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14 October 2015
- From the section Liverpool
Transport for London to take first Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles
Major of London Boris Johnson has announced that Transport for London will be the first UK customer for the new Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle.
TfL will take delivery of four Mirai models to assist with essential engineering and maintenance work carried out between bus stops and Tube stations.
The TfL models will be joined by the end of this year by a further eight Mirai models in the capital, which will be used by private hire firm private car service Greentomatocars and energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power.
The news was announced as the mayor visited Toyota's headquarters during a three-day trade mission to Japan and took the opportunity to test the Mirai for himself.
He said: "It is fantastic that London will benefit from these new state-of-the-art hydrogen vehicles. By embracing this technology of the future, we aim to consolidate hydrogen's role as a practical alternative fuel for the 21st century and beyond. I am sure that Transport for London will provide the ideal environment for us to see everything Mirai can do and, in doing so, take another great step towards improving air quality in our city and protecting the health of Londoners."
He added that the insurance of the vehicles would be checked against the Motor Insurance Database (MID) – more information can be found at http://www.cheapfleet.co.uk/fleet-insurance-faqs/
Paul Van der Burgh, Toyota (GB) PLC president and managing director, said: "We have been delighted to welcome the Mayor of London to our headquarters in Japan to see for himself Toyota's commitment to sustainable mobility. Toyota believes in hydrogen as a key enabler for building a future zero emissions society and we applaud the mayor's commitment to embracing new technology in his mission to make London a leading global city for low-emission, low-carbon transport.
"The success of hydrogen will require constructive dialogue and action, bringing together industry, national governments and city authorities like London to share and develop skills and experience and to communicate the benefits that can be delivered to business and to individuals. Our Mirai fuel cell vehicle is a milestone in the history of the motor car and opens up unprecedented opportunities for cleaner, sustainable transport. Transport for London and the city it serves will provide the ideal environment for Mirai to demonstrate the significant potential of hydrogen as a practical alternative fuel for the next century and beyond."
The original article can be found at http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2015/Oct/Transport-for-London-to-take-first-Toyota-Mirai-fuel-cell-electric-vehicles/0434021998
UK mortgage sector competition to be examined
The UK's financial watchdog has launched a consultation process on competition in the mortgage sector to seek input from interested parties to identify both good points and potential areas for improvement.
'For millions of consumers a mortgage is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, financial transaction they will enter into in their lifetime. The mortgage sector also plays a vital role in the financial services industry and many areas of the economy,' said Christopher Woolard, director of strategy and competition at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
He explained that competition can play a key role in ensuring that the sector works well, delivering consumer benefits through lower prices, better customer service, and more product choice.
'We are seeking stakeholders' views on competition in the mortgage sector. These views, together with evidence from the FCA's wider programme of work on mortgages, will help inform any future FCA work on this key sector of the economy, including any future competition market study,' he added.
The FCA is interested in the range of factors that might affect competition in the provision of loans secured against a property, whether regulated or unregulated, including as a result of changes introduced following the Mortgage Market Review and any other barriers to entry, expansion or innovation.
It also wants to examine consumers' ability to effectively access, assess and act on information about mortgage products and services and firms' conduct and relationships and the deadline for input is 18 December 2015 with feedback scheduled for the first quarter of 2016.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders welcomed the announcement and described it is an excellent opportunity for the regulator to review the effect of regulation, as well as market practice, on lenders as well as their customers.
'The FCA's role in promoting competitive markets is the part of regulation that best helps foster creativity, innovation and a sharp focus on what drives customers,' said CML director general Paul Smee.
'It's also essential in delivering the kind of environment in which reputable lenders of all shapes and sizes can thrive. We will be working with all our members to ensure that their perspectives are fully reflected as we work with the FCA on this vital issue,' he added.
He went on further to say 'It is also essential that adequate unoccupied property insurance is arranged as standard property insurance isnt suitable and lenders will insist on this'.
The original article can be found at http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-mortgage-sector-competition-2015100811072.html
Michael Pooley to succeed James McCarthy as President of CHEP Europe
CHEP today announced a transition of leadership for its European operations. James McCarthy, is leaving the company after seven-and-a-half years. CHEP has appointed Michael Pooley, who has previously led the company's UK & Ireland business as well as its Sales & Customer Operations team in the USA, as James' successor as President, CHEP Europe.
The Group President of CHEP's worldwide Pallets operations, Peter Mackie, said: "James McCarthy has done a great job leading CHEP Europe, driving our business closer to its customers, overseeing the launch of a number of new pallet solutions and developing our focus on assisting customers with their sustainability efforts. The entire CHEP family will miss James and wishes him and his family very well for the future. In Mike Pooley, we are delighted to appoint a strong successor to James. During his time as head of our Sales & Customer Operations for CHEP USA, he was integral to strengthening key customer relationships and energizing our teams. His appointment will provide both continuity and fresh impetus for CHEP in Europe as we continue to work together with our customers to make their supply chains more efficient and sustainable."
Mr McCarthy will remain with CHEP until December 2015 to work alongside Mr Pooley to enable a smooth leadership transition. Mr McCarthy has led CHEP Europe since March 2013 and also held the roles of President, CHEP Western Europe and Chief Financial Officer, CHEP Europe, Middle East & Africa since joining the company in 2008. Mr McCarthy said: "I have worked for CHEP for seven-and-a-half years and it has been a great experience but now is the right time for me to move on. I am delighted to welcome Mike back to the business and look forward to watching CHEP Europe and its customers thrive under his leadership."
Mr Pooley rejoins CHEP on 1 November 2015 from materials testing company Exova Europe, where he was Managing Director since April 2013. Mr Pooley worked for CHEP from 2002 until 2013, in leadership positions including: Senior Vice President, Sales & Customer Operations for CHEP USA; Managing Director, CHEP UK & Ireland; and Vice President, European Key Accounts. Before joining CHEP in 2002, he spent 12 years with industrial gases business BOC in a number of business development, design, development and production engineering roles. Mike is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and holds a master's degree in Business Administration from Henley Management College.
Mr Pooley said: "I am delighted to be returning to the CHEP family at a time when there are so many opportunities to work with customers throughout Europe on developing solutions that make the supply chain better. I am excited at the prospect of again working with our wonderful portfolio of customers and our passionate teams of supply chain experts."
About CHEP
CHEP is the global leader in managed, returnable and reusable packaging solutions, serving many of the world's largest companies in sectors such as consumer goods, fresh produce, beverage and automotive. CHEP's service is environmentally sustainable and increases efficiency for customers while reducing operating risk and product damage. CHEP's 7,500-plus employees and 300 million pallets and containers offer unbeatable coverage and exceptional value, supporting more than 500,000 customer touch-points in more than 50 countries. Our customer portfolio includes global companies and brands such as Procter & Gamble, Sysco, Kellogg's, Kraft, Nestlé, Ford and GM. CHEP is part of Brambles Limited. For further information, visit www.chep.com
For further information, please contact:
Víctor Collado
Director, Corporate Communications
CHEP Europe, Middle East & Africa
Phone: +34915579401
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The original article can be found at http://warehousenews.co.uk/2015/10/michael-pooley-to-succeed-james-mccarthy-as-president-of-chep-europe/
New record for September plate-change market
As widely expected the September plate-change hit a new high with registrations up 8.6% to 462,517 units, according to the SMMT.
The rise marked the 43rd consecutive month of growth for the new car market and pushed the year to date total up 7.08% to 2,096,886 units. This was the first time the 2 million barrier has been exceeded in September since 2004.
"September is traditionally one of the year's biggest months for new car registrations, and last month set an autumn record," said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, who reiterated his belief that the market will soon level off.
"With plenty of attractive, affordable deals available on the new 65-plate, Britain's car buyers – whether private, fleet or business consumers – were busier than ever. The market reached pre-recession levels some time ago, and we anticipate some levelling off in the coming months. It is too early to draw conclusions, but customer demand for diesel remained strong, accounting for one in two cars registered."
The retail sector led the market accounting for 49.3% of registrations, a year on year rise of 3%. Fleet demand grew 15.2% taking 44.9%, while the sub 25 fleet business sector grew 10.6% and accounted for 5.8% of the market.
More stories like this can be found at convictioninsure.co.uk where drivers with motoring or criminal convictions can compare car insurance quotes online.
The original article can be found at http://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/new-record-september-plate-change-market/
Ridgeway Group profits rocket 26% to £10.3m
Ridgeway Group turned in a strong performance in 2014 with pre-tax profits up 26% to £10.3m on turnover up 18% to £647.7m.
Results filed at Companies House showed that like-for-like new car retail sales rose 7% for the period and 15% overall.
The group, under chief executive John O Hanlon (pictured) saw average new car price increased by £574 per unit, gross profit per unit fell slightly but total gross profit increased by £1.75m.
Like-for-like used vehicle sales rose 11% in the year to 31 December and 21% overall.
The company said it had improved stock management and used car processes, which had lifted profitability.
Average used car prices increased by £735 on average with gross profit per unit up 16% and overall gross profit increased by £5.4m.
Ridgeways said that aftersales revenues and profitability grew in 2014 with increased customer engagement through service plans and the use of technology.
The group won the Motor Trader Digital Initiative of the Year award in 2014 for the development and implementation of Workshop Window.
During 2014 the group rolled out a programme of training modules in the Ridgeway Academy, covering sales, aftersales, communications and management for staff at all levels. To date almost 900 employees have attended one or more sessions.
Ridgeway continues to invest heavily in its facilities with a new Audi showroom opening in Oxford in July 2014 and refurbishment of VW dealerships.
It also relocated Skoda in Oxford to Kidington and refurbished a Maserati dealership and Select used car showrooms during the period.
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The original article can be found at http://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/ridgeway-group-profits-rocket-26-10-3m/
JJ Foodservice updates fleet with 7.5t Isuzu Forward rigids
JJ Food Service has taken delivery of new Isuzu Forward 7.5 tonne rigid trucks.
Mick Montague from JJ Food Service said: "All our Isuzus have served us really well in the past. They are an excellent workhorse with outstanding payload capability.
"In fact, we have still got some 06 plate Isuzus running around on a daily basis within our fleet today. For our new bespoke service for home deliveries, we felt that the Isuzu Euro VI 7.5tonner would be the ideal vehicle to handle the requirements of this specific operation."
The latest replacement Isuzu Forward N75.190 4×2 rigids feature the popular Easyshift automated transmission and are specified with a Solomon's dual compartment refrigerated body that has a movable bulkhead. The trucks each use Carrier Transicold Xarios refrigeration systems as standard and the bodies have all been fitted with the latest JJ Food Service wrap livery.
"For the last few years, we have concentrated on adding 18 tonne rigids to our fleet, however recently, our product range has changed considerably, in terms of product categories and higher price points. To accommodate these changes, we needed to go back to putting more 7.5 tonne vehicles into the fleet. This gives us a better, more efficient, utilisation of these types of products," added Montague.
Based at the JJ Food Service depot in Enfield, the latest Isuzus are being used for a range of the company's distribution services, mainly delivering to customers in West London and the City.
As the delivery routes are not particularly high mileage, JJ Food Service anticipates that the new Isuzu delivery vehicles will have a long working life in its fleet.
"Isuzu and JJ Food Service have enjoyed a really successful working relationship that goes back over many years. This is part and parcel of the ITUK approach to its customers. By working closely with our customers such as JJ Food Service, we are able to develop long-term partnerships. We strive to deliver great customer service and care and provide vehicles that are ideally suited to the specific distribution requirements," added Keith Child, marketing director at Isuzu Truck.
More stories like this can be found at Cheapfleet.co.uk – the UK's Premier Fleet Insurance Comparison Site.
The original article can be found at http://www.commercialfleet.org/news/truck-news/2015/09/24/jj-foodservice-updates-fleet-with-75t-isuzu-forward-rigids
Merseyside 'not ready' for devolution
Merseyside 'not ready' for devolution, says minister
A government minister has told the BBC Merseyside is not ready to get a so-called "devolution deal" following a "disappointing" bid.
Devolution allows local government to control certain budgets and services in exchange for a directly-elected mayor.
The Liverpool City Region is one of 38 bids under government consideration and those behind it said discussions had actually been "very positive".
Greater Manchester was the first area to sign such a deal in November 2014.
Part of the government's northern powerhouse programme, it will eventually give the city region much greater control over transport, skills and housing.
Greater Manchester will have a directly-elected mayor from 2017.
A similar deal was signed with the Sheffield City Region earlier this month.
'Like a thesis'
The six councils of the Liverpool City Region – Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Halton – delivered their formal submission in September.
Negotiations have been led by the Mayor of Liverpool City Council, Joe Anderson, and the Leader of Wirral Council, Phil Davies who also chairs the Liverpool City Region.
Talks are still under way and officially the Treasury said Liverpool's bid is not falling away.
