Scottish Life’s continuing criticism of Standard Life’s personal pension products has caused John Lawson to justify Standard Life’s PP charges

The self-invested personal pension (Sipp) market has made vast gains over the last 12 months, jumping from 148,000 plans last year to 244,250 plans in 2007, according to the annual PM Sipp survey.

The government’s proposals for the personal accounts regime to be introduced in 2012 has drawn broad consensus within the industry regarding the appropriate level for yearly contributions, but some factions have called for trivial commutation limits to be “urgently” reviewed.

While it is vital that personal accounts do not undermine good quality occupational or private pensions, it is also essential that people who use personal accounts are able to save enough to secure a decent income in retirement. The cap on contributions must be set at a level which allows people to save up to two-thirds of their income – the level that people say they want.”

Spinnaker Group is launching a product offering defined contribution (DC) schemes a chance to reduce the cost of maintaining their deferred members.

Employers continue to use share plan structures as a core element of their employee benefit packages with minimal impact from accounting standards introduced in 2004, according to research from IFS ProShare.

There have been many stories about subprime mortgages in the financial press recently. What exactly is a subprime mortgage?

Bramdean Asset Management is preparing to ride the wave of interest in alternative investment and open up the market to “investors beyond very wealthy and institutional clients” by launching a fund of funds which will offer globally diversified investment across private equity, hedge funds and speciality asset classes.

New research by SEI suggests the buzz surrounding liability-driven investment (LDI) is more hot air than action, with only 20% of those polled globally – and 19% of UK pension schemes – actually implementing an LDI strategy.

The debate over responsible investment persists with the publication of a Headland Consultancy study concluding climate change has yet to influence investment behaviour.

Atlantis Investment Management has launched a China healthcare fund, which it says is the first of its kind to specialise in this sector in the country.

Alas, it appears that poor Kermit was wrong. It is easy being green – and there are ever increasing opportunities for fund managers to invest in companies who act in an environmentally sound fashion. From renewable energy innovators to carbon traders to underwater loggers (yes, really), there are a veritable cornucopia of ‘green’ stocks that may prove to be profitable long-term investments.

Critics have denounced the decision to merge the Pensions Ombudsman (PO) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), recommended by the Thornton Review, as “ill thought-out” and “flawed”.

PM can reveal that Axa is finally on the brink of entering the UK wrap platform market.

Thousands of private investors are being stung by dreadful returns on so-called ‘low risk’ corporate bonds from big-name providers as they lag far behind the supposedly far riskier UK All Companies sector, which has performed very well over the last few years.

Women are still pulling the short straw when it comes to retirement saving, according to two new pieces of research.

• METLIFE research suggests 87% of IFAs have seen an increase in demand for flexible retirement products. But it also showed that seven out of 10 advisers reported a worrying levels in the lack of understanding among clients.
• BANK of ireland Asset Management (BIAM) has appointed Carl McAndrew to replace Olivier Santamaria as managing director. Santamaria has been reappointed head of institutional relationship management for BIAM’s Irish customer business. McAndrew previously served as head of business development for four years.
• milan KHATRI, chief economist at Arlington Securities, has commented on the decision to leave UK interest rates unchanged until later this summer, when a rise of 25 bp is expected. Khatri commented the hike was likely to raise inflation risks.
• paternoster chief executive Mark Wood has warned that liabilities are still a major issue for pension funds despite recent reports that several UK pension schemes are now in surplus. He said bulk buyout negotiations were becoming much more aggressive as more companies entered the market.
• INTREPID INVESTMENTS has launched a new portfolio in Germany consisting of 10 properties. The firm said its new acquisitions anticipate a growth rate of around 20% IRR.
• standard life has announced the addition of eight new external funds to its life and pensions range. The alternative investment funds are provided by Macquarie, Investec, JP Morgan, Schroders and UBS.

The Pensions Regulator has bared its teeth by issuing its first financial support direction (FSD) to Sea Containers, to bolster its two UK defined benefit pension schemes.

Pension schemes will be watching closely as to the outcome of the talks between the Pensions Regulator and the Work and Pensions Select Committee over how effective the regulator has been in the Boots pension row.

