Europe

UK - The Royal Bank of Scotland is improving pension benefits for its part-timer workers.

UK - The £1.8bn Essex County Council pension fund is the only scheme to have managed a full bulk transfer of member AVCs from Equitable Life, a survey shows.

UK/EUROPE - The investment consulting industry has split into two distinct camps over selling manager-of-manager products.

UK - Pension funds have welcomed new proposals that would force companies to declare share incentive schemes in their accounts.

UK - Hymans Robertson has appointed Karen McWilliam as a consultant.

UK/EU - Pensions rights for same-sex partners have moved a step closer following a Court of Appeal ruling, gay campaigners believe. But lawyers claim the decision - which involves a tenancy agreement - will not apply to pensions.

UK - Trade unions are urging the government to make pension scheme membership and employer contributions compulsory.

UK/EUROPE - The investment consulting industry has split into two distinct camps over selling manager-of-manager products.

UK - Former Marconi finance director John Mayo has lodged a £1.6m claim against the beleaguered firm for underfunding his pension.

UK - A test case could resolve part-timer issues over backdated pension contribution repayments, lawyers claim.