The UK government is being investigated this week by the European Commission over concerns about the Lloyd's Market.

The European Commission is investigating the UK government this week over concerns about the Lloyd's Market.

Proceedings are expected to start today to determine whether the government complied with an EU Directive governing general insurers.

The 1973 Directive stipulates that member governments check the solvency levels of insurance undertakings.

Concern centres on whether the government did enough to check that Lloyd's had enough assets to cover its liabilities in the wake of huge asbestos losses in the 1980s.