Europe

UK - Prudential has outsourced the management of its entire small self-administered scheme (SSAS) portfolio to James Hay Pension Trustees.

UK - The Isle of Man's collective funds industry has seen an increase in the number of funds of over 45% over the year to 30 June 2002, new research from Fitzrovia International reveals.

UK - Non-executive directors are not "up to the job" of policing company boards on the behalf of schemes.

EUROPE/UK - Overly-generous occupational pension schemes are encouraging workers to take early retirement, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says.

UK - Industry figures fear the government will use the pensions green paper to launch another assault on tax-free lump sums.

UK/AUSTRALIA/US - The Trades Union Congress has warned the Government against copying "failed" American attempts to improve the pension system.

UK - The number of companies closing their pension schemes to new members has almost doubled in the past year, new figures from the NAPF show.

UK - Royal London Asset Management has won a £130m UK corporate bond mandate from the £4bn West Midlands Metropolitan Authorities Pension Fund.

UK - A county council is reintroducing tobacco companies in its portfolio because trustees fear they could be sued for failing to get the "best financial return".

UK - Socially responsible pension funds are being urged to sell all their investments in arms companies.