After large bonus payouts to executives at British banks, officials are investigating compensation structures. The chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, said although it is too soon to follow President Obama's compensation cap lead, he would be looking at the affects of pay on risk-taking. Many critize the move as coming too late. The Royal Bank of Scotland, for example, already planned to pay over 1 billion Euro in bonuses despite reporting a loss for the year. Furthermore, the bank received 20 billion Euro in government funds.
See "British Official Plans a Review of Bonuses After Outcry", The New York Times, February 8, 2009