United Kingdom

UK - Workers who have lost their pensions through company wind-ups will protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

UK - Industry standards for third-party administrators are way below trustees' and scheme managers' expectations, a leading provider claims.

UK - Philips UK Pension Fund has appointed State Street Global Advisors (SSgA) to manage a £370m passive equity mandate.

UK - Tom Merchant (pictured) has been appointed Chief Executive of Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited, the UK's third largest private sector pension scheme, following the retirement of David Chynoweth.

UK - Norwich Union has launched a new pension simplification information pack to help IFAs prepare for the new Inland Revenue proposals.

UK - Custodian HSBC Securities Services is in talks to acquire Gartmore Investment Management's back-office systems and staff.

UK - Nine out of 10 trustees believe pension fund activism will have a long-term effect on how companies manage environmental and social risks, a new survey shows.

UK - Incoming Society of Pension Consultants president Robert Birmingham believes the government should push back the implementation date for the Pensions Bill to April 2006.

UK - The UK's Financial Services Authority has welcomed steps taken by Standard Life to strengthen its capital position which include examining flotation, a reversal of its policy four years ago when it rejected an attempt to force it to float by carpetbagger...

UK - Accenture HR Services has completed a three-and-a-half-year revamp of its administration platform and has started an aggressive campaign to win new third-party business.