Europe

UK - Pensions administration specialist Aquila has launched a new service which gives pension funds increased use of the internet.

UK/EUROPE - Company pension costs could double if a union successfully sues the government for failing to protect members' pensions rights, HighamNobbs Consulting warns.

UK - B&CE has chosen Aqera to provide software to produce statutory money purchase illustrations on its EasyBuild pension scheme.

UK - Average salaries for actuaries rose from over £39,000 to around £42,500 in the year to August 2002, a new study shows.

UK - A law firm wants the pensions ombudsman's jurisdiction extended to allow complaints against third-party administrators by employers.

UK - The Conservative Party has accused the government of abdicating responsibility for final salary scheme closures.

EUROPE - ITG Europe, the technology-based equity trading services group, has named Frances Smyth to the newly created post of director of research sales.

UK - Economic growth in the UK will be disappointingly slow and lacklustre over the coming year.

UK/US - Slashing red tape could cut schemes' transatlantic equities trading costs by up to 60%, the International Securities Market Association claims.

UK/EUROPE - Company pension costs could double if a union successfully sues the government for failing to protect members' pensions rights, HighamNobbs Consulting warns.