A big and high-quality communications effort will be needed if the introduction of personal pension saving accounts is not to lead to future governments being accused of mis-selling, John Hutton, work and pensions secretary, has conceded.

The money purchase, invested, pension scheme, into which employees will automatically be enrolled, will inevitably see individuals who have put in the same amount over different periods, or chosen differently within its funds, receiving different outcomes - potentially leading to complaints of unfairness.