United Kingdom

UK - Prolonged consultation on changes to the minimum funding requirement could trigger a surge in final salary scheme closures, senior figures have warned.

UK - Trade unions and employers are divided over the government's pension proposals.

UK - Firefighters' pensions will eat up 25% of the fire service budget by 2007 unless the scheme is radically overhauled, the government has been warned.

UK - The £495m Oxfordshire County Council Pension Fund has put its entire funds up for tender after dropping its two balanced managers.

UK - Mercer Human Resource Consulting has made Gordon Clark a European partner in its London office.

UK - Workers are in denial over pensions and are generally unconcerned over how they will meet their retirement needs, Mercer Human Resource Consulting claims.

UK - Cazenove Investment Fund Management has launched a global opportunities fund for investment in overseas companies.

EUROPE/UK - The European Sustainable Research Investment Forum is developing an accreditation standard for socially responsible investment funds.

UK - Awarding pensions rights for same-sex partners is on the government's agenda for the new year.

UK - There is a growing backlog of venture capital investments yet to be realised, according to joint research by Deloitte & Touche and Barclays Private Equity.