But, the minister has indicated Liverpool will not be in the first wave of successful bids.
He told the BBC the bid was "disappointing" and the document "felt more like a thesis of what they should say, rather than what they really wanted."
'Positive discussions'
But Councillor Phil Davies, leader of Wirral Council and the chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, responded: "I doubt that the source of this information is actually anywhere close to the negotiations.
"In fact, since we submitted our devolution proposals on 4 September, we have had very positive discussions with the government and our stakeholders across the Liverpool City Region.
"We have prioritised our proposals, the Government has fed back that they look forward to working with us, and further meetings are imminent to maintain the momentum and negotiate on the prioritised set of proposals."
Northern powerhouse in numbers
16.7 UK population (%)
16 Share of UK jobs (%)
13.3 Share of total UK GVA (%)
23 Number of universities
But one of the six council leaders, who does not wish to be named, confirmed that agreement was unlikely but said he was happy with that.
Some of the leaders are deeply sceptical about the merits of devolution, particularly the government's requirement to have a directly-elected mayor.
Some fear other councils would end up being dominated by Liverpool, but business leaders are pushing for agreement, believing it would help create jobs and prosperity.
Further devolution settlements are expected by the Chancellor's Spending Review scheduled for 25 November.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-34520919#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Medics call for lower speed limits
Scottish speed limits should be lowered, say medics
14 October 2015
- From the section Scotland politics
Lower speed limits and measures to reduce alcohol abuse should be introduced by the next Scottish government, a medical college has said.
A "Vision for 2016" has been published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
It outlines the RCPCH's vision of how child health in Scotland could become comparable to the best in the world.
It claimed the country's record on child health is currently among the poorest in Western Europe.
In the run up to the 2016 Scottish election, the RCPCH said politicians should back a 20mph speed limit in built-up areas.
It claimed this would promote "safe play" and encourage children to walk, scoot or cycle to school.
Other policies promoted in the document include:
- Reducing child mortality by implementing a minimum price for alcohol and introducing a graduated licensing scheme for new drivers of all ages
- Reducing inequalities by developing targeted programmes to promote positive parenting and educating parents on the dangers of alcohol use in pregnancy
- Ensuring a high quality NHS by co-ordinating research, service development and patient safety initiatives through existing structures to ensure care delivered by the NHS is integrated and reduces waste and duplication
- Commissioning high quality research dedicated to interventions to reduce inequalities
- Ensuring financial inclusion services – access to grants and advice – are available to families most in need
- Increasing the proportion of the NHS budget spent on child and adolescent mental health services
Dr Peter Fowlie, of the RCPCH, said: "Whilst our nation has much to be proud of when it comes to improving children's health, it still has some of the poorest health outcomes in Western Europe, particularly relating to child obesity and child mortality levels.
"Deprivation is often at the root of the problem with children living in poverty more likely to be overweight or obese, be born with low birth weight and have parents that smoke heavily or drink alcohol.
"It's clear we need to take action to reduce child health inequalities and a child health strategy which cuts across all government departments could do that. We call on government to work with us to develop this.
"In addition, we have today launched our Vision for Scotland and call on the next Scottish government to be bold and use its devolved powers to implement a minimum price for alcohol and develop education programmes for parents on the dangers of alcohol and drug use during pregnancy.
"I want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up. Only by targeting interventions at those most in need will we begin to achieve this."
The RCPCH argued that doctors can make a difference but only when supported by government.
Dr Fowlie added: "Clearly healthcare professionals have a key role to play in tackling some of these challenges but we will not be able to make inroads without political will and leadership."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-34520116#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Library builder's monument of books
Library builder's monument of books
14 October 2015
- From the section Business
At some point this year, a child somewhere in the developing world became the ten millionth beneficiary of Room to Read, a non-profit organisation created 15 years ago after a high-flying Microsoft executive quit his job to help children in Nepal.
The charity, which works to eradicate child illiteracy and gender inequality in education, builds libraries and stocks them with books.
It's no surprise that its founder, John Wood, invokes the spirit of the 19th Century library-building steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie.
In a sense, Room to Read has outstripped its spiritual mentor, building 17,500 libraries to Carnegie's 2,500.
It has done so by combining the determination of a Carnegie with the logical, can-do attitudes of corporate giants such as Mr Wood's former employer, Bill Gates.
Mr Wood was on a short break from work back in 1998, trekking in the foothills of Himalayas of Nepal, when the germ of the idea for Room to Read met him head-on.
Locked cabinet
"It really came out of the blue," Mr Wood says. "I wish I could tell you that I was always focused on charitable endeavours, but the reality was that I was focused on myself, on my career, and on how much money I could sock away in my bank account."
He was visiting a school in the mountain village of Bahundanda.
It had a library but only a handful of books left by previous visitors. One of them was James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake and another a Lonely Planet Guide to Mongolia.
Moreover, these books were considered so precious that they were kept in a locked cabinet, and never loaned to children. As he departed, the school's head said to Mr Wood that, if he were ever to return to the school, he could perhaps bring a few more books with him.
He knew immediately what he had to do. The empty library had struck a deep resonance with his own childhood experience.
More stories from the BBC's Knowledge economy series looking at education from a global perspective and how to get in touch
"I grew up in a family that loved to read and always valued the written word," he says. "I tripped across the right cause in the right place at the right time."
A year later he was back at the same school with 3,000 books. The reaction of the children was confirmation enough that he was taking the right course of action.
Quitting Microsoft
He quit Microsoft to devote himself full-time to literacy in Nepal. Dinesh Shrestha, who had been working on polio eradication for an NGO, joined him and their work of creating school libraries in Nepal began in earnest.
A few months on, another corporate high-flyer, Erin Ganju, who was working in Vietnam, got back in touch with her old friend Mr Wood.
Soon after, she also quit her job, and these three became the co-founders of Room to Read, a non-profit organisation now working in 10 countries.
Ms Ganju brought a business awareness of the need to build "scalability" into a project – knowing how to make something that works in 10 schools work just as well in 1,000 schools.
Both she and Mr Wood emphasise several "non-negotiables" in the way Room to Read operates.
The first principle is getting the support of the authorities in host countries. "I often say that 'non' in 'non-governmental organisation' does not mean you ignore the government," Mr Wood says.
"We like to work on the basis of a tripartite agreement – Room to Read provides a lot of the capital and the training, the local community supplies the labour and some of the materials.
"The third party is the ministry of education – they provide the teachers and librarians, and pay their salaries. We require them to do this, and we hold them to it."
Local languages
The charity also adheres to basic principles on the ways children are taught. It always works in the language of the local community – even though this often meant publishing their own books and teaching materials.
It has published over a thousand children's titles in dozens of languages, ranging from Chinayanja from Zambia to Khmer for Cambodia, and from Telugu in India to Xitsonga in South Africa. As far as possible they employ local authors, illustrators and publishers.
It has made Room to Read "one of the biggest publishers of children's books you've never heard of".
Despite his Microsoft background, Mr Wood remains unconvinced about the value of digital technology at this level of education.
Instead, the charity concentrates on the physical, sometimes literally concrete, resources. It has built 17,500 children's libraries and over 1,000 complete schools.
Again, rules apply. The libraries have to meet certain standards. They are typically large enough to accommodate over 40 children at any one time.
Measuring progress
"The books are on shelves at children's eye level, they're not behind glass, there are no locked cabinets," Mr Wood explains.
"We have child-sized furniture, child-friendly flooring, posters on the wall, and maps of the world. We encourage children to take books home and we check each week to see how many do."
Everything is closely monitored, statistics are gathered and children's progress is evaluated. This way supporters can be told how effective their support has been.
Teaching methodology is standardised to synthetic phonics, which they believe is the most effective method for children arriving at school with little or no exposure to texts.
Gender equality
Room to Read has a second ambitious goal – gender equality in education.
The Girls Education programme focuses on the transitional years when girls enter and leave secondary education. There are workshops, life skills camps and help for families with the costs of keeping a daughter in school.
"Providing education for girls is the biggest no-brainer in the world of philanthropy," says Mr Wood.
"Every time we raise £190 we can put a girl in school for a year. If a girl gets educated, she earns more money, she marries later, she becomes more empowered, is taken more seriously by society."
The challenges against girls' education, such as the abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria by Boko Haram, can seem intimidating.
"Those groups want us to be depressed and frustrated, but this leads to indecisiveness and inaction. The antidote to these forces is action. Let's flood the zone, let's get as many girls into school as we can – that should be our response," said Mr Wood.
There have also been natural disasters. He has been to Nepal to see the damage inflicted by this year's earthquake.
It had been a heartbreaking experience, but Mr Wood was also inspired by people's determination to continue in makeshift schools. The upshot was an initial agreement to help the government rebuild 66 schools.
Despite such setbacks, Room To Read's founders have ambitions to reach a further five million children by 2020: "Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34465031#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Labour AM sacked after M4 criticism
Labour AM sacked as committee chair after M4 spending criticism
A Labour AM who criticised the Welsh government spending nearly £20m on M4 relief road plans has been sacked as a committee chair by the first minister.
Jenny Rathbone said an "unhealthy culture" at the top of the government stopped AMs from speaking out.
Last week, she said she was "appalled" by the money was being spent preparing for the proposed road around Newport.
On Tuesday, she said Carwyn Jones had dismissed her as chair of the committee overseeing use of EU funds in Wales.
'Ruthlessly dealt with'
In a statement, she said: "The events of the last 24 hours have confirmed in my mind there is an unhealthy culture at the top of the Welsh government which does not allow for rigorous debate and reflection on the best use of public funds.
"Independent thought is not tolerated by AMs and if someone does step out of line, they are ruthlessly dealt with.
"This is not a good way to make difficult decisions."
She said her scepticism about the government's policy towards the relief road was shared by most Labour AMs.
"I recognise the right of the first minister to choose who he wants to carry out the important role as Chair of the European Programme Monitoring Committee," she added.
"I am however disappointed that he has chosen to sack me for speaking out on a matter that is unrelated to this role."
'Poorly advised'
Ms Rathbone received immediate support from fellow Labour backbencher Alun Davies.
Commenting on Twitter he said: "Very disappointed to hear the news about Jenny Rathbone.
"She was a very effective chair.
"Labour AMs should be free to debate these matters."
A Welsh Conservative spokesman said: "The first minister has serious questions to answer over Jenny Rathbone's claims about the culture at the heart of Welsh government.
"Clearly the first minister is being very poorly advised."
The Welsh government has been asked to comment.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34522228#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Refusal to drop income tax referendum
Income tax powers referendum still required, minister says
The UK government has refused to drop the need for a referendum before Welsh ministers can vary income tax rates.
UK government whip Viscount Younger told the House of Lords the referendum was "part and parcel" of giving Wales more say over powers.
Liberal Democrat Lord Thomas of Gresford had asked for the referendum requirement to be dropped.
He claimed it was being used as an excuse to delay the devolution of income tax powers.
Lord Thomas asked: "Will the government use the forthcoming Welsh bill to remove this block and make the Welsh government accountable for its gross failure in maintaining standards in health and education in Wales?"
'Part and parcel'
Viscount Younger said the Wales Act and the St David's Day agreement on further devolution "empower the Welsh government with the tools and levers it needs to grow the Welsh economy".
"So we believe that the referendum is right as part and parcel of giving the Welsh people more say in terms of their powers," he added.
Viscount Younger said the next Wales bill – due to be published in draft version next week – would strengthen the devolution settlement by moving to a reserved powers model of devolution, which the government says will set out more clearly where power lies.
He said ministers would also reveal shortly the final draft of a new regional ballot paper for the 2016 assembly election, in which the names of the top four list candidates for regional seats would be listed for the first time.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34522227#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Minister refuses to give refugee figure
Syria refugees: Minister refuses to give MPs UK numbers
13 October 2015
- From the section UK
Minister for refugees Richard Harrington has refused to tell MPs how many Syrian refugees are in Britain.
He told the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, that he knew the total so far, but was not prepared to give a "running commentary" on refugee numbers.
He also said the next figures are due to be published at the end of November.
Mr Vaz said he would write to the prime minister to obtain the number because of Mr Harrington's failure to answer.
He also told Mr Harrington it was "unsatisfactory" that he would not divulge the number of Syrians who have come to the UK.
The government's Vulnerable People Relocation Scheme, launched in January 2014, has seen at least 216 Syrians come to Britain, according to the last published figures.
But Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that 20,000 refugees would be brought from refugee camps in countries bordering Syria into the UK by 2020.
Citizens UK, which helps communities organise group action, has urged the prime minister to ensure 1,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees are resettled in the UK before winter sets in.
When asked about the refugee numbers, Mr Harrington said: "It's my job to know and it's my job to make sure that the flow of refugees under this humanitarian system is to be greatly increased.
