train operator Airtrain Citylink was purchased. The scheme has investment costs of .34% in 2019 (compared to 0.32% (32 basis points) total annual administration costs of £124.9m in 2017), and pension administration costs of £69 per member. Criticisms In 1997, following a sustained People & Planet campaign named 'Ethics for USS', USS established a policy on responsible investment, including appointing an advisor on the issue. The scheme came under renewed pressure from 2015, via the 'USS: Step Up' campaign, which had noted investments in tobacco and fossil fuels. As of 2019, USS offers four ethical investment options. Around 8% of members had taken advantage of these. In 2017, it was reported that the USS pension scheme has offshore investments in tax havens. In 2014, USS's highest-paid executive, received a 50% pay increase, to £900,000 and criticism of the high pay of top USS employees grew. In 2018, it was noted that pay for USS's chief executive rose from £484,000 in 2017 to £566,000 in 2018, while two staff members earned over £1m, and running costs stood at £125m per annum. In 2021, the scheme made a pledge to pursue an investment strategy that would be consistent with achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but continued to attract criticism from Ethics for USS, which was concerned that the plans were too vague and timid. USS data shows that in the period between March 2020 to June 2021, the number of USS investments in fossil fuel companies increased from 30 to over 50. New additional investments included the three of the top ten US shale oil producers that USS didn't already hold, plus three of the world's four biggest fracking companies. USS pursues a policy of "engagement" with fossil fuel companies as part of its responsible investment aims. It has had large shareholdings in Shell for many years. At each Shell annual general meeting between 2017 and 2021, USS has voted with the company against shareholder motions calling for emissions targets aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement. In November 2021, two academics, Dr Neil Davies and Dr Ewan McGaughey, commenced legal action, crowd-funded to the tune of over £50,000 by around 1,500 USS members, against USS, accusing the trustees of abuse of power towards scheme beneficiaries and seeking to halt proposed pension cuts and push divestment from fossil fuel companies. Although an initial court order rejected the claim, a High Court hearing