Hornbuckle Mitchell has called on the UK government to scrap the spouse’s pension requirement and realise it cannot pursue a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show an increase in the number of requests for state pension forecasts, suggesting a growth in public interest in pensions.

Mercer Human Resources Consulting has set up a new European financial strategy group to meet demand for integrated, multi-disciplinary services within the pensions risk management sector.

Research into the state of UK pension fund deficits has produced conflicting reports as to how well the industry is faring.

Ace European Group has warned sponsor employers may struggle to recruit future trustees as growing concerns about personal liabilities and the requirement for funding and investment knowledge deter people from the role.

I read with interest the recent article by Tor Financial Consulting on “The Workplace Wrap”. At Standard Life we’ve been looking at the potential for extending wrap platforms into the corporate market. We have come to the conclusion that platform solutions will play a significant role in the provision of employee benefits in future.

Standard Life is hoping to spread the financial awareness message to primary school children through the medium of storytelling

One of the risks of the government’s proposed new personal account scheme is that employers who already offer a generous pension scheme for their employees may feel compelled to reduce contributions (or ‘level down’) in order to stay in business.

Perhaps now more than ever trustees rely heavily on the guidance they receive from their advisers.

There’s simply going to be no turning back the tide of decline in good occupational provision, argues Ian Farr, chairman of the Association of Consulting Actuaries

Way back in 1966, when Bob Dylan brought out his Blonde on Blonde LP, most of the people I knew thought that was just about the main event of the year. I sort of agree with that, but at the time I was pretty much of the opinion that it was the three issues, numbers 48 through to 50, of the Fantastic Four comic produced by Marvel that defined the year.

Steve Delo talks to Antoinette Odoi about his enthusiasm for pensions and how he would like to see the industry combat the flagging interest in them, particularly among the young

Debate has recently been triggered over definitions such as “appropriate authority” and the issue of a pensions ombudsman’s freedom to interpret a scheme rule

In light of the FSA’s treating customers fairly guidelines, companies will be required to demonstrate the quality of their service more than ever

As the decline in UK yields has ended and investor confidence in risky asset classes has risen, we ask: Is a bottoming-out in European property yields really close at hand?

A lack of financial knowledge has contributed to more than 90% of scheme members opting for default funds. But will these strategies be able to deliver what they promise?

Organisations have increasingly been looking to BPO as a strategy to tackle service issues. But what is the effect and relevance of this to advisers?

Productivity and service improvements in the UK plus Indian wage inflation see offshore focus switch from call centres to back office functionality

Consolidation is the name of the game as the numbers posted by the bigger players continue to force the rest onto the defensive while outsiders covet the prime profits on offer

Types of outsourcing deals have evolved over the years, as have outsourcing suppliers themselves. So here’s the Troika formula for excellence, reduced to seven steps

Another year of rapid growth for the Sipp market has seen an abundance of new products and providers join the pensions fast lane

John Moret advocates flying the pension flag as early as possible, and has evidence to boot...

The demographic of the Sipp investor is broader than ever before, and the plan is now accessible to less wealthy investors. But how will the market respond?

The transition towards defined contribution (DC) continues apace, but how do you see the general state of occupational DC?

Before we begin discussing emerging market equities, David is going to give us a brief summary of some research he has conducted that may help to shape the conversation.

Pensions have been high on the agenda during the Labour government’s 10 years in power. But what will its response to the crisis mean for current and and future generations?

The typical consumer has no problem choosing a meal in a restaurant. Maybe this is because we know that all pasta tastes more or less the same...

The role of scheme administrator carries with it many possible legal implications concerning unauthorised payments, as Phil Clarke sets out to explain

Trustees must have a working knowledge of their scheme’s documents to be in line with the requirements of the pensions act

Are hedge funds a safe bet? Opinion is mixed despite the increasingly frequent view among trustees that they are safe and profitable

Punter Southall has welcomed the return of their former actuary, Danny Vassiliades, who after 16 months at Mercer Human Resources Consulting, has returned to his old stomping ground.

Atlantis Investment Management has appointed Yang Liu and Tony Jordan as co-chairmen, a year after the death of founder and chief executive Peter Irving.

Xafinity has made a string of appointments to its pensions administration and software companies.