and what's more . . .

When the rock star Phil Collins and his wife, Jill, finally parted company last year, he got the girl - the hieress Orianne Cevey, 22 - and she walked away with a cool pounds 17m divorce settlement. Jill got pounds 10m cash, a pounds 6m Beverly Hills mansion and a pounds 1m home in Surrey.

But if only Mrs Collins had waited for the promised legislation to give divorcees a share of their husband's pension. Phil's fund currently stands at pounds 13.6m.