United Kingdom

UK - The Caparo Group has wound up one of its pension schemes and frozen the other over fears of future liabilities.

UK - William M Mercer has made a series of new leadership appointments in the areas of administration and retirement.

UK - Defined benefit pension schemes that have contracted-out may be forced to switch to defined contribution because rebates are too low, new research reveals.

UK - Actuaries and consultants Barnett Waddingham are disappointed by the consultative document issued by the Inland Revenue and the Department for Work and Pensions in February.

UK - The pay gap between directors and their employees has continued to rise despite opposition from the public, according to a TUC report, 'Executive excess - time to act', published today.

UK - Now that the traditionally heavy February/March reporting season is over and, generally, companies fulfilled what were low expectations after last year's slowdown, Schroders says there are now some grounds to be more optimistic.

UK - Watson Wyatt, which advises 49 of the 100 largest corporate pension schemes in the UK, estimates that about 50% of FTSE-100 companies reporting as at December 31, 2001 will be showing an FRS17 deficit for their UK pension scheme.

UK - Work and Pensions Secretary Alistair Darling has announced the appointment of Wendy Beaver (pictured) and Laurie Edmans as Board members of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra), with effect from April 1, 2002.

UK - Following the recent acquisition and integration of Blairlogie Capital Management, Britannic Asset Management has expanded its investment team with the addition of an investment director and six former Blairlogie fund managers.

UK/EUROPE - Fidelity Investments, part of the world's largest independent fund management organisation, has appointed Martin Hall as executive director, fixed income.