United Kingdom

UK - National Counties Building Society Pension and Life Assurance Scheme's investment strategy is under review by HSBC Actuaries and Consultants.

UK - Union officials will issue a strike ballot to Network Rail staff next week after the firm pressed ahead with plans to close its final salary scheme to new members.

UK - Raising Standards of Pensions Administration will hold its annual general meeting on May 11 at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's London offices.

UK - Employees may be better off deferring payments into a pension scheme until their late 40s when the government's tax changes take effect, Scottish Life claims.

UK - The £900m Dorset County Council Pension Fund is tendering for £45m hedge fund managers.

UK - Talks aimed at turning an entry in a long-term mandate competition into an investment vehicle for schemes will be held next month.

UK - Retained firefighters will discover whether they have won their battle for equal pension rights when the High Court rules on 12 test cases later this month.

UK - Scheme investments must be diversified, flexible and avoid a short-termist approach, delegates at Mercer's Global Investment Forum heard.

UK - The economic climate could not be better for schemes to move into private equity, delegates at Mercer's Global Investment Forum heard.

UK - Insight Investment has appointed The Bank of New York as investment services provider for its £8bn UK and European mutual fund business.