HM Treasury

A steering group chaired by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Treasury is currently drafting a report on under-protection.

The government has given its backing to the Money Advice Service (MAS), in spite of growing discontent with the industry-funded operation within Westminster.

Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) chief executive Natalie Ceeney has praised independent financial advisers for their complaints handling, saying they do a better job than larger businesses such as banks.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) "should and could" have intervened in the Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS's) ill-fated acquisition of ABN Amro, a damning report by the Treasury Committee concludes.

Mark Hoban, financial secretary to the Treasury, has announced proposals that will help the authorities deal with the failure of parts of the financial system other than banks.

The Treasury is under so much pressure it should consider getting funding directly from the financial services industry, former cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell has said.

The Treasury is reluctant to introduce tax breaks for workplace funded healthcare because it fears employers do not value or utilise it correctly, the Work Foundation says.

With less than a year before the ECJ ruling on gender discrimination comes into effect, there is still confusion as to how insurers should respond, according to specialists.

The protection industry may have to change the way it works if it is to maximise the potential of the simple products initiative, the project's leader has said.

Advisers have given the Treasury's simple products initiative a tentative thumbs up while recognising that the financial services industry is overly complicated.