Pay for the leading executives of the UK's biggest companies now tops £3.3m, thanks to continued rises in bonuses and incentive plans linked to performance.

However, pay rises for chief executives of FTSE 100 companies - including bonuses and the expected value of long-term incentive schemes, options and pensions - slowed down sharply last year, according to a report by Independent Remuneration Solutions, pay specialists working with Manifest, the proxy voting agency.