United Kingdom

UK - The £155m Provident Financial Staff Pension Scheme is holding a review to decide whether to make the switch to a defined contribution scheme.

UK - Trinity Mirror has hit back at claims that it is using a review of its DB schemes as a pretext to close them to new members.

UK - Auditors should consider differential pricing for audits of high-risk companies and pension scheme clients, PricewaterhouseCoopers claims.

UK - Two former Equitable Life board members - who are currently being sued by their ex-employer - left the troubled mutual with large payouts.

UK - Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has proposed simpler pensions products in a bid to encourage more people to start saving.

UK - Standards within socially responsible investment are dropping as its market grows, a report by radical think-tank the New Economics Foundation claims.

UK - Companies can mitigate the brutal and blunt snapshot FRS17 gives of pension liabilities by give more scheme details in their accounts, Bacon & Woodrow claims.

EUROPE/UK - Harmonisation of EU cross-border tax relief on pensions has moved a step closer following a test case at the European Court of Justice, legal experts believe.

UK - Trevor Smith of the Pension Trust is to step down from his role as deputy chief executive.

UK - Pension scheme asset allocation decisions should be taken away from trustees and handed over to finance directors, a top-level discussion group heard.