"I would say the pace people are arriving is much the same as it's been over the last few months, and now it's gathering traction.
"I'm very happy to be judged on the numbers when the scheme that the prime minister announced and I'm putting in place comes into fruition."
Migrant crisis
What awaits refugees coming to the UK?
The refugees preparing for UK life
The children smuggled into the UK
EU migration: Crisis in graphics
The government has previously said it has been at the forefront of the global response to the crisis in Syria, a result of a civil war between the government led by President Assad and various rebel groups.
In addition to offering to accept 20,000 refugees, the UK has provided £1bn in aid to Syria, with an extra £100m given to charities to help thousands of people displaced by the conflict.
Mr Harrington said "three or four" local authorities had taken Syrians, since David Cameron announced the UK would take people from camps.
Mr Vaz said he had calculated that meeting the 20,000 target would require an average of about 350 arrivals each month, a figure which Mr Harrington said would be "very reasonable".
Mr Vaz later clarified that the correct number was 384 per month.
However, Mr Harrington added: "I would just like to make it clear that whilst the mathematical correction is correct, in practice some quarters may be up and some quarters may be down. I don't think it's right to judge on a short period of time."
Leading former judges and lawyers have criticised the government's response to the migrant crisis, calling it "slow and narrow".
Lord Phillips, former UK Supreme Court head, and Lord Macdonald, ex-director of public prosecutions, are among 300 to sign an open letter on the issue.
They say the offer to accept 20,000 refugees over five years is not enough.
Facts about the Vulnerable People Relocation Scheme
- People are given housing from their first day, along with access to medical care and education and they can work
- Refugees taken into the UK via this scheme will be granted five years' humanitarian protection which includes access to public funds, the labour market and the possibility of family reunion, if a person was split up from their partner or child when leaving their country
- After those five years they can apply to settle in the UK
- Mr Cameron said the scheme would be funded for the first 12 months by the government
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34516150#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Immigration clampdown 'will be fairer'
Clampdown on illegal immigration 'will be fairer'
Clamping down on illegal immigration will mean "greater fairness to British citizens and legitimate migrants", Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
As MPs debate the government's Immigration Bill for the first time, Mrs May said its objective was to protect those who "play by the rules".
It proposes a new offence of illegal working and requires landlords to carry out checks on prospective tenants.
Labour's Andy Burnham said the bill was "unpleasant and insidious".
He told MPs that the bill was "driven by a desire to generate headlines" and would do nothing to bring the government closer to its target of reducing net migration from more than 300,000 currently to the tens of thousands.
Tuesday's second reading debate, which will cover the general aims and principles of the government's plans, is taking place in the House of Commons.
It comes after Mrs May was criticised by business groups and political opponents for an uncompromising speech to Conservative Party conference in which she pledged to crack down on immigration, warning that high migration made a "cohesive society" impossible.
What does the Immigration Bill say?
Under the Immigration Bill, people who work illegally in England and Wales would face up to six months in prison, and the police would be given the power to seize wages as the "proceeds of crime".
A Right to Rent scheme will require landlords to carry out checks on prospective tenants, such as seeing their passport or visa, to ascertain their immigration status.
Failing to do so would be a criminal offence leading to a fine or a jail sentence.
It would also become an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to hire abroad without first advertising in the UK – a policy which featured prominently in Labour's election manifesto.
And it would introduce a duty on public authorities to ensure that public sector workers in public-facing roles can speak fluent English.
What is Theresa's May case?
Mrs May told MPs that the capacity to work illegally was one of the "pull factors" encouraging people to come to the UK, where they often ended up working in "depressing and dangerous conditions" and being exploited by organised criminal gangs.
Illegal working was affecting "reputable businesses", she added, by depressing pay and conditions in different industries and parts of the country.
She also defended plans to require landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants, saying they were not "expected to become immigration experts" but would be able to call a new helpline where they would be given a "very simple message" about what to do.
The legislation was welcomed on the Conservative benches with Damian Collins, the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, telling MPs that it was right to give enforcement agencies more powers and "those who have most to fear from the bill are the exploiters".
What do Labour and other parties think?
Labour supports certain aspects of the bill – including greater sanctions against employers of illegal immigrants and the English-speaking requirement – but opposes other measures, including new requirements on private landlords which Mr Burnham claimed would make the UK a "more hostile and unwelcoming country".
"Landlords are not border or immigration experts," he told MPs. "They are not trained in reading official paperwork…They are not experts in spotting forged documents. On what basis are we planning to outsource immigration control to them?"
He insisted that immigration had had a net positive impact on the British economy but there needed to be "rules that make immigration work for everyone" – including a new "rapid migration fund" – paid for out of EU structural funds – to ensure poorer areas of the country with disproportionately high levels of immigration had the ability to provide extra school places and GP appointments.
He also questioned why the government should be given "sweeping powers" to deport migrants and asylum seekers before they had the chance to appeal, saying it would prevent people "exercising their legitimate rights".
For the SNP, spokesman Stuart McDonald described the bill as "regressive, illiberal, ill-considered and inhumane" and said the party would be voting against it at second reading.
And Lib Dem spokesman Alistair Carmichael said there had been seven immigration bills in the last eight years and 45,000 changes to the immigration rules since Mrs May became home secretary in 2010, but decision making by border agencies did not seem to have improved.
"This immigration bill is not fit for purpose," he said. "With the refugee crisis showing no sign of slowing down, not one of the bill's 56 clauses looks at finding a solution or easing the pressure on Europe's borders."
What happens next?
MPs are debating the bill on Tuesday with a vote expected at some time before 7pm. If the bill is passed – which it is expected to do – there is still a long way to go before it becomes law.
There will be the committee stage in the Commons, where MPs look through the plans line-by-line and, once that is completed the bill then goes to the House of Lords, where parts of it may face considerable opposition.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34508958#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
The man who discovered the VW scandal
The man who discovered the Volkswagen emissions scandal
"I'm just a simple engineer from Michigan," says John German, the man who helped discover the Volkswagen emissions scandal.
Speaking to Wake Up To Money on BBC Radio 5 live, Mr German revealed he had told VW about his findings in May 2014, but the company had failed to fix the problem.
He now thinks cars produced by other brands should be investigated for the emissions-cheating "defeat device" software found in some VWs.
John German is the US co-lead of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to reducing vehicle emissions.
He told Wake Up To Money the story of how they got started with their investigation.
"There's been a consistent stream of data suggesting that diesel cars in Europe have high NOx (nitrogen oxides and dioxides) emission," he says.
"So we had this bright idea – let's go to the US where the emissions standards are more stringent.
We thought the cars there would be clean, and we could take the results back to Europe and say, 'hey look, they're clean in the US, why can't you do it in Europe?'"
'Something wrong'
On 20 September, VW's then chief executive, Martin Winterkorn, issued a public apology, admitting to "breaking the trust" of customers.
But as Mr German explained, his ICCT organisation had been investigating VW since 2013.
To put it simply, Mr German and his team abandoned standard emissions lab tests and instructed researchers to take their cars – a VW Passat and Jetta, and a BMW X5 – out on the roads to simulate ordinary driving conditions.
What they found – with a machine in the cars' boot and probe down the exhaust pipe – was explosive.
"When [the researchers] first saw it they thought there was something wrong with their equipment," says Mr German.
"We found high – very high – emissions in the real world.
"The Passat had emissions five to 20 times the standard. The Jetta was worse. It was 15-35 times the standard.
"And then when they got to the X5, they were recording very, very low emissions again – so they were like 'OK – it wasn't our equipment'."
The data was clear enough, but Mr German didn't want to pre-judge an enquiry.
"While we suspected it might be a defeat device we never said that, and we turned our data over to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and let them do the investigation.
"The words 'defeat device' are not something you ever say unless you're certain."
'Completely inexplicable'
Mr German finished his report and turned over all his team's data to the EPA in May 2014.
He says he also sent a courtesy copy to Volkswagen.
Then in December 2014, the EPA announced VW was issuing a software fix to solve some vehicles' emissions problems.
Mr German says: "[VW] swore up and down to the agencies that this would fix the problem.
"But CARB went out in May [2015] and tested some of the vehicles with the fix and the emissions were still very high.
"VW tried to offer a lot of other explanations for the high emissions for a very long period of time. It wasn't until September 2015 that they finally admitted to the agencies there was a defeat device."
Mr German resists being drawn when asked what action should be taken against VW. "I'm just a simple engineer from Michigan – I don't get into that," he says.
But he is clear on one thing.
"This is the part that I find to be completely inexplicable. VW had a chance to fix it, and yet they continued to try and hide the fact they had a defeat device."
Having discovered the fault in VW, Mr German now thinks wider questions needs to be asked.
"We do not have any data or information that suggests any other manufacturer also is using a defeat device," he says. "But it absolutely needs to be investigated."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34519184#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Home Affairs committee summons Watson
Home Affairs committee summons Tom Watson over Leon Brittan allegations
Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has been asked to appear before MPs over his pursuit of sex abuse allegations against the late Lord Brittan.
The Home Affairs committee has asked Mr Watson to "provide clarification on a number of issues" on 21 October.
Mr Watson has refused to apologise for demanding police investigate the claims against Lord Brittan.
The former Conservative Home Secretary died unaware that police had dropped a rape inquiry against him.
The committee, chaired by Labour MP Keith Vaz, has also asked representatives of the Metropolitan Police to appear.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34521873#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
UKIP loses control of its only council
UKIP loses control of Thanet council over Manston issue
13 October 2015
- From the section Kent
The UK Independence Party has lost overall control of its only council.
The party won 33 seats on Thanet District Council, Kent, in May, making it the first authority in the UK to have a UKIP majority.
UKIP councillor Jeff Elenor announced on Tuesday he was defecting to join the Democratic Independent Group.
He joins four other UKIP councillors who defected last month saying they were unhappy with the council's lack of action over Manston Airport.
They also said they were unhappy about what they felt was insufficient focus by the council on issues such as housing, mental health and disabilities.
Mr Elenor said he did not feel the council was fulfilling its election pledge on Manston.
In May, UKIP won 33 seats, the Conservatives 18, Labour four, and independents one – 29 seats were needed for a majority.
UKIP now has 28 members, but remains the largest party on the council.
'Road blocks'
Earlier this week, the US company seeking to purchase and reopen Manston Airport accused the council leader of holding up the process.
The airport closed in May 2014 and was sold to a private consortium that plans to build homes on the site.
RiverOak said it had offered the money to help with a compulsory purchase order (CPO), and in an email to the council leader, it accused Chris Wells of "throwing one road block after another in front of us in order for you to carry out whatever your real agenda might be".
"Whatever it is, that agenda does not appear to recognise the will of your constituents, which is that Manston Airport be opened and operating at the earliest possible moment," chief investment officer George Yerall said.
Mr Wells said the council was seeking further assurances that RiverOak could afford to purchase the site.
The matter is due to be formally discussed at a cabinet meeting later this month.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-34517022#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Counting the cost of Ireland's recovery
Irish Budget: Counting the cost of economic recovery
It's Budget Day in the Republic of Ireland and the last before the government, which has driven a punishing austerity programme, goes to the polls early next year. Ministers point to an economic recovery but the spending cuts since 2008 have left wounds that are yet to heal for many in the country.
At the busy Hunter's Pharmacy in Dublin, the severe national economic medicine of austerity has proven a bitter pill to swallow for both customers and the owner, chemist Michael Austin.
Health cuts have been part of the prescription, but he also relies on retail sales of luxuries like perfumes and beauty products. With government and customers alike spending less, he's cautious about talk of recovery.
"The pharmacy sector has been hit very hard and retail sales are poor compared to years ago. We are in the early signs of recovery but as yet it's not feeding through to my customers.
"A lot of them have lost their jobs and with tax rises in the austerity budgets and various other factors, they're finding it very, very difficult."
Falling unemployment
However, Ireland's economy is growing with some predicting a 6% surge this year. Consumer sentiment has also risen and exports have been strong too – particularly to other EU countries, despite difficult conditions there.
Both have helped boost the domestic economy, with the government's tax take rising and unemployment falling below 10% – down from around 15% during the crash.
Whether it is because consumers are feeling more optimistic or the unseasonably mild October weather, there's a large queue for home-made ice-cream at the Storm in a Teacup shop in the seaside town of Skerries, County Dublin.
Customers say the country's been through the economic equivalent of a hurricane since the banking crash and global downturn from 2008 and there are mixed views in the queue for the ices.
"I know good friends and family members who lost businesses and jobs. Thankfully they're working again and there seems to be a more optimistic feel about it all. Generally I'm more optimistic than I was a few years ago," says Gearoid McGauran.
However, Lorcan Smith who's retired, says that austerity has hit the poor and the elderly hard and is cautious about prospects
"It has improved from a few years back but I still don't think it's great. It's liable to change – you're totally dependent on other matters so I feel it could change at any time.
