CBI warns of delays to the apprenticeship levy as it worries the scheme may not be viable by April 2017 launch date April 28, 2016 Employers are demanding the government rethinks its flagship apprenticeship levy policy as business groups have raised yet more concerns that the scheme is not fit for purpose and might not be ready on time. In a speech later today, Carolyn Fairbairn, director general at the CBI will say: “Firms are passionate about apprