Lawyers specialising in mergers and acquisitions and pensions have largely welcomed a proposal that would oblige firms that want to acquire a UK public company to publish their plans for its pension scheme - but some warn it would be tough to make the idea work in practice.

In March, the UK's Takeover Panel asked for suggestions on how it could improve its rules governing corporate mergers and acquisitions, following political controversy over the takeover of UK chocolate-maker Cadbury by the US foods group Kraft.