UK - The Pensions Regulator says it was only able to collect 71% of the levies due from companies in the most recent financial year - leaving more than £50m (€73.2m) in outstanding payments.

"We had collected over 71% of levies due during 2005-06 by March 31 2006, leaving £54m to be collected in 2006-07," the regulator said in its latest 33-page business plan.

It collects the levies on behalf of the Pension Protection Fund. The disclosure comes as discussions are underway to transfer responsibility for levy collection to the PPF itself.

A spokeswoman said the regulator had sent out the invoices towards the year-end. There were "lots of different reasons why companies don't return them" - with companies wanting to understand the calculations.

But it's something they have to do by law, she said, adding that the levy collection is a "rolling process". The amount of levies collected had risen since the cut-off date, she added.

The plan also revealed that the regulator would design and implement a risk-based strategy for defined contribution risks.

"The focus of t his strategy will be on building understanding within the industry of the risks and the steps they should be taking to mitigate them."

It would issue a consultation paper on the matter in the second to third quarter.

Elsewhere, Go Pensions, the Wimbledon-based pension administration consultant, has hired Sean Hansbury as a new senior consultant, the company announced.
 
Hansbury, formerly a manager within the employee benefits department at Gissings, joins the management team and will have direct responsibility for product development, managing director Chris Stanley told IPE.
 
It's also hired MNPA's Nicola Boyle as a consultant.