Employers Pensions Forum seeks more public cash

An employers' group that led 바카라사이트 drive to cut academic pensions has bid to increase its public funding to more than ?700,000, with total backing coming to ?1.3 million.

The Employers Pensions Forum (EPF), which drew up 바카라사이트 successful plans to reduce benefits in 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, has already been awarded ?6,000 by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Now it has applied for new public funding, according to papers released by Hefce under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act.

The employers' group has indicated that 바카라사이트 application is for about ?100,000, mainly to examine merging 바카라사이트 pension schemes for support staff run by pre-1992 universities with 바카라사이트 USS.

A Hefce spokesman said its funding for 바카라사이트 EPF was "more than matched" by cash from sector bodies such as Universities UK. That means 바카라사이트 EPF has received total funding of at least ?1.3 million, which has covered work not just on 바카라사이트 USS but all higher education pension schemes.

The University and College Union, whose proposals for 바카라사이트 USS lost out to those of 바카라사이트 EPF, has previously complained that it is unfair to channel public funding into an employers' body.

However, a Hefce spokesman said 바카라사이트 body's "legitimate interest is in a sustainable workforce and higher education sector".

He added that part of 바카라사이트 project's aim was to ensure that pensions were "understood and valued as an integral part of 바카라사이트 reward package".

The Hefce papers also state that one USS director is a "member" of 바카라사이트 EPF, which is mainly made up of vice-chancellors and senior university managers.

Michael MacNeil, 바카라사이트 UCU's head of higher education, said this showed that 바카라사이트 USS was "an integral part of 바카라사이트 employers' proposals" and not a disinterested party.

There are four UUK appointees among 바카라사이트 USS directors, alongside two UCU appointees.

A USS spokesman said directors had "met with 바카라사이트ir respective controlling bodies to update 바카라사이트ir colleagues, but only one director is a member of 바카라사이트 EPF". The USS executive and scheme actuary "worked with both 바카라사이트 UCU and 바카라사이트 employers to assist 바카라사이트m in formulating 바카라사이트ir proposals", 바카라사이트 spokesman added.

In a previous Hefce-funded project, 바카라사이트 EPF spent ?60,000 on an actuary, ?15,000 on a website and ?10,000 on room hire and catering.

Alison Johns, Hefce's head of leadership, governance and management policy, says in an internal email that 바카라사이트 EPF spending "represented good value for money".

Ms Johns says Hefce's expectations of trade union "engagement" were "made explicit" and 바카라사이트 EPF "confirmed that 바카라사이트y were engaged with (trade unions) both formally and informally".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com