"It's still hard for a lot of people. A lot are still very much on the breadline, the poorer section in society. I think it's been a bit one-sided – austerity has hit the poorer harder."
Declan O'Leary says his business is doing much better: "It's slow but it is getting better. I would say the economy has turned a corner big-time. There's been a threshold crossed over the past year where things have gone from bad or getting worse to getting better.
"From my own small business point of view, things have moved into a full order book as opposed to scraping around, looking for work, low prices, that kind of thing."
Janson Tighe who runs his own business says he's reliant on the economy improving for his customers: "It seems to be picking up but things are hard for people. I'm self-employed so I see it every day.
Some of my customers – they can't afford to pay their bills and they'll ask if we they can get the job done and they'll pay you next week. But on the whole we're seeing more new cars and more second-hand cars being sold and people seem to be a bit more up-beat about what's coming."
Childcare costs
After moving to England, nurse manager Claire Best returned to live in County Wicklow just as economic disaster struck in 2008. Austerity has affected her directly – her hospital emergency department was shut and she had to take a big pay cut on a lower grade in a different hospital before working her way back into management.
She says the impact of austerity remains: wards are overcrowded, sometimes with patients on trolleys rather than beds.
"There's been no provision for all these extra patients that are coming in from the other emergency departments which have been closing."
The government is pledging more beds this winter but Claire's union is taking industrial action over the issue. She says patient numbers have doubled in her department – with a more becoming ill due to economic problems.
"We see a lot of patients that are dealing with a lot of stressful issues at home. Whether it's having lost their houses to the banks or their family's fallen apart due to stress.
"Obviously alcohol can become an issue with a lot of the patients and they end up with more medical issues and in-patient stays within the hospital."
Claire says the lack of state childcare provision for her eight-year-old daughter Olivia means she must rely on her parents to help or face costs of over €1,000 (£747) a month which would force her to give up work.
Ireland has the highest birth-rate in the EU but also some of the most expensive childcare costs in the OECD, with families having to spend around a third of their income – three times the EU average. The government is facing widespread calls for action from employers and parents alike.
Rural-urban divide
Last year, Ireland's economy returned to the size it was in 2007, the year before the crash – but the bailout which kept the country afloat has caused the cost of servicing the national debt to quadruple to some €8bn.
Former IMF and Irish central bank economist, Professor Ray Kinsella, says that high emigration and a stripping out of public services have led to a two-speed recovery – with an urban-rural divide.
A major housing and homelessness crisis is unfolding too, with a slump in building related to the economic crash forcing rents upwards.
"Ireland experienced a huge recession pretty well at every level. The economy is recovering from that, really since 2014, but it has cast a long shadow.
"There has been massive emigration – there have been serious problems in the provision of public services and in rural Ireland, people still say: 'What recovery?'"
Ireland is pointed to as a success story for those in favour of austerity in the EU. It people will pass their verdict on the government in an election early in 2016 – with the Budget marking the effective start of the election campaign.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34518006#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
VW emissions: what it means to UK dealers?
It's genuinely sad to be reporting on Volkswagen Group's emissions scandal. As trusted brands go Volkswagen's previously untarnished reputation had been built upon decades of engineering excellence and the delivery of consistently desirable product.
Indeed the halo effect has underpinned its ownership of both Skoda and Seat who have benefitted from dealers being able to sell the virtues of platforms, technology and, of course, engines shared with Volkswagen.
So what does the crisis mean to the UK? There's no escaping the fact that it will be a bruising experience for VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat dealers. Many customers will feel duped which places showroom staff on the frontline as they deal with the practicalities caused by the software rigging shenanigans which caused this crisis.
It is encouraging to hear UK group CEO Paul Willis say that dealer customer satisfaction bonuses will be paid and the fee for stocking 4,000 impounded cars will be waivered. He's right to acknowledge that dealers are the backbone of the group's business and are on the frontline when it comes to dealing with customer concerns.
Dealer groups will already have robust customer care processes in place which can be adapted to tackle this crisis. The bottom line is that a mistake has been made and they are in a position to address and rectify it.
Meanwhile dealers face the unenviable task of scheduling and carrying out 1.2 million recalls from January to December 2016 and with some modifications reportedly expected to take between five and eight hours they should at least expect to be suitably remunerated.
The original article can be found at http://www.motortrader.com/blogs/editors-blog/vw-emissions-means-dealers/
Twitter lays off hundreds of staff
Twitter cuts 336 jobs amid restructuring
Twitter has said it is cutting 336 jobs, roughly 8% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring of the business.
The job cuts will cost between $10m (£6.5m) and $20m in severance pay, while the restructuring will cost between $5m and $15m, the company said.
Shares in Twitter rose 2% in pre-market trading following the announcement.
The move comes just days after co-founder Jack Dorsey returned as chief executive of the social media site.
"We have made an extremely tough decision – we plan to part ways with up to 336 people from across the company," Mr Dorsey wrote in a letter to Twitter employees.
"We are doing this with the utmost respect for each and every person.
"Twitter will go to great lengths to take care of each individual in providing generous exit packages and help finding a new job."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34516650#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
McDonnell: I changed tactics, not policy
John McDonnell: I've changed tactics, not policy on economy
John McDonnell has insisted he changed his mind on tactics – not policy – after ditching the party's support for the government's fiscal charter.
The shadow chancellor said Labour would oppose the bid to force future governments to run a budget surplus, having recently said it would back it.
The situation was branded a "shambles" after MPs were told about the U-turn at a stormy meeting at Westminster.
Mr McDonnell said Labour would now draw up its own fiscal charter.
He said work on this would start "tomorrow", adding that Labour would create a "new economic paradigm" and was bringing in a "new politics".
"We want people to pay their way but not in terms of income tax. We think people are taxed enough – ordinary low and middle earners – it will be the corporations who should pay their way," he said.
Asked why he had U-turned on supporting Chancellor George Osborne's bill – which commits future governments to balance their budget each year – he said that a trip to meet those hit by the Redcar steelworks closure had prompted the change of mind.
He said that as a result he did not want Labour associated "in any way" with the austerity policies of the government.
Austerity battle
- George Osborne became chancellor in 2010, pledging to tackle the UK's deficit and debt (here Norman Smith explains the difference).
- The coalition government made major spending cuts – known as "austerity" – from 2010-15.
- Further cuts were announced after the Conservatives won May's election.
- Labour's Jeremy Corbyn opposes austerity, saying the Conservatives have imposed a "terrible burden" on Britain's poorest people.
Mr McDonnell said he had changed his mind on parliamentary tactics but denied changing his economic policy. He said they had seen the bill as a "gimmick" so had intended to "ridicule it" by voting for it. He said Labour had also intended to try and amend the bill, but parliamentary processes had stopped them being able to.
Mr McDonnell's interview came after he had to explain the move at a shadow cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning which was described as "more reflective" than the heated meeting of Labour MPs on Monday.
The BBC's Eleanor Garnier said some at that meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party had reacted in fury at the decision – one which BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says Mr Corbyn had "no idea" was coming.
Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie criticised the U-turn and said Labour should set out its own motion.
"To go from one extreme to the other is wrong in economic terms but also it sends the wrong message to the general public as well," Mr Leslie told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Analysis by BBC political correspondent Iain Watson
The vast majority of Labour MPs didn't want Jeremy Corbyn as their leader – and they anticipated that divisions would be inevitable on everything from nuclear weapons to Syria. But what rattled them at last night's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party wasn't the politics of the leadership, but a perceived lack of competence.
They assumed at the very least that the straight-talking of the leadership election would have become embedded. Instead they had a lack of clarity from a leader who largely remained silent while some of his supporters were verbally savaged by sceptical MPs – as his shadow chancellor reversed his position of just a fortnight ago not to oppose George Osborne's fiscal charter. They were also dismayed at the lack of consultation about a potentially significant change of direction.
So they are now nervous about what else might go wrong and whether the approach of near-peaceful co-existence is sustainable. Yet the U-turn, however badly effected, wasn't without logic. If Labour gets an even worse result in next year's Scottish elections – and polls suggest it might – than in 2011, pressure will mount on the Corbyn leadership. The SNP will vote against the fiscal charter this week and would have been delighted to see Labour pay lip service to it. Nicola Sturgeon could then portray her party as the only major political force that opposed austerity.
So while still insisting he isn't a "deficit denier" John McDonnell had to protect his party's left flank. But the manner and speed of his manoeuvre has left many of his own MPs dazed and confused.
But one of leader Jeremy Corbyn's allies, shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott, said some in the party were "only slowly coming to terms with the fact that Jeremy won" the leadership contest.
She said the row over Mr McDonnell's change of heart was "a process story" and said most of the Parliamentary Labour Party were comfortable with the position being taken.
"I suspect my colleagues, on reflection, will calm down," she added.
MPs will debate and vote on Chancellor George Osborne's Charter for Budget Responsibility on Wednesday.
The charter would legally prevent future governments from spending more than they receive in tax revenue when the economy is growing.
The proposal commits the government to keep debt falling as a share of GDP each year and achieve a budget surplus by 2019-20. Governments will then be required to ensure there is a surplus in "normal times".
Chancellor George Osborne said Labour's economic policy had "lurched from chaos to incredibility".
"Two weeks ago they said they were going to vote for a surplus – now we know they want to keep on borrowing forever. That would be a grave threat to the economic security of working people," he said.
At the weekend, SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon challenged Labour to join her party in voting against the charter.
Welcoming the U-turn, Angus Robertson, SNP leader at Westminster, said it was "promising" but added it was "disgraceful there has had to be any doubt that the Labour Party would oppose Tory cuts".
He said the vote would be a major test for Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, claiming Labour's credibility "would be in ruins" unless every one of its MPs voted against the charter.
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility would be responsible for policing the new rules.
It would also have the power to decide when the government should be able to spend more than it is taking in revenue – for example, when the country is in a recession.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34519164#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
'Error' in £21m public land sale
RIFW £21m land sale 'error' admitted by civil servant
The civil servant behind the creation of a fund that sold millions of pounds of publicly-owned land has admitted it was wrong to include the most valuable site in the deal.
Chris Munday said, with hindsight, 120 acres (50 hectares) of farm on the edge of Cardiff should have been omitted.
The Regeneration Investment Fund for Wales (RIFW) is being investigated by the assembly public accounts committee.
Auditors found taxpayers may have lost £15m on the sale of 15 sites.
RIFW, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Welsh government, sold 15 sites in one deal for £21m in March 2012 to a Guernsey-based company called South Wales Land Developments.
In June, auditors said they found flaws in the sale process, weaknesses in advice to the board, and potential conflicts of interest.
The District Valuer, in the Wales Audit Office report, valued them at £36m, if they had been sold separately.
The most valuable site in the village of Lisvane, near Cardiff, was sold for £15,000 an acre (£6,000 per hectare).
Large parts of that land could now be worth up to £2m an acre (£800,000 per hectare) if planning permission is agreed.
The site, earmarked for housing by Cardiff council, is currently at the centre of a planning appeal.
'Fire sale'
Mr Munday told the committee on Tuesday: "Hindsight is a great educator. With the benefit of hindsight we would not have included Lisvane."
He defended the decision because he said they were forced to sell the land within a specific time-frame to follow EU guidelines.
Another senior civil servant told AMs the background was one of officials considering a "fire sale" of all the Welsh government's assets in the recession.
Deputy permanent secretary James Price said: "That was seriously being considered at the time – put the whole lot up in one block – and discussions about the fact we might lose half of it being completely acceptable from a policy perspective, because there was such a need to get investment into the economy.
"That's not what happened here, but that must have been at the back of people's minds who were thinking of putting this land in."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34516053#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
First female bishop to take Lord's seat
First female bishop to represent church in the House of Lords
13 October 2015
- From the section Gloucestershire
The Bishop of Gloucester is to become the first female bishop to take up a seat in the House of Lords, it has been confirmed.
The Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, who is the most senior woman bishop in the Church of England, will enter the upper chamber on 26 October.
She said she would be seeking to bring a voice of transformation to the House.
Bishop Rachel was officially installed at a Gloucester Cathedral service on 19 September.
'Active role'
During the ceremony on the 26 October, Bishop Rachel will be supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London.
She will take a parliamentary oath and then take a place on the benches alongside other Church of England bishops in a group called The Lords Spiritual.
"I am looking forward to joining and playing an active role in parliament," she said.
"Through the parish system, which covers every part of England, the Church of England has a detailed understanding of what is important to people's lives, and where transformation is most needed.
"This is the voice I seek to bring to the House, she said.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-34518156#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
DUP 'in-out' minister remains in post
DUP 'in-out' minister Jonathan Bell remains in post
13 October 2015
- From the section Northern Ireland
DUP Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell has been continuously in post since Friday despite his party's Stormont "in-out" policy, it has emerged.
