Papers

MARK WOOD, the former UK chief executive of Prudential, has convinced former FSA chairman Sir Howard Davies to join the board of his new insurance company, The Times says this morning.

THE CHANCELLOR yesterday refused to support claims by Tony Blair and John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary, suggesting it would cost £15bn to compensate workers deprived of their pensions, reports The Times .

THE TREASURY HAS admitted it has no idea how many taxpayers will have to rewrite their wills to avoid a new inheritance tax charge introduced in the Budget, reports The Times.

MILLIONS OF investors in with-profits savings policies will have access to much clearer information on what their holdings are worth following the introduction of stricter disclosure rules for these notoriously opaque products, reports The Financial...

BRITAIN'S BIGGEST PRIVATE equity groups face new scrutiny from the City regulator as it attempts to come to grips with the possible risks to the stability of the financial system posed by the industry's growth, reports The Financial Times .

LEADING TAX LAWYERS have launched a stinging rebuttal of the government's claims its crackdown on inheritance tax will affect only a tiny number of families, reports The Times .

PRUDENTIAL'S BIGGEST shareholders have called Mark Tucker, chief executive, to a second round of meetings, after hearing Aviva's case for a £17 billion merger of the UK's two biggest listed insurers, reports The Times .

BRITAIN'S PENSION troubles have claimed another two corporate victims. Financial advisory group Berkeley Berry Birch and leather tanners Pittards were both declared insolvent yesterday as a result of crippling pension deficits, reports The Daily Telegraph...

EGG, THE INTERNET bank owned by Prudential, would be put up for sale if Aviva succeeds in its £17bn all-share bid for its smaller rival, reports The Daily Telegraph.

ALL OF THIS morning's papers discuss Aviva's proposed takeover offer for rival company Prudential.