Europe

UK - Law firm Marineau Johnson has expanded its pensions team with the appointments of Gary Delderfield and Louise Pope as associates.

UK - Government measures to resolve the pensions crisis will not include compulsion or abolishing contracting-out, work and pensions secretary Andrew Smith told delegates at the recent NAPF autumn conference.

UK - Trustees should be vigilant that they are not paying over the odds for active fund managers, a law firm warns.

UK - Chemicals group BOC Group is ending its 18-year contributions holiday after being hit by falling assets and rising liabilities.

UK - KAS Bank has been appointed custodian to the £110m Johnson Group Staff Pension Scheme.

UK - West Yorkshire Ambulance Service workers have voted to take industrial action over their terms and conditions - including pensions.

UK - Falls in equity values may force electricity provider the Viridian Group to restart contributions into its closed £814m final salary pension scheme.

UK - Employees of small to medium-sized firms will receive pension increases worth £2bn over the next three years, according to research from Virgin Money.

UK - Abbey National is outsourcing its pension review services to employee benefits group Jardine Lloyd Thompson.

UK - IFAs that fail to wind-up their pension reviews soon will be at risk of fines from the FSA, warns the Jardine Lloyd Thompson.