The collapse of BHS has caused MPs to widen their inquiry to include DB schemes in general.

Following a report on the collapse of BHS and its pension fund (PFI, 29 July), MPs are widening their inquiry to all defined benefit schemes.

The Work and Pensions Committee will look at whether the Pensions Regulator should be given extra powers.

Lesley Titcomb, the chief executive of the Pensions Regulator, will be called to give evidence.

She will be asked to explain whether she could have used her existing powers to block the sale of BHS, having previously told MPs that she learnt about the sale of BHS through the newspapers.

Sir Phillip Green sold BHS to Dominic Chappell with a "gigantic" black hole in its pension fund, according to the report, which led to 20,000 BHS pensioners facing a lower income in retirement.

"The lessons of BHS must be learnt," said Frank Field MP, the chair of the Work and Pensions Committee.

"This may mean strengthening the powers and resolve of the Pensions Regulator to act early, quickly and firmly, with those who seek to avoid their pension responsibilities.

"It is important, however, that businesses that are run reputably and responsibly are not put under undue restriction."

The inquiry into defined benefit pensions will also look at other companies with big deficits in their pension schemes, such as Tata Steel and BT.

A recent funding update found the BT pension scheme had a current deficit of £9.9bn, one of the largest of any British business.

The inquiry will examine the adequacy of the Regulator's powers, the level of its resource, the skills of its staff, and whether it should be more proactive

The Pensions Regulator has also been criticised for having too light a touch in relation to master trust schemes, involving auto-enrolment pensions.

First published 11.08.2016

Lindsay.sharman@wilmingtonplc.com