The seminar was held on 17 March in the London offices of CMS Cameron McKenna attended by about 40 delegates.

Mark Grant, partner at CMS Cameron McKenna chaired the seminar and introduced the speakers:

Chris Martin, Premier Pensions Management Actuarial Services who discussed deficits. He asked what a deficit actually means and demonstrated the sensitivity of the assumptions used in his calculations through some interactive modelling software. He then considered the impact of the new Statutory Funding Objective and gave some suggestions on how to eliminate deficits.

Mark himself then looked at the way in which changes to pension schemes will have to be managed as a consequence of the new legislation.

He considered the changes to section 67 of the Pensions Act 1995 and how section 91 must be considered when benefit changes are being discussed. The new Employer Consultation Regulations were considered in some detail and he then finished with consideration of the employment law implications when changes are being considered as well as the role of the trustees.

Keith Webster of CMS Cameron McKenna discussed specific benefit changes introduced at A - Day and in particular looked at tax free cash, unauthorised payments, death benefits and civil partner benefits and then responded to a number of questions from delegates.

The final session was presented by Paul Couchman and Gary Gore of Premier Pensions Management covering the operational management of DB schemes post A-Day.

Paul gave a brief overview of the new environment before discussing the requirements of trustees in particular and providing a summary of other changes including the PPF Levy. Gary provided a case history of an actual client situation in which he had been involved to demonstrate how they had dealt with particular issues arising post the introduction of some of the new legislation.

The seminar concluded with a buffet lunch over which a number of issues raised during the seminar provided some lively debate!!

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