United Kingdom

UK - Telecommunications firm Hutchison 3G has introduced a new online benefits system and pensions administration service for its 2000 UK staff.

UK - Pension simplification will fail unless the government overhauls the state system first, NAPF chairman Peter Thompson warns.

UK - Schemes should allocate more to high yield or junk bonds to boost returns and reduce risk in their portfolios, fund managers claim.

UK - Buck Consultants has announced additional dates for its 2003 training courses aimed at pension fund trustees.

UK - Fund management groups will have to remodel their businesses in order to win pension scheme mandates, GMO warns.

UK - Airline catering provider Alpha Airports Group is to supply its 4000 employees with specially-created benefit booklets.

UK/EUROPE - Goldman Sachs Asset Management is launching an online cash management service aimed at institutional investors in the UK and Europe.

UK - Pension funds and accountants are at loggerheads over when corporate governance guideline outlined in the Higgs Review should be implemented.

SCOTLAND - Scottish Power has more than doubled contributions into its final salary pension schemes in a bid to stem an FRS17 deficit of £231m.

UK - Carillion - the business and construction services company - has appointed Threadneedle Asset Management to jointly manage its two DC pension schemes.