The party has been moving its ministers in and out of the executive after the murder of Kevin McGuigan sparked a political crisis over the IRA's status.
Last month, the government appointed an independent panel to assess the current status of paramilitary organisations.
On Tuesday, MLAs again criticised the DUP's "in-out" tactic.
During an assembly debate on workforce planning in the health service, Sinn Féin MLA Daithi McKay said the enterprise minister had been at work for the past four days while Health Minister Simon Hamilton had not.
"I don't know what the priorities are within the DUP, but it is becoming increasingly clear that health is not a number-one priority," said Mr McKay.
Last week, Northern Ireland's Acting First Minister Arlene Foster told the BBC that the DUP could drop its policy when a report is published on paramilitary activity.
She is standing in for DUP leader Peter Robinson, who stood aside as first minister while warning it would not be "business as usual" at Stormont until the issue of paramilitaries was dealt with.
She said: "If we believe there has been substantial progress in relation to it, then we will seriously consider making that move."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34518921#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
UK pulls out of £5.9m Saudi jail deal
UK pulls out of £5.9m Saudi jail deal
13 October 2015
- From the section UK
The UK government has withdrawn from a controversial £5.9m prisons deal with Saudi Arabia, Downing Street has said.
The prime minister's official spokeswoman said it reflected the government's decision to focus on domestic priorities.
The Ministry of Justice had established it could withdraw from the bid process with no financial penalties, she said.
The government submitted an initial bid to provide a "training needs analysis" for Saudi prison service staff in 2014.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34518706#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
'No open cheque book' for Stormont
NIO Minister Ben Wallace warns of 'no open cheque book'.
13 October 2015
- From the section Northern Ireland
The Stormont talks process will not lead to extra cash for the executive, a Northern Ireland Office minister has warned.
NIO minister Ben Wallace was speaking during a House of Commons debate on the political situation in Northern Ireland.
Ben Wallace told MPs: "There is no more money – there is no open cheque book.
"The options are clear – to implement in full the Stormont House Agreement."
Stormont's political crisis was sparked by allegations Provisional IRA members were involved in the murder of Belfast man Kevin McGuigan.
Ulster Unionist Danny Kinahan, who called for the Westminster debate, used the occasion to highlight what he saw as the reasons why political relations in Northern Ireland were poor.
He said: "The current impasse, which is nothing more than the outworkings of this mismanagement and the mistrust of the major parties leading the assembly, has placed Northern Ireland in a precarious position, not only economically – as political parties have failed to agree the implementation of welfare reform – but socially ".
The South Antrim UUP MP said: "The continued bickering and public statements of dislike and intolerance further drives a wedge between the sections of nationalist and unionist communities."
Referring to the killing of Kevin McGuigan in August, DUP MP Ian Paisley said the current dispute was not about "bickering" but about "bloodshed on our streets and the murder of an individual".
"We will fight about the minor points, but this House needs to hear about the growth of criminality in Northern Ireland," the North Antrim MP said.
SDLP MP Mark Durkan talked about the "financial crisis in Belfast", and said the pressures placed on the executive had come from London.
He said that by imposing a fine on the bloc grant given to the Northern Ireland Executive because of difficulties over welfare, the Treasury had "created a budget stress on the Stormont assembly".
"The budget stress became a budget crisis, that in turn became a political crisis," he said.
The Foyle MP added: "The Treasury needs to take a different course. If the Treasury wouldn't treat Scotland in this way, they should not be treating Northern Ireland in that way now."
Speaking for the DUP, deputy leader Nigel Dodds said: "We will not sit idly by and let terrorists return us to to the dark days of the Troubles."
The North Belfast MP called on the Conservative administration to get tough with those who advocated paramilitary violence.
"A new mechanism for ridding us at last of the scourge of republicanism and so-called loyalist criminal gangs has to be credible, independent, robust and transparent," he said.
Shadow Northern Ireland Minister Stephen Pound said: "This is not an abstract matter, not a political game, not a constitutional discussion – it is a matter of life and death.
The Labour MP said it was "much more important that we be talking about these problems here and in Northern Ireland than resorting to the alternative".
SNP MP Deidre Brock said "the continued impasse surpasses understanding".
"Politicians should be able to work together even when they don't agree," she said.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34518088#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Labour U-turn: Why it's no laughing matter
Labour U-turn: Why it's no laughing matter
If it's all a political trick why should anyone care? Diane Abbott, the shadow international development secretary tried to laugh off the chaos at the weekly gathering of Labour MPs last night when she was put up to defend the policy today.
Labour's change of heart, withdrawing its support for George Osborne's attempt to make it illegal for governments to spend more than they have, was she argued, nothing more than her party's ongoing commitment to Keynsian economics. And the Chancellor's efforts are all a dastardly trap that doesn't matter.
There is a logic to opposing the bill. One senior figure in the party told me this morning, without being able to borrow to invest "there is no Labour economic story". And for Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity message to stick, it was odd that his close colleague John McDonnell had supported the idea in the first place. The Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugdale was among those who argued that position could not stick.
But McDonnell did, very publicly commit to backing Osborne's idea and the U-turn can't just be laughed off, for several different reasons.
First, Labour knows it needs voters to trust the party again on the economy. This total reversal on a key economic policy in the space of two weeks doesn't do much to inspire confidence.
Second, the manner in which its Shadow Chancellor presented the new policy, an email to Labour MPs in the middle of yesterday afternoon out-of-the-blue, runs totally counter to the approach Mr Corbyn has repeatedly said he wants to take – frank and open discussions before any decisions are made. What faith can his colleagues have in that promise now? This has soured relations between the leadership and the "making it work" brigade – politicians who accepted senior jobs in Corbyn's team for the sake of trying to keep the party together, and giving him a chance.
Third, at Labour's meeting last night there was dismay not just at how the U-turn had suddenly emerged, but at how Mr Corbyn didn't even make much attempt to confront his critics, not all from the right of the party. Despite his overwhelming support from the party membership there is a real fear in his Westminster party that he just is not up to the demands of the job.
Lastly, Corbyn's team seemed rather taken aback by McDonnell's decision, pointedly saying last night it was "for John to defend and explain". Any split between the two is dangerous because it is easy for their enemies to exploit.
In the short term McDonnell's U-turn leaves the new leadership with a potential rebellion on its hands. Labour moderates like the former Shadow Chancellor Chris Leslie plans to abstain on what is "John's first big test", and many others may join him.
Jeremy Corbyn gave McDonnell the job of running Labour's economic policy against the advice of many others. If the last 24 hours are anything to go by, Corbyn may in time conclude it would have been better to listen to that counsel.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34518777#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Backlash at Labour budget vote U-turn
Labour fiscal charter U-turn sparks backlash
13 October 2015
- From the section UK Politics
- comments
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has sparked a backlash from some Labour MPs after ditching the party's support for the government's fiscal charter.
Mr McDonnell said Labour would oppose the bid to force future governments to run a budget surplus, having recently said the party would vote in favour.
The situation was branded a "shambles" after MPs were told about the U-turn at a stormy meeting at Westminster.
But an ally of leader Jeremy Corbyn predicted angry MPs would "calm down".
Mr McDonnell said the U-turn would "underline our position as an anti-austerity party".
The BBC's Eleanor Garnier said some at the meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party had reacted in fury at the decision.
Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie criticised the U-turn and said Labour should set out its own motion.
"To go from one extreme to the other is wrong in economic terms but also it sends the wrong message to the general public as well," Mr Leslie told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"I think to be fair to John McDonnell this is a very difficult balancing act, it's a very difficult topic, but it's incredibly important that he is clear and consistent and explains fully not just what Labour's position is but also why he backed George Osborne's surplus a couple of weeks ago and is now against it apparently."
Analysis by BBC political correspondent Iain Watson
The vast majority of Labour MPs didn't want Jeremy Corbyn as their leader – and they anticipated that divisions would be inevitable on everything from nuclear weapons to Syria. But what rattled them at last night's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party wasn't the politics of the leadership, but a perceived lack of competence.
They assumed at the very least that the straight-talking of the leadership election would have become embedded. Instead they had a lack of clarity from a leader who largely remained silent while some of his supporters were verbally savaged by sceptical MPs – as his shadow chancellor reversed his position of just a fortnight ago not to oppose George Osborne's fiscal charter. They were also dismayed at the lack of consultation about a potentially significant change of direction.
So they are now nervous about what else might go wrong and whether the approach of near-peaceful co-existence is sustainable. Yet the U-turn, however badly effected, wasn't without logic. If Labour gets an even worse result in next year's Scottish elections – and polls suggest it might – than in 2011, pressure will mount on the Corbyn leadership. The SNP will vote against the fiscal charter this week and would have been delighted to see Labour pay lip service to it. Nicola Sturgeon could then portray her party as the only major political force that opposed austerity.
So while still insisting he isn't a "deficit denier" John McDonnell had to protect his party's left flank. But the manner and speed of his manoeuvre has left many of his own MPs dazed and confused.
But one of leader Jeremy Corbyn's allies, shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott, said some in the party were "only slowly coming to terms with the fact that Jeremy won" the leadership contest.
She said the row over Mr McDonnell's change of heart was "a process story" and said most of the Parliamentary Labour Party were comfortable with the position being taken.
"I suspect my colleagues, on reflection, will calm down," she added.
MPs will debate and vote on Chancellor George Osborne's Charter for Budget Responsibility on Wednesday.
The charter would legally prevent future governments from spending more than they receive in tax revenue when the economy is growing.
The proposal commits the government to keep debt falling as a share of GDP each year and achieve a budget surplus by 2019-20. Governments will then be required to ensure there is a surplus in "normal times".
Austerity battle
- George Osborne became chancellor in 2010, pledging to tackle the UK's deficit and debt (here Norman Smith explains the difference).
- The coalition government made major spending cuts – known as "austerity" – from 2010-15.
- Further cuts were announced after the Conservatives won May's election.
- Labour's Jeremy Corbyn opposes austerity, saying the Conservatives have imposed a "terrible burden" on Britain's poorest people.
Labour's turnaround comes two weeks after Mr McDonnell pledged support for Mr Osborne's plans, saying Labour were not "deficit deniers", at the Labour Party conference.
He also described the charter as a "trap for us to fall into".
Explaining his change in position, Mr McDonnell said there was a "growing reaction" to the "nature and scale" of public spending cuts, which had prompted the change of position.
"We will underline our position as an anti-austerity party by voting against the charter on Wednesday," he said.
"Labour will set out our plan for tackling the deficit, not through punishing the most vulnerable and decimating our public services but by ending the unfair tax cuts to the wealthy, tackling tax evasion and investing for growth."
Mr Osborne said Labour's economic policy had "lurched from chaos to incredibility".
"Two weeks ago they said they were going to vote for a surplus – now we know they want to keep on borrowing forever. That would be a grave threat to the economic security of working people," he said.
The mood at Monday's meeting
By BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier
It was a long and difficult meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party. One MP said it was the worst they had ever been to. Jeremy Corbyn was apparently "read the riot act" and said nothing. Another described it as lacking "any aspect of democratic politics".
A former shadow cabinet member told me that it was "without doubt one of the most heated" PLPs and "passions were running high". Others were clearly outraged at the shadow chancellor's change of plan. As he left the meeting, former cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw branded it a "total shambles".
John Mann MP was furious; he shouted so loudly at the party's leadership that he was easily audible in the corridor outside. Despite that anger, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said the meeting had been "warm and friendly" claiming the only disagreement had been on the need for there to be more discussion on the issue. It all shows the seriousness of the cracks within the party and many in Labour will worry about how much worse it could all get.
At the weekend, SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon challenged Labour to join her party in voting against the charter.
Welcoming the U-turn, Angus Robertson, SNP leader at Westminster, said it was "promising" but added it was "disgraceful there has had to be any doubt that the Labour Party would oppose Tory cuts".
He said the vote would be a major test for Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, claiming Labour's credibility "would be in ruins" unless every one of its MPs voted against the charter.
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility would be responsible for policing the new rules.
It would also have the power to decide when the government should be able to spend more than it is taking in revenue – for example, when the country is in a recession.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34508959#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
House prices rising fastest in England
House prices rising fastest in England
House prices in England have risen considerably faster than in the rest of the UK in the last year, official figures show.
Property prices in England rose by 5.6% in the 12 months to the end of August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
This was higher than a 2.9% rise in Northern Ireland, a 0.8% rise in Wales and a fall of 0.9% in Scotland.
The average price of a home in the UK rose to £284,000.
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Overall, the pace of UK house price rises was unchanged in August compared with July.
The annual rise in prices of 5.2% was still much faster than consumer prices in general, which were unchanged over the same period.
Richard Snook, senior economist at accountants PwC, said: "The figures show a robust housing market, providing further ammunition for those calling for an interest rate rise in the near term.
