United Kingdom

UK - Consultants have dubbed government proposals that schemes can pay for increased member protection costs through a return to equities as "farcical" and "actuarial mumbo jumbo".

UK - Malcolm Wicks has been appointed as pensions minister in the latest government reshuffle - the sixth since 1997.

UK/EUROPE - American Express Financial Advisors has acquired Threadneedle Asset Management for £340m (US$570m/e488m) as the former eyes opportunities in Europe in light of pension reforms.

UK - The £670m Bedfordshire County Council Pension Fund is looking to hire a replacement actuary.

UK - Scottish Life Administration Services has appointed Kevin Smith as head of operations.

UK - Firefighters have told the government that they will fight any attempts to either increase the retirement age or cut their pension benefits.

UK - Judith Pettitt has been hired by pensions and IT consultancy Dunnett Shaw as a senior consultant.

UK - The FTSE100 Index would have to smash its all-time high by more than 1000 points before UK pension schemes have sufficient assets to meet their liabilities in full, industry experts warn.

UK - The £1.2bn Pilkington Superannuation Scheme has appointed Nomura Asset Management to manage a £30m Japanese equity mandate.

UK - Thousands of mineworkers look set to lose their pension bonuses in the wake of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme's triennial valuation.