"But we all acknowledge there can be no mis-selling or restorative action without ruining what's left of the country2
No we don't. We realise that might look the case viewing pensions in isolation but not when the bigger picture is viewed. Since an individual forced to work on, instead of retiring, doesn't free up an employment opportunity for someone on welfare, the true cost of not the pension in itself, it is the pension minus the saved welfare costs of someone who would then find employment.
It's all a big con. Private companies may have a semi legitimate compaint they don't have the resource to honour their commitments, but it was they who took 'pension holidays' because the kitty was 'so large'. They ought to factor in the costs of their shortsightedness. Were it a supplier's bill rather than a pension thing, they'd not have it so easy.