh out the investment narrative and explain why pension funds should be confident about investing in UK private markets.
Is ESG investing in the best interests of pension scheme members? [Updated]
Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas and ex-cabinet minister Michael Gove debated climate change investing and fiduciary duty in a session at the Pensions UK Investment Conference.
To insource or to outsource? That is the question
Three of the UK’s largest pension investors take different approaches to the balance of insourcing and outsourcing investment expertise and capabilities, as Louise Farrand reports.
‘Mess with fiduciary duty at your peril’: USS chief welcomes government approach
The government is taking the right approach to fiduciary duty in planning guidance rather than legislating, according to the chief executive of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
Bell defends salary sacrifice cap and rejects incentive concerns
“The wider changes on salary sacrifice are happening because you should want a government that keeps tax reliefs under review,” pensions minister Torsten Bell said.
Government to limit scope of mandation clause, pensions minister says
Torsten Bell says the Pension Schemes Bill will be amended to ensure that the mandation clause only relates to the Mansion House Accord and cannot be used for other purposes.
Amber alert: Industry weighs risks of Value for Money ratings
Amber ratings being introduced through the Value for Money framework should encourage dialogue and reform, not knee-jerk reactions, regulators say.
How the UK’s largest pension schemes have navigated recent volatility
Investment bosses from Border to Coast, People’s Pension and Railpen outline how their governance structures have helped them navigate market turbulence in recent months
Other news from Pensions Expert
Torsten Bell to remain as pensions minister following reshuffle
There will be continuity in the Department for Work and Pensions as Torsten Bell and Pat McFadden keep their roles following the cabinet reshuffle under new prime minister Andy Burnham.
No one answer to low earners’ pension dilemma, says PPI
No single change to the auto-enrolment regime will protect all low earners, according to the Pensions Policy Institute, with the removal of the lower earnings limit posing short-term affordability issues for many.
Bulk annuities: Sub-£25m deals continue as Royal London, Aviva and Just all active
The small end of the bulk annuities market remains vibrant, with sub-£25m deals completed by a number of insurers.
Pension transfer reform needs rethink to ensure consistency, industry says
Respondents to a government consultation have warned that some elements need more work, including a requirement for ceding schemes to assess the appropriateness of a receiving arrangement.
Smiths Group secures £760m bulk annuity deal with M&G
The FTSE 100-listed engineering company has now insured its entire defined benefit pension scheme through a series of transactions over the past few years.
Six in 10 pensions professionals doubt CDC will gain traction
Explaining how CDC works could be a major obstacle to the model’s success, according to industry professionals polled by Sackers. Almost half of respondents said key features would be challenging to communicate.
Railpen grows central London property footprint with Smithfield project
The £34bn pension fund has secured planning consent to redevelop a central London site into a large multi-use property site as part of a wider aim to invest in high-quality commercial real estate.
Trade bodies hit back as master trusts face planned 9% levy increase
A consultation on levy changes was published by the Department for Work and Pensions earlier this week, proposing significant increases in payments in an attempt to cover a rising funding shortfall.
Brightwell to administer Rolls-Royce scheme following buyout
Pension Insurance Corporation has completed a £4.3bn buyout of the Rolls-Royce Pension Fund in nine months, a transition aided by a new administration partnership with Brightwell.
DB schemes end first half with £264bn surplus on PPF measure
Despite the broadly positive position, the PPF’s data showed that the aggregate position of schemes in deficit on a PPF basis worsened over the course of June.