"With inflation likely to rise over the coming months as last winter's energy price decline drops out of the equation, we expect pressure to continue to build on the Monetary Policy Committee."
The ONS said that house prices were rising faster for owner-occupiers (up 5.8%) than they were for first-time buyers (up 3.8%).
Regionally, the fastest property price rise was seen in the East of England (up 8.8%), with Scotland registering the only fall in average prices.
|House price change – nations and regions
|Annual change
|East of England
|Up 8.8%
|South East of England
|Up 7.4%
|South West of England
|Up 6.1%
|Yorkshire and the Humber
|Up 4.8%
|North West of England
|Up 4.7%
|Up 4.2%
|West Midlands
|Up 3.6%
|East Midlands
|Up 3.1%
|North East of England
|Up 2.9%
|Northern Ireland
|Up 2.9%
|Up 0.8%
|Down 0.9%
|Source: ONS, August 2015
Separate figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show that activity in the home loans market dipped in August compared with the previous month.
There were 62,300 mortgages approved for house purchases in the UK during the month.
This total was down 9.3% compared with July, but 1.5% higher than in August 2014.
Analysts said that there was generally a lull in activity during August as potential homebuyers took time out for summer holidays.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34514642#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
UK house prices up 5.2% year on year, says latest ONS index
UK house prices increased by 5.2% in the year to August 2015, unchanged from the previous month but excluding London and the South East the increase was 4.8%, the latest official figures show.
House prices increased by 5.6% in England, 0.8% in Wales, 2.9% in Northern Ireland and fell 0.9% in Scotland, according to the figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
The data also shows that annual house price increases in England were driven by an annual increase in the East of 8.8% and the South East at 7.4% while month on month they increased by 0.7% nationwide.
In August 2015, prices paid by first time buyers were 3.8% higher on average than in August 2014 and for existing owners prices increased by 5.8% for the same period.
The North East recovered from an annual fall in house prices in the year to July 2015 of 0.7% to show annual growth of 2.9% in the year to August and London prices increased by 4.2% over the year to August 2015, down from 5.5% in the year to July 2015.
Average mix-adjusted house prices in August 2015 stood at £298,000 in England, £174,000 in Wales, £151,000 in Northern Ireland and £198,000 in Scotland. Excluding London and the South East, the average UK mix-adjusted house price was £217,000.
London continued to be the English region with the highest average house price at £522,000 and the North East had the lowest average house price at £160,000. London, the South East and the East all had prices higher than the UK average price of £284,000.
According to Adrian Gill, director of Reeds Rains and Your Move estate agents, growth is primarily being underpinned by sturdy demand and solid activity at the bottom of the property ladder. 'The cheaper northern regions are experiencing the fastest growth in property sales, while a shortage of property stock on the market in the south is slowing activity,' he said.
'The most frequently paid property price across England and Wales is just £125,000, mirroring the level at which stamp duty becomes payable, and reflecting the impetus that has been injected in the first-time buyer market recently,' he pointed out.
'It is also the lower to mid-range properties priced between £180,000 and £360,000 which are seeing the fastest increases in value, while the shift in stamp duty bands continues to slow growth at the higher end of the market, and prices above £600,000 are largely stationary,' he explained.
'Despite this, London is firmly back in the driving seat of property price rises, following a slight pit stop, and is having a much greater influence on national measures of price growth on an annual basis. As in the rest of the country, it's the more affordably priced London boroughs which are behind this renaissance, as the strengthening of sterling, rising stamp duty rates and moves against non-doms take their toll on the high end market,' he added.
Lora Roberts, portfolio manager at estate agent Ascend Properties, said that while on the surface, news that's prices paid by first time buyers are up 3.8% on the same day that inflation has been announced as turning negative again might appear bleak on paper. 'But the reality is that we are seeing a healthy and fluid market across both sales and lettings. We are seeing signs of increased confidence across the board, with enquiries up for both segments of the market,' she added.
A shortage of stock has pushed prices up, according to Martin Robinson, director of sales at Hunters Property Group but he pointed out that there has been a reduction in sales falling through, which is another good indicator that people are confident in what they are buying.
Jonathan Hopper, managing director of the buying agents Garrington Property Finders, believes that while the UK's rate of annual price growth was unchanged, the progress is slowly becoming more broad based with East and South East England emerging as the star performers.
'But it's far too early to talk of an end to Britain's two speed property market. Prices in Scotland have failed to make up the ground lost in spring, and in the North East of England prices are still languishing 1.7% below their pre-crash levels,' he said.
'Despite the slight softening of prices in the capital, a wave of bullish sentiment plus the ever more imminent prospect of an interest rate rise has inspired thousands of would be buyers in southern England that now is the time to act,' he explained.
'With ultra-hotspots like Cambridge powering East Anglia to a level of annual price growth that was once typical of London, north/south divide remains firmly in place. The picture across much of the south is of an acute shortage of supply at all but the highest price points, and steadily increasing prices is the inevitable result,' he added.
Nicholas Leeming, Chairman of national agents Jackson-Stops & Staff, with 44 offices nationwide, said that record levels of prices reflect the combination of restricted supply and sustained demand.
'There remains a stand-off between buyers and sellers at the top end of the market, with neither party prepared to accept the higher cost of stamp duty. London has been particularly affected by the stand-off because of the prevailing, higher values in the capital. The number of properties coming on to the market remains low at the top end,' he added.
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The original article can be found at http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-real-estate-prices-2015101311087.html
VW Group to waiver dealer stocking charges and pay bonuses
Volkswagen Group dealers will have their customer satisfaction bonuses paid and stocking charges waivered as a result of the emissions crisis affecting the brands, according to managing director Paul Willis (pictured).
Addressing questions from the Commons Transport Select Committee, Willis said the group had moved to protect its dealers who he described as the "backbone of our business" and it would not charge them for stocking the 4,000 vehicles it withdrew from sale.
"The situation with dealers is one of great deal of concern. In my company we employ less than 900 people but in the dealers there is over 21,000," he said.
"What we've done to help them already is to change the stocking plan so the vehicles that are on sales stop, a stock of around 4,000 units, we will take all the interest for that; we will definitely not charge our retailer network interest on that and we've started to make changes in some of our earnings potentials straight away so for example customer satisfaction bonuses we will pay."
"We introduced this immediately when we knew the extent of this issue. In the coming days my team are meeting with all the retailers to see precisely what we need to do next. Of course we could not exist without our dealers, our retailers are the backbone of our business, and therefore it's really important that we look after them and support them. They're at the forefront of the pressure and questions from customers and its absolutely imperative that we work with them and help them."
Willis said vehicle owners affected by the recall will be offered loan cars by their dealers while their vehicles are being fixed.
Willis also confirmed that out of the 1.2 million affected UK vehicles, which have been sold since 2008, about 400,000 with EU5 1.6-litre engines will need fuel injectors modified as well as a software fix. While vehicles with EU5 2.0-litre engines will just require a software update.
It has emerged that 60 different models are affected over the VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat and VW Commercials brands across three different engines and two different transmissions. An eight day gap between the start of the crisis and the identification of affected vehicles meant dealers sold more than 1,000 vehicles which will now be recalled.
Willis confirmed that the recall will start at the beginning of 2016 and run to the end of the year although he acknowledged there was "some risk" of its target being missed.
"The goal is to try to get it finished by the end of 2016," he said.
When asked about the possibility of compensating customers over potential lost residual values to their vehicles, he said: "I think it's premature to think about that."
Click here to see a full video of the testimony.
The original article can be found at http://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/vw-group-waiver-dealer-stocking-charges-pay-bonuses/
Tax cuts on table for Irish budget
Irish budget: Michael Noonan expected to announce cuts in personal taxation
13 October 2015
- From the section Europe
The Republic of Ireland's finance minister is due to announce tax cuts and spending increases in the country's last budget before an election.
The country exited its international bailout programme in 2013 and is now Europe's fastest growing economy.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan is expected to announce a cut in personal taxation.
However, some analysts have warned that Mr Noonan should do more to tackle high levels of government debt.
The governing coalition has indicated that there will be a modest giveaway of about 1.5bn euro (£1.1bn).
About half of that will reportedly be used to cut the unpopular Universal Social Charge (USC) which is sometimes called "the bailout tax".
The threshold at which people pay USC is expected to rise to 13,000 euros (£9,646).
There is also expected to be a new tax credit for self-employed people and an increased threshold for inheritance tax.
There are reports that the old age pension will go up by 3 euros (£2.22) a week. There will also be an increase in the fuel allowance.
It is understood that the government plans to create 2,200 new teaching posts and at least 500 additional jobs in policing.
Mr Noonan is to address the Dáil at 14:15 BST. Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin will set out spending plans when he speaks at 15:00 BST.
The Republic of Ireland's economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is growing at an annual rate of more than 6%.
The Gross National Product (GNP) measurement, which strips out some of the distorting activities of multi-national firms, is showing growth of about 5%.
Unemployment has come down from over 14% in 2012 to 9.4% in September, bringing welfare spending down significantly.
Government debt has fallen to about 100% of GDP compared to a peak of 120% in 2012.
The country's independent Fiscal Advisory Council has said the government's proposed package is "at the upper end of the range of prudent policies".
It warns that the country's debt to GDP ratio "remains extremely high leaving the economy vulnerable to adverse growth and interest rate shocks".
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has said that he intends to hold a general election in Spring 2016.
His centre-right Fine Gael party is the senior partner in coalition with the centre-left Labour Party.
Both parties are struggling in the polls despite the improving economy.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34508527#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Pendragon opens relocated BMW and Mini Leeds site
Pendragon has opened its relocated Stratstone BMW and Mini Leeds centres following a 12 month development programme.
The new location, on Gelderd Road, offers more square feet, a larger outdoor used car display area and an increased number of parking spaces for visitors.
The existing 85 BMW and 35 MINI team members have moved to the new location, with additional recruitment for a variety of job roles set to follow.
"The new site has been a year in the making and we are delighted to open our doors to customers," said Trevor Fussey, Stratstone's national franchise director.
"The location provides a fantastic experience for our customers, allowing us to showcase a wider choice of new and used cars. We look forward to welcoming familiar and new faces to take a look around."
The original article can be found at http://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/pendragon-opens-relocated-bmw-mini-leeds-site/
Royal Mail stake sale raises £591m
Royal Mail: Final stake sale raises £591m
The government says it has raised £591.1m from selling its final stake in Royal Mail at 455p a share.
The money was raised from selling a 13% stake in the business, while a 1% stake was awarded to Royal Mail workers.
The sale means the government has received a total of £3.3bn from the Royal Mail privatisation.
The privatisation of Royal Mail began in December 2013, but it was criticised after the shares almost doubled from their initial price of 330p.
Following the latest stake sale, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said it was "a truly historic day for Royal Mail".
"We have delivered on our promise to sell the government's entire remaining stake, which means that for the very first time, the company is now wholly owned by its employees and private investors."
The government said employees now owned 12% of Royal Mail.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34514024#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Concerns voiced about new simplified tenancies bill in Scotland
Simplified residential tenancies are now being introduced in Scotland but experts warn that more needs to be done to maintain supply in the private rented sector and attract more investment.
Scottish Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said the changes outlined in the Private Tenancy Bill will give tenants greater security and stability in their home and community. 'It will also give landlords reassurance that their tenants will treat their property as a long term home, rather than somewhere temporary,' she pointed out.
'The private rented sector is changing. It is now home to a growing number of people in Scotland, and we recognise there are some areas where rents are increasing significantly. It is right and responsible to give local authorities the ability to introduce rent controls in order to ease areas under pressure,' she added.
The Scottish Association of Landlords said there while there is a broad agreement that the rental regime in the private rented sector needed to be modernised as part of a drive to increase standards and protect tenants, there are concerns that it could harm investment in a sector which is said to have a key role to play in solving Scotland's long term housing crisis.
'We have particular concerns about measures such as rent controls, as well as removing the right of a landlord to end a lease naturally, subject to a reasonable notice period,' said SAL chief executive John Blackwood.
'While we understand the political pressure to tackle rent rises in hotspots such as Aberdeen and Edinburgh, we are concerned these measures could harm investor confidence and drive landlords out of the market, leaving a vacuum that could be filled with less than scrupulous individuals,' he explained.
'The way to reduce rent levels in a sustainable manner is to increase housing supply, not punishing landlords that are investing tens of thousands of pounds in their properties,' he added.
According to Scottish Land & Estates the sector also needs to attract new investment, especially in rural areas. Its members are at the forefront of supplying rural housing across the country, many at affordable rents, and the organisation said there were many positive elements to the Bill but that certain elements could impact on rural housing supply.
'We welcome the degree of clarity that the introduction of the Bill has provided and we can see that there are many positive elements to the government's proposals. The simplification of the tenancy regime is something that we have long argued for and it is pleasing that the Scottish Government has made a concerted effort to address the need for reform,' said Katy Dickson, policy officer for business and property at Scottish Land & Estates.
