United Kingdom

UK - The Confederation of British Industry is having to lay off staff in a bid to cut pensions costs.

UK - Pension funds should not see corporate bonds as a safe investment with no risk, financial services firm Dennehy Weller warns.

UK - Consultants have overwhelmingly backed FSA moves to clamp down on soft commission costs.

UK - Construction firm Travis Perkins has had to pay £232,000 into its final salary scheme to match a massive pay rise for its chief executive, Frank McKay.

UK - One-in-five people in their 20s will invest in the stock market to boost retirement funds, research from the Halifax ShareBuilder Index reveals.

UK - Brewing firm Whitbread has guaranteed funding for its £1.1bn final salary scheme for at least another 15 years.

UK - Hazell Carr Pensions Consulting has backed government plans to simplify pension scheme administration.

UK - Friends Provident has hit out at the government's tax simplification proposals for being ill-thought through.

SCOTLAND - Paul Murray, who joined Deutsche Bank Capital Partners in 2000 as a founding partner, has joined Edinburgh-based fund manager, Martin Currie, as managing director of its enlarged private equity team.

UK - Transport & General Workers' Union has called on the government to scrap means-tested benefits and establish a minimum income standard in its place.