Public sector pensions face 'Fair Deal' cut

David Cameron has proposed to allow private sector companies to bid for public services. However, an interim report from the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission, published in October 2010, highlighted fears the nature of public sector pensions may deter all but the largest companies from bidding. Under the Fair Deal guidelines introduced in the late 1990s companies buying up sections of the public sector must provide comparable pensions to the staff involved. The commission warns this is "a barrier to non-public service providers, potentially reducing the efficiencies an...