No, not an early result from the Pickering Review: the headline refers to the DWP’s description of a set of amendments (SI 2002/681) to various contracting-out regs. These come into force on 6 April 2002 and follow consultation with the industry between May and July last year.

These amending Regs

• reduce the amount of information that employers electing to C/O or vary the C/O certificate must provide
• make it easier to commute trivial benefits
• enable commutation of Equivalent Pension Benefits (EPBs) before NPA
• enable transfer of Protected Rights (but not GMPs) to overseas PPs
• reinstate the pre-6.4.97 facility to transfer C/O rights to a s.53 (ie formerly C/O) scheme
• remove the "qualifying" restriction for widow(er)s of COMP and APPS members to inherit Protected Rights on death before vesting
• allow an unmarried person to purchase a single-life annuity with their pre-6.4.97 (as well as post-5.4.97) Protected Rights fund, instead of having to provide for survivors’ benefits.