United Kingdom

UK/JAPAN - Railpen Investments and Pensions Management (rpmi) have urged nearly 200 Japanese firms to review their board structures to better maximise shareholder value.

UK - Lincoln International, a mid-market investment bank, has opened a London office, with plans to advise UK pension fund trustees on deficit funding and transaction issues.

UK - A dispute between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and scientists at the Trident nuclear weapons facility may escalate to industrial action following changes to pension contribution rates for the defined benefit (DB) scheme.

UK - The aggregate deficit for UK pension schemes dropped sharply in 2007, ending the year at a low of £2bn (US$3.9bn) and seeing almost half of all UK schemes in surplus, despite market volatility and the credit crunch.

UK - Union leaders have called off strikes due to affect many of the UK's largest airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick, after concessions made by airport operator BAA over the closure of the company's defined benefit (DB) pension scheme were accepted...

UK - People who do not claim unemployment benefits during their working life would be rewarded with a higher pension, under a plan published today by social and economic thinking forum Politeia.

UK - FTSE 100 company pension plans regained much lost ground in 2007, according to research by Deloitte actuaries.

UK - The government has been urged to remove a ban on conditionally indexed pension schemes to give employers certainty over long-term costs.

UK - Air travellers could face a reprieve if union representatives agree to new BAA proposals tomorrow and call off impending airport workers' strikes.

UK - Air travellers face New Year chaos as BAA staff voted in favour of strike action over the closure of its final salary pension scheme to new entrants.