Perhaps Eric can provide a better solution, but one way to get the long
title in the messages would be to create a MAILFORM file for each list
with the messages customized for that list.  Using your example, the file
MD40 MAILFORM could contain the text "You have been added to list MD40
(Discussion on Arms control in the UCC)" hard coded in the message.
 
This would require a separate MAILFORM file for each list, but would
allow custom messages for each list.
 
Harold