United Kingdom

UK - Members of the Sea-Land Pension Plan are mounting two separate actions in a bid to win back their full pensions entitlement.

UK - Annuity rates will increase marginally following the Chancellor's decision to raise government borrowing by £20bn, the Annuity Bureau predicts.

UK - London-based investment manager Chiswell Associates has appointed Simon Hill as its new head of pension funds marketing in a bid to attract larger schemes.

UK - Friends Provident has published a 70-page guide to Inland Revenue legislation and practice on all types of pension scheme.

UK - Duncan McFadzean has resurfaced at ISIS Asset Management as an analyst.

UK - Insight Investments has hired Simon Faure to its alternative investment team.

UK - Pension experts and politicians have lambasted the Chancellor's pre-Budget as a "disappointment" and a "missed opportunity".

UK - National Grid Transco has revealed an £871m FRS17 deficit on its two final salary schemes.

UK/EUROPE - Gartmore has hired Gary Clarke as a senior investment manager to its European equities team.

UK - The value of occupational pensions administered by insurance companies rose from £180bn to £210bn in 2000, figures from the Association of British Insurers reveal.