Employers could force staff into company pension schemes

A
key report into UK pension regulations could see employers regain the right to
force staff to join company pensions schemes.

The
Financial Times reports that the proposal will be contained in a report from
Alan Pickering, former chairman of the National Association of Pension Funds.

He
told the newspaper that the report will be to be presented to ministers later
this month.

It
is believed the report, ordered by Alistair Darling, former work and pensions
secretary, will also tell ministers they should consider scrapping the second
state pension in a bid to simplify pension regulation.

In
1988 employers lost the right to make membership of company occupational
schemes a condition of employment.

Pickering
said he wanted the current range of more than 20 types of pension to be cut
down to two or three in order to cut red tape.

By Quentin Reade