Ofgem terminates energy competition probe after PayPoint agrees to cough up £12.5m November 23, 2021 Energy regulator Ofgem has formally accepted commitments from PayPoint to change its ways following an investigation into whether the firm breached competition laws. PayPoint will also hand over £12.5m to the regulator and remove exclusivity clauses from its contracts with energy suppliers for pre-pay customers, who top up their meters using the company’s services. The [...]
Oil and gas decommissioning costs to hit nearly £17bn with 1.2m tonnes from North Sea to be removed November 23, 2021 With 1.2 million tonnes of disused oil and gas installations from the North Sea expected to be removed for reuse and recycling, UK oil and gas firms are being forecast to spend some £16.6bn on decommissioning work over the next decade. Industry body Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) said work in this area would be [...]
Downing Street signals it is prepared to tear up Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal November 23, 2021 Downing Street said late last night the UK government is prepared to consider tearing up elements of Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal, despite a Cabinet minister insisting the option would not be used before Christmas. Number 10 said there was no timetable for whether or not it would unilaterally use the powers under Article 16 of [...]
BA’s owner IAG could face investigation over Air Europa’s takeover November 22, 2021 British Airways’s owner IAG could face a formal investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over the proposed takeover of Spanish carrier Air Europa. The watchdog announced today that it is “considering whether this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation” that could lead to [...]
EV industry welcomes government’s home charging rules November 22, 2021 The EV industry has welcomed the UK Government’s announcement that owners of newly built homes and commercial buildings will need to instal electric vehicle (EV) charging points. The new regulations will lead to 145,000 additional EV chargers installed across the UK every year, and it was announced a few weeks after Prime Minister Boris Johnson [...]
British Airways threatens to cut Heathrow flights if recovery-undermining airport charges don’t come down November 22, 2021 The boss of British Airways’ parent company warned today that the airline will cut Heathrow flights if proposed increases in charges are implemented, IAG chief executive Luis Gallego said the west London airport’s fees are already among the highest in the world and are becoming “more and more expensive”. In October, the Civil Aviation Authority [...]
Wiltshire take off: Nuclear fusion firm reveals it has launched UK’s first chemical rocket in Salisbury November 22, 2021 A newly developed high-power chemical rocket was launched in the heart of Wiltshire, UK nuclear fusion firm Pulsar Fusion has revealed. The Bletchley-based company launched the rocket from the Ministry of Defence’s military base in Salisbury and took place on November 17. The firm shared with City A.M. today that the launch contained the first [...]
UK aviation urges holiday-goers to spend £132m of unused travel vouchers November 22, 2021 The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has urged holidaymakers to spend £132m worth of unused travel vouchers before they expire. Issued by the aviation authority during the peak of the pandemic to avoid airlines having to repay extensive sums to customers, the Atol refund protection scheme is expected to end on 30 September 2022, the BBC [...]
Another strike: Londoners face severe tube disruption on 26-28 November, 3-5, 10-12, 17-18 December November 22, 2021 Transport for London (TfL) is hitting back at the strike action planned by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), warning that commuters could face severe disruptions because of the “unnecessary strikes”. If going ahead, the strikes – which will disrupt services on two days and eight nights between 26 November and [...]
Half of Brits are ready for overseas getaways, research shows November 22, 2021 More than half of British adults are planning an overseas holiday in the 12 coming months. Data from travel insurance company Allclear has revealed that 57 per cent of British people actively want to go back to travelling, a 46 per cent increase compared with last year. People aged over 55 will drive demand during [...]