She explained that the introduction of a single notice to leave system, with robust and reasonable grounds on which to end a tenancy is to be welcomed, and increased notice periods will hopefully address many of the concerns regarding security and certainty raised during the consultation.
'As we have pointed out throughout the consultation process, the removal of the no-fault ground for repossession would leave a significant gap where landlords may struggle to deal to remove tenants, especially where there are issues of anti-social behaviour that affect both the landlord and neighbouring properties,' she said.
'We hope the new system will address these concerns but we will need to study the Bill in more detail over the coming days. In particular we hope that the progressive repossession grounds for rent arrears cases will actually deliver an effective measure for the many landlords who routinely face this issue,' she added.
The organisation also wants to see a new regime that delivers for these issues and Dickson said there is disappointment that the ground to recover possession because the property is required for an agricultural worker is not included.
'The Scottish rental sector has long faced issues with high demand, low supply and problems enforcing the current legislation. We hope the current legislation will not reduce supply or exacerbate the lack of investment in the sector,' she concluded.
But homeless charity Shelter Scotland said that the new legislation is the biggest move forward in private tenancy law in the last quarter of a century and should rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord.
'The abolition of no fault eviction is a very big step forward and, combined with a flexible and secure tenancy, it will help families in particular put down roots in their communities and help people to stay in their home for as long as they need,' said its director Graeme Brown.
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The original article can be found at http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/scotland-tenancies-bill-view-2015101311086.html
Irish property prices continue to see sustained growth
Property prices in Ireland increased nationwide by 2.3% in August and are up 9.5% compared to a year ago, the latest official data shows.
In Dublin property prices rose by 2.8% in August and were 8.2% higher than in August 2014. A breakdown shows that house prices are rising faster than apartments at 3% and 0.3% respectively.
However, the index report from the Central Statistics Office says that it should be noted that the sub-indices for apartments are based on low volumes of observed transactions and consequently suffer from greater volatility than other series.
In the rest of Ireland, excluding Dublin, prices rose by 1.9% in August and were up 10.8% compared with August 2014.
This means that at a national level residential property prices were 35.4% lower than their peak level in 2007 and excluding Dublin residential prices were 38.7% lower than their highest level in 2007.
In Dublin house prices were 34.4% lower than the peak, apartment prices 40.4% lower and Dublin residential property prices overall 36.2% lower than their highest level.
However, there are concerns that house prices are growing too fast. The Irish economy grew by a Eurozone record of 7.2% in the second quarter and according to the Organisation for Economic Development and Coordination (OECD) is set to grow by 5% overall in 2015 and 4% in 2016.
But the OECD is concerned that rapidly rising house prices still pose one of the biggest risks to financial stability and an uncontrolled property boom would 'increase vulnerabilities, especially if it were associated with further indebtedness'.
Its latest review says that such strong price rises may again spark a reinforcing spiral of higher property prices and credit leading to another misalignment of property prices and eventual burst that causes large losses in the banking sector.
'To avoid repeating past mistakes, now is the time to build resilience against future nasty surprises while ensuring the recovery is sustained, and its benefits broadly shared,' said Angel Gurría, secretary general of the OECD.
The OECD suggested that the Irish government should take measures to cool the market, such as avoiding subsiding first time buyers and encouraging growth in the rental market.
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The original article can be found at http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/ireland-property-prices-growth-2015101311085.html
UK residential housing market sees highest activity for six months
UK housing market activity has climbed to its highest level in six months and the second highest monthly level on record, new data shows.
September saw just 0.5% fewer valuations carried out than in March 2015 which was the highest on record, according to the latest research from Connells Survey & Valuation.
On an annual basis, total valuation activity is up 29% compared to September 2014, after a 23% month on month rebound since August 2015.
'Britain's housing market is going from strength to strength. Against a brightening economic background, players in all parts of the market are feeling more confident about their prospects. Valuation activity is growing beyond the seasonal pick-up at the end of August, with year-on-year growth gathering momentum,' said John Bagshaw, the firm's corporate services director.
The data also shows that the number of valuations carried out specifically for first time buyers rose by 25% in September compared to the previous month and an 18% increase compared to September 2014.
Valuation activity among established home movers performed even better. The number of valuations carried out for those moving house rose 26% when compared to last month and 23% since September 2014.
'First time buyers aren't just feeling more confident, they are now following this up with real action and contributing a good portion of growth in the UK housing market. There are no signs yet that schemes such as Help to Buy are going to be phased out, helping to suppress the barriers to setting a first foot on the ladder,' Bagshaw explained.
'Meanwhile, wages are growing faster than inflation and purchase prices have cooled a little in recent months, all contributing to an acceleration in numbers of first time buyers. Moreover, the latest focus from the government on starter homes is a promising sign there is at least a strong intention to maintain support at the bottom of the ladder,' he pointed out.
'Home movers have also been buoyed by the same trends. Rising real term wages combined with steadily increasing property values mean that many of those who are already fortunate enough to have a place of their own feel it's a great time to buy,' he added.
The data also shows that remortgaging experienced another stand out month. The number of valuations for those thinking of taking a fresh mortgage out against the value of their current home rose 16% on August of this year and 49% since September 2014.
Meanwhile the buy to let sector has seen steadier growth, with the number of valuations growing 13% since September last year. On a monthly basis, valuations activity carried out on behalf of buy to let investors grew by 21% compared to August.
'The remortgaging sector is continuing to power ahead with plenty of people still opting to improve rather than move. High demand in this sector is still being driven by the large number of good mortgage deals out there, as homeowners rush to capitalise on the value of their home, while it's still relatively cheap to do so,' Bagshaw explained.
'Meanwhile landlords are proving resilient. Many thought the buy to let market might be in full retreat after a Summer Budget aimed at clamping down on the sector. But most investors' panic was short lived as they realised that the fundamentals of buy to let's profitability, namely large demand from tenants and low mortgage rates, were still in place. Far from being a drag, the sector capped off what has been a very good month for total valuations,' he added.
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The original article can be found at http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-property-activity-report-2015101311084.html
£11m childcare plan helps job hunters
£11m childcare plan helps job hunters
Unemployed parents are being offered help to look for work with a new £11m scheme to assist with childcare costs.
It aims to help 6,400 parents across Wales over the age of 25 take up jobs or training over the next three years.
Parents will be offered up to 25 hours of childcare for eight weeks, with the option to apply for longer-term help.
Communities Minister Lesley Griffiths said the cost of childcare had been identified as the "biggest barrier" stopping many parents taking up jobs.
Support will be extended to parents aged 16 to 24 later in the year.
The scheme will run for three years at a cost of £10.9m.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34504704#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
China's imports and exports down
China's imports down 17.7% in yuan-denominated terms
China's September imports fell a more-than-expected 17.7% in yuan-denominated terms, while exports fell 1.1% from a year earlier, official figures show.
The numbers leave the country with a trade surplus of 376.2bn yuan ($59.4bn; £38.8bn).
The steep fall in imports compares with a fall of 14.3% in August and continues to reflect lower commodity prices globally.
China recently revised down its 2014 economic growth from 7.4% to 7.3%.
The revision marks its weakest growth for almost 25 years. After decades of double-digit growth, the government is expecting to see growth of about 7% in 2015.
Domestic-led growth
China is attempting to shift from an export-led economy to a consumer-led one.
Exports in September held up better than expected, after some had forecast a fall of as much as 7%.
However the significant fall in imports means domestic demand is not as strong as the government would have hoped.
China's trade numbers in US dollar denominated terms will be reported later on Tuesday.
Currency conversion factors based on US dollar and Chinese yuan movements over the last year mean some official numbers from the mainland are now reported in both currencies.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34513044#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Legal cannabis 'worth millions' to UK
Cannabis legalisation worth millions – government report
13 October 2015
- From the section Entertainment & Arts
Legalising cannabis could generate hundreds of millions of pounds a year in tax and cut costs for the police and prisons, a government study has found.
The internal Treasury report, obtained by BBC Newsnight, said regulating the market would "generate notable tax revenue" and "lead to overall savings to the criminal justice system".
MPs debated the issue on Monday, after a petition calling for legalisation drew more than 220,000 signatures.
Ministers do not plan to alter the law.
The Home Office said it had "no plans" to change the law on cannabis, which is currently classified as a Class B illegal drug, adding that cannabis use was falling gradually.
'216 tonnes'
The Treasury study was undertaken earlier this year at the behest of the Liberal Democrats when they were in coalition, but was not published.
Civil servants were asked to consider the "potential fiscal impacts of introducing a regulated cannabis market in the UK".
The study notes that 2.2 million people aged 16 to 59 are thought to have used cannabis last year – smoking a total of 216 tonnes.
Government analysts reviewed the work of the Institute for Social and Economic Research, which has estimated that licensing cannabis could help reduce the UK budget deficit by up to £1.25bn a year – from taxes raised and cost reductions.
The Treasury report argues that sum is probably an over-estimate.
But it agrees that regulating cannabis would raise significant amounts in tax, as well as saving the state up to £200m in court and police costs a year.
'Ludicrous criminalisation'
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said his party wanted to consider regulating and taxing cannabis, pointing to the example of changes in some US states.
He said: "The whole debate has shifted dramatically now… as we see state after state starting this debate, with many states in the US deciding to establish legalised regulated markets.
"And of course the basic principle it seems to me is, do you put a potentially dangerous product into the hands of criminals who have no interest in your welfare at all or do you seek to regulate it?
"And I think in terms of public health protection of individuals and avoiding the ludicrous criminalisation of so many young people, a legalised regulated market makes a lot of sense."
But the Home Office said in a statement: "The government has no plans to legalise or decriminalise cannabis.
"There is clear scientific and medical evidence that cannabis is a harmful drug which can damage people's mental and physical health, and harms individuals and communities."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34512015#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
More female-friendly online dating
Making online dating a lot more female friendly
Women who use online dating websites often complain of receiving unwanted, unsolicited photographs of "crotch shots" from men.
The practice has become so common that many women don't even consider it harassment – many consider it a mere annoyance, a necessary evil in the modern cyber quest for love.
Whitney Wolfe, a co-founder of dating app Tinder, says she wants her new company to disrupt the sector, and cut back on the amount of online harassment directed towards women.
She describes her start-up Bumble as a "feminist dating app", where men are typically more polite, because women make the first move.
'Men are flattered'
"In every other facet of a young woman's life we are owning our worlds in a very independent way," Ms Wolfe says from her hip, co-working space in Austin, Texas.
"We work, we create, we support ourselves, and it's encouraged to do so. The only thing that hasn't caught up to that is how we date."
The 26-year-old entrepreneur founded Bumble a year ago. She says the restrictions in the app which block men from driving the conversations are pushing social change.
The word feminism has been co-opted and contorted, she says, but "what it really means is equality between men and women". When women make the first move, she says, men are often flattered and behave much more politely.
In the world of dating apps, Ms Wolfe is famous for co-founding and then being ousted from Tinder, the wildly popular dating tool that first started in 2012.
She then sued her fellow co-founders last year for sexual harassment. Ms Wolfe refused to discuss details of the case with the BBC, but she maintained her "co-founder" status, and she reportedly received about $1m (£650,000) when the lawsuit was settled with no admission of wrong doing.
Maintaining the "founder" title is important. Female founders and chief executives are rare. Fewer than 3% of venture capital-backed companies are run by women, according to a 2014 study by Babson College about bridging the gender gap in entrepreneurship.
"Only a small portion of early-stage investment is going to women entrepreneurs, yet our data suggest that venture capital-funded businesses with women on the executive team perform better on multiple dimensions," the report's author Candida Brush said when it was released.
"The venture capital community, therefore, may be missing good investment opportunities by not investing in women entrepreneurs."
Ms Wolfe says it's important for women to feel empowered in dating as well as in business, where women too often "hesitate" to start their own companies.
"Sometimes there's this hesitation involved with women" when it comes to starting businesses, she says.
"There's this hold back there, and until we break the mould – and there are positive examples set, and it's something that is achievable – I don't think we're going to see much of a change."
Niche dating
Ms Wolfe isn't the only entrepreneur breaking the mould when it comes to dating apps where women call the shots.
Siren is a dating platform made by women and marketed to women users. It allows women to control their visibility, so they can block their profile from other users.
For example, some users only make their profile visible to social media contacts.
How pervasive is harassment online? A Pew Research Centre report in 2013 found that 28% of online daters have been harassed or made to feel uncomfortable.
For women, 42% have experienced negative contact, compared with just 17% of men.
One online dating user, Mandy Tugwell, says she removed her online dating profile from a mainstream dating site after she got naked pictures of men, and was repeatedly asked if she was into sexual fetishes.
