United Kingdom

UK - London Underground will consider improving tube workers' pensions in bid to end the row which has triggered a spate of one-day strikes.

UK - Retail giant Littlewoods has assured staff the £834m final salary scheme is safe following the firm's takeover by the Barclay brothers.

UK - Building materials distributor Wolseley has dismissed analysts' fears about the health of its £314m pension scheme - even though it is only 70% funded.

UK - An independent pensions authority to oversee policy making for both state and private pensions is the only way to ease the pensions crisis, Buck Consultants claims.

UK - Staff put occupational pensions at the top of their "wish list" of employee benefits, a survey by Virgin Money shows.

UK - UBS Global Asset Management (UBS Global AM) has appointed Guy Walker to its UK pan European equity research team.

UK - Many company directors are ignorant of the regulatory risks and liabilities their pension schemes pose, a survey of FTSE250 companies shows.

UK - Tax rules which prevent employees drawing part of their occupational pension while continuing to work for the scheme sponsor are to be scrapped.

UK - The £650m Wiltshire County Council pension fund has dropped Schroder Investment Management as part of a strategy overhaul.

UK - UK workers at international shipping giant Maersk will lose up to 60% of their pension entitlement when the firm axes its final salary scheme.