The PPI held a seminar on 23 November 2010 to launch its latest report The Future of the Public Sector Pensions.This research was funded by the Nuffield Foundation and its main goal was to:

• Identify the policy objectives that any Government considering further reforms to the public sector pensions might aim to address
• Identify a set of possible further reforms for the public sector pension schemes that the Government could consider
• Analyse a set of possible reforms against the identified policy objectives and identify what the implications of such reforms might be for public sector employees, and for the overall affordability and sustainability of the schemes.

Neither the PPI, nor the Nuffield Foundation is either calling for, or arguing against, further reforms of the public sector pensions. The research is intended as a contribution to the ongoing public policy debate about the future of the public sector pension schemes.

This research follows a previous discussion paper published in October 2008 that analysed the impact of reforms on public sector pension schemes undertaken by the previous Labour Government between 2005 and 2008 and a more recent discussion paper published in March 2010, which were also funded by the Nuffield Foundation. The seminar was chaired by Sharon Witherspoon, Nuffield Foundation Deputy Director, and it was attended by over 40 people representing a range of interests across the pensions and the public sector.

Niki Cleal, PPI Director, outlined the main findings from the report. Click here to view the report and here to view the presentation

Lord Hutton of Furness (Chair of the Independent Public Sector Commission) gave an update from the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission.

Nigel Stanley (Head of Campaigns and Communications from the Trade Union Congress) provided a public sector employee perspective on the reforms to public sector pension schemes.

Mike Taylor (Chief Executive of the London Pension Fund Authority) provided a public sector employer’s perspective on the future reforms. Click here to view the presentation.

Click here to download the write-up of the event.