United Kingdom

UK - The government will receive a written ultimatum to compensate members of the defunct ASW pension scheme or face a court battle in Europe.

UK - Standard & Poor's has strengthened its team with three new equity research analysts.

UK - Mercer Human Resource Consulting is setting aside £25m for a "new look" administration business after laying off 60 staff.

UK - A "pensions rescue service" for underfunded schemes is being launched by a coalition of legal, consulting and administration firms.

UK - Chris Lewin, high profile pension fund manager of the massive Unilever Superannuation Fund, is leaving the scheme at the end of the year.

UK - Unilever Pension Fund secured the top accolade at this year's Pension Scheme of the Year Awards, hosted by IPN's sister publication, Professional Pensions.

UK - Fund managers do not pay enough attention to the "potentially disastrous" risks inherent in companies when making investments, new research claims.

UK - Attempts by consultants to move schemes to liability benchmarks are "unworkable" and will push up costs, multi-managers claim.

UK - Aquila has recruited Ian Matthews as head of corporate sales and Graeme Macfarlane as technical development manager.

UK - State Street Global Advisors has strengthened its cash management team by appointing Milaly Domjan as senior portfolio manager.