"I was like, OK this isn't going to work," she says. "I got really creeped out."
But Ms Tugwell did find a serious relationship on a niche dating site targeted at black women and Asian men.
Ms Wolfe says the crowded field of online dating and social media networking sites isn't intimidating. Tinder is a juggernaut, and there are dozens of other niche sites to choose from, she says.
Finding love and connections is "a huge, huge need" she adds.
"It's part of who we are as human, to date and find people to share time with.
"I don't think we need to compete with anyone. I think we can be a standalone entity that is trying to fill a void.
"It's a unique mission. I'm happy to compete in a field that's crowded."
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34490520#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Facebook paid £4,327 corporation tax
Facebook paid £4,327 corporation tax in 2014
Social network giant Facebook paid just £4,327 ($6,643) in corporation tax in 2014, its latest UK results show.
Its most recent Companies House filing shows the company as making a pre-tax loss of £28.5m last year, but the firm also paid its 362 UK staff a total of £35.4m in share bonuses.
The share bonuses amount to £96,000 on average per UK Facebook employee.
It means Facebook's UK corporation tax bill was less than the tax the average UK employee paid on their salary.
The average UK salary is £26,500 on which employees pay a total of £5,392.80 in income tax and national insurance contributions.
In January, Facebook reported global fourth-quarter profits of $701m (£462m), a 34% increase on the same period a year earlier.
Total profits for the year were $2.9bn, almost double its profit for 2013.
Facebook said at the time that advertising revenue grew by 53% to $3.59bn, with nearly 70% of that coming from mobile ad sales.
The social networking giant says it now has 1.39 billion active users each month, a 13% increase from a year ago.
EU probe
The latest revelations will reignite the debate about how much UK corporation tax companies pay at a time when several multinational corporations are being investigated by the European Commission over the tax arrangements they have with European Union member states.
Google, Amazon, a division of the Fiat motor company and Starbucks are all subject to the investigation and the European Commission has said it could widen its probe further.
The investigation came after Starbucks was revealed to have paid just £8.6m in UK corporation tax in the 14 years between 1998 and 2012, despite making more than £3bn in UK sales in the same period.
Last week, EU finance ministers agreed to boost information sharing in response to the so-called LuxLeaks scandal that emerged last year. The scandal showed Luxembourg had issued hundreds of tax rulings allowing companies to lower their tax bill by funnelling their profits through the country.
A spokesperson for Facebook said: "We are compliant with UK tax law, and in fact in all countries where we have operations and offices. We continue to grow our business activities in the UK."
They added that all the firm's employees paid UK income tax on their payouts.
The company recently secured the lease on a high-profile 227,324 sq ft office space in Rathbone Square, near Tottenham Court Road in London, where it plans to open a new headquarters in 2017.
John O'Connell, director of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers will be justifiably confused and angry about this tax bill. But Facebook is right to say that it is complying with UK law, which shows that the problem lies with our complex tax code, and that is what politicians should address as a matter of urgency.
"We have to ensure our taxes are simple to eliminate loopholes, and that taxes are low to increase our competitiveness, so that companies choose to base themselves here."
Conservative MP Mark Garnier, a member of Parliament's Treasury Select Committee told the BBC that even if companies were not breaking any laws, they should think about their moral responsibility.
"It's about the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. At the end of the day tax evasion is illegal, when you're deliberately setting out to not pay your tax by hiding your money," he said.
"Tax planning is what most people will be doing with their pensions. And tax avoidance is where you take the letter of the law, to get around the spirit of the law, where you're actively seeking a way of using the letters to not pay tax."
In his March Budget, Chancellor George Osborne pressed ahead with plans to introduce a diverted profits tax on companies that moved their profits overseas.
He added that firms that aided tax evasion would also face new penalties and criminal prosecutions.
The so-called "Google Tax" is designed to discourage large companies diverting profits out of the UK to avoid tax.
And last week, an OECD/G20 report found that laws allowing companies to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions meant between $100bn and $240bn was lost in tax revenues every year – equivalent to between 4% and 10% of global corporate tax revenues.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34504474#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Draft Wales Bill 'expected next week'
UK government 'aims to publish draft Wales Bill next week'
12 October 2015
- From the section Wales politics
The UK government aims to publish a draft Wales Bill next week, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said.
It comes a week after First Minister Carwyn Jones called on him to postpone the process.
The two met in Cardiff on Monday, with Mr Crabb vowing to reach agreement with the Welsh government on the content of new devolution legislation.
A spokesman for the first minister said it was "a constructive discussion".
The UK government hopes to publish the final bill in February, with Royal Assent anticipated for early 2017.
Mr Crabb said both he and the first minister were "on the same book, not quite on the same page" regarding any future devolution settlement.
"We have made progress in the last seven days and I think there is greater understanding certainly on our side of the concerns that the Welsh government have got – I think there is more understanding on the Welsh government side of the concerns that we've got," he said.
"I think what we need to do now is continue the talks and work purposefully towards a successful outcome and I think that is achievable."
The first minster had called for the publication of the draft Wales Bill to be postponed in order to reach a settlement "that stands the test of time" – but that request has been denied.
"We haven't changed the timetable for publishing at all, it's my aim to publish a draft bill next week which won't be the final bill but we'll provide people with the opportunity to feed in their thoughts, ideas and concerns," Mr Crabb added.
A spokesman for the first minister said: "It was a constructive discussion. It will be difficult to come to a settlement without properly addressing the issue of a single jurisdiction, but talks will continue."
The Welsh government wants to see a a separate Welsh legal jurisdiction, saying that such a move "would simplify devolution to everyone's benefit".
But the UK government and former Labour Attorney General Lord Morris of Aberavon have questioned the need and the cost of such a change.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34504706#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Government to sell rest of Royal Mail
Government to sell remaining 14% stake in Royal Mail to investors
The Government is selling the last 14% of its holding in Royal Mail to professional investors, two years after its initial privatisation.
It will start the process immediately.
At its Monday price of 470.3p, the Government's stake is valued at £660m. There was no market reaction as the announcement came after the close of daily share trading.
Royal Mail's privatisation was heavily criticised after the shares almost doubled from their initial valuation.
In June, the Government sold a similar-sized stake, which raised £750m.
As part of that sale, postal workers received a 1% stake in the company worth about £50m, in addition to the 10% given to them when the government started its sell-off in 2013.
It said in the summer that it intended to divest the rest of its holding before the end of the financial year.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34507659#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Boris: Price of EU exit 'lowest ever'
Boris Johnson: Price of quitting EU is 'lower than ever'
12 October 2015
- From the section UK Politics
The price of quitting the European Union is "lower than it's ever been", Boris Johnson has claimed.
Speaking in Japan, the London Mayor and Conservative MP refused to rule out spearheading the 'Out' campaign.
But he argued it was better for the UK to stay in a reformed EU, saying he backed David Cameron in his efforts to secure change ahead of the referendum.
Mr Johnson's comments come on the day the In campaign, Britain Stronger in Europe, launched its campaign.
He also indicated the prime minister would be setting out more details about Britain's attempts to renegotiation its terms of membership of the EU "in the next few weeks".
'Fantastic negotiator'
A date has not been set for the referendum, but Mr Cameron has promised to hold the in-out vote by the end of 2017 at the latest.
During a visit to Osaka in Japan, Mr Johnson was asked where he stood on Britain's in-out referendum on EU membership.
"I think I am exactly where the prime minister is and, I think, actually a huge number of the proportion of the British public.
"We want, in an ideal world, to stay in a reformed European Union but I think the price of getting out is lower than it's ever been. It's better for us to stay in, but to stay in a reformed EU. That's where I am," he said.
The MP, who is touted as a potential future Conservative leader, said he had "great faith" in Mr Cameron's negotiations to secure EU reform, describing him as "a fantastic bridge player [and] negotiator".
"In our party we're backing the prime minister. I think he's got every chance of getting a good deal," he said.
But Mr Johnson also cautioned that it was sensible not to rule out walking away from the table in the negotiations.
"You have to wait and see what the deal is going to be. But I've got great faith in the prime minister," he said.
On Sunday, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said it was possible that Mr Johnson could head the Leave.EU campaign, but the London mayor told the BBC he was unaware of the Eurosceptic's overtures.
"News of this pronouncement has not detonated over [Japan] like a thunderclap. I don't know about these invitations," he said.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34508956#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
The work of economist Angus Deaton
The work of Nobel prize-winning economist Angus Deaton
The 2015 Nobel Prize for Economics has been awarded to Scottish-born economist Angus Deaton.
Prof Deaton, 69, is currently professor of economics and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, in New Jersey.
What did he do to win the prize?
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the prize, said that Prof Deaton's work has transformed several fields of economics.
More specifically, the organisation said he had made an impact on economic theory, and on the practical application of data to investigate poverty, and devise economic policy.
The headline to the statement from the academy that announced that Prof Deaton was its 2015 winner said: "Consumption, great and small". What does this mean?
Consumption, to an economist, means spending on goods and services by individuals and households.
Understanding it means looking at how consumers allocate spending between different things, how they divide their incomes between spending and saving, and how these patterns vary over time.
The "great and small" in the academy's headline reflects Prof Deaton's analysis of consumer spending across a whole economy, and at the level of the individual and the household.
One theme that runs through the academy's analysis of his work is the extensive use of data on spending taken from household surveys. Previously, economists worked much more from aggregate data for the whole economy.
This focus enabled Prof Deaton to produce a theoretical approach that was more consistent with the fluctuations in consumer spending that he found.
A more arcane achievement was in developing (with another economist John Muellbauer) a theory of demand for goods and services – how people allocate their spending between different products – that was motivated by problems in earlier analysis.
Their system, and subsequent improvements by other researchers, "has had an immense impact in academia as well as being greatly influential in practical policy evaluation".
Prof Deaton has been an influential figure in development economics. The academy describes him as an important driving force in the transformation of this area of economics – in moving from aggregate data to household surveys.
To take one example – his research shed light on the question of whether rising incomes do lead to more calories being consumed, in other words to reducing malnutrition.
His work suggests that it does – so encouraging economic growth can help tackle malnutrition. If that were not the case it would be an argument for reorienting policy towards direct food aid.
What does Prof Deaton win?
In addition to the greater recognition of his work, and the further respect of his peers, Prof Deaton receives a financial price of 8m Swedish krona ($966,000; £630,000).
What is his background?
Born in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, Prof Deaton attended Fettes College, a private school in the city, before going on to study at Cambridge University.
After teaching at Cambridge and the University of Bristol, he continued his economics career in the US.
He holds both British and American citizenship.
When was the award created?
Unlike the other five annual Nobel prizes, the economics one was not established by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, although like the Physics and Chemistry prizes it is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Instead it was set up by Sweden's central bank in 1968 as a memorial to Mr Nobel, who died in 1896.
Its official title is the Riksbank's Prize in Economic Sciences.
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34508711#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Who are the EU 'In' campaigners?
EU referendum: Guide to the 'In' campaign
12 October 2015
- From the section UK Politics
A campaign to keep the UK in the European Union has been launched. Here is a guide to the key people involved with the cross-party group, which is called Britain Stronger in Europe.
Stuart Rose, a former Marks and Spencer chief executive who joined the company as a management trainee, is chairman of the campaign. He has also been chief executive of Burton Group, Argos and Arcadia Group and is now chairman of online supermarket Ocado. He was knighted in 2008 for "services to the retail industry", and became a Tory peer in 2014. Launching the campaign, he said the EU was not perfect, but said staying in was the "patriotic course for Britain".
The chief executive of the campaign is Will Straw, son of former Labour home secretary Jack Straw. He has worked for the the IPPR think tank and was a Labour candidate in the general election.
Lord Rose was introduced on stage by television presenter June Sarpong, who appears on ITV's Loose Women and once presented Channel 4's youth/'hangover TV' strand T4. Other board members of the campaign featured in a panel discussion, including Baroness Brady, West Ham United's vice chairwoman and star of the TV show The Apprentice, Karren Brady joined the Lords in September 2014 as a Conservative peer and is a board member for the "In" campaign.
She was joined on stage by Innocent Drinks founder Richard Reed, Sir Hugh Orde, the former president of the Association of chief police officers, and Stephanie Flanders, the BBC's former economics editor who now works for JP Morgan Asset Management.
Brendan Barber, the former general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, is also backing the campaign, as are former Conservative minister Damian Green, Finsbury PR founder Roland Rudd, and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, while Megan Dunn, president of the National Union of Students, is another board member.
Other campaigns
Unlike the "Out" movement, where two distinct campaigns have been formed, just one organisation has been presented to call for the UK to stay in the EU, and Britain Stronger in Europe looks set to receive the official designation from the Electoral Commission. But there is also a separate Labour Party campaign, which is fronted by ex-Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who promises to "put the country's future above party machinations".
The original article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34505076#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa