SCORES of jobs are under threat at the Southampton office of Britain's biggest insurance broker, it emerged today.

Marsh confirmed that up to 50 staff on the administrative and back office side of the business will be affected by restructuring.

The company, part of the global Marsh & McLennan risk group, currently employs 130 people at its office in Capital House, Houndwell Place.

Affected staff at Southampton - one of 24 offices across the country - have been informed. The job cuts are part of a bigger picture.

March, the world's biggest risk and insurance services company, is getting rid of 750 staff, out of a total pool of 6,000, across the UK.

A Marsh spokesman said: "Our Southampton office will become a regional centre of excellence, focused on the risk and insurance needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.

"As a result, we are entering into a 90-day consultation period with a number of colleagues in our Southampton office, most of whom are in administrative and non-client-facing roles, to discuss the possible impact this may have on their roles.

"Wherever possible, we will seek to redeploy affected colleagues in other parts of our business.

"We regret having to take these actions, which are painful for those colleagues who are affected, but are also necessary in order to achieve the level of operating efficiencies our clients deserve and, increasingly, expect.

"We will be communicating with our local clients to discuss how we will service their risk and insurance needs in the future."

John Nicholson, head of UK regions, told the Daily Echo that local remodelling is taking place to improve efficiencies.

Marsh provides services for businesses and the public sector, such as emergency response planning, directors' liability, business interruptions and natural hazards.

The group is voluntarily overhauling its price plan to make client billing transparent.

It was hit with a $850m (£449m) settlement in the USA this year after unsavoury allegations of kickbacks.

There is no suggestion of maladministration within the UK arm, but Marsh said that every client would now know what Marsh was earning on their account.