United Kingdom

UK - The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has tendered for a consultant to work on the risk based levy to be applied to schemes from 2010 onwards.

IRELAND - Pension funds could face fee increases of up to 2400% if The Pensions Board goes ahead with plans to demand higher charges from members to cover higher staffing costs in 2009.

NETHERLANDS - The Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon Corporation has received approval from the Dutch regulator to complete its acquisition of ABN AMRO Mellon Global Securities Services BV.

UK - The Government has reneged on a promise to grant equal pension rights to working mothers with National Insurance contribution gaps, by allowing them to purchase up to nine years worth of 'top-up' contributions.

Morley and Aberdeen lost out in a portfolio restructure announced by union UNISON's £276.3m pension fund yesterday.

UK - Analysis of the defined benefit (DB) pension landscape has shown the number of schemes in deficit, on a s179 basis, has fallen by 10% in the year up until 30 March 2007.

UK - Trinity Mirror has announced a £175m (US$350m) share buy-back scheme which will return capital to shareholders as part of the group's large scale reorganisation of its business.

UK - The UNISON Staff Pension Scheme has awarded Standard Life Investments a £140m (US$280.5m) UK and overseas active equity mandate.

UK - The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has released its latest projections of future eligibility for means tested benefits, showing some considerable changes from last year.

UK - Weir Group, a FTSE250 listed pumps manufacturer, has sold part of its pension plan to insurance provider Legal & General (L&G).