Esther McVey

The secretary of state for work and pensions has told MPs clawback and avoidance measures could be imposed for the people responsible for driving Carillion over the cliff.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) will be given the power to fine company bosses who deliberately puts their defined benefit (DB) schemes at risk, the government has confirmed.

A new criminal offence of neglecting pension responsibilities will be announced in a pensions white paper this week, the prime minister has confirmed.

"We must do something, this is something, therefore we must do this," is the politician's fallacy famously expounded by Sir Humphrey Appleby in the BBC sitcom Yes, Prime Minister.

This week's top stories included the government suggesting it may review the order of creditors in an insolvency event, and Barclays defending plans to move responsibility for its DB scheme to its investment banking arm.

The government has indicated it may change the order in which debts are recovered during an insolvency, putting pension schemes higher up the hierarchy.

Respondents say dividend clearance regime for firms with pension deficits is a bad idea.

This week's top stories included coverage of Theresa May's reshuffle, in which the Department for Work and Pensions was given its fifth secretary of state within two years.

Esther McVey must ensure current pension projects are not neglected and continue the success of auto-enrolment (AE) as a priority, industry commentators say.

Esther McVey has been appointed secretary of state for work and pensions in a major promotion for the MP.