NETHERLANDS - The Dutch government will proceed with its plans to raise the pension age to 67, after advisory body SER failed to produce a unified proposal on ways to avoid the increase.

UK - The next government should introduce an independent pensions commission to provide long-term continuity over pensions policy, a survey by GP's sister publication Professional Pensions revealed.

NORWAY - Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) has submitted shareholder proposals at four US companies, requiring them to have an independent chairman.

The government must do much more to back employers who are prepared to offer quality private sector pension schemes, Association of Consulting Actuaries chairman Keith Barton says.

GLOBAL - Worldwide private equity fundraising has plunged in the third quarter of this year to levels unseen since 2003 following the dot com bubble, latest data from Preqin revealed.

US - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Enforcement should ensure its personnel is specialised in specific areas to better tackle future investigations, a report by the SEC's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) said.

UK - The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund has insured around £500m (US$799m) of its pension liabilities through a bulk annuity buy-in deal with Lucida.

The combined deficit of UK pension schemes at the end of the third quarter is set to be £100bn higher than at the start of the year, KPMG data reveals.

UK - Buyout provider Paternoster will have the ability to write new business after shareholders agreed to inject £5m (US$8m) of new capital into the group.

Buyout provider Paternoster will have the ability to write new business after shareholders agreed to inject £5m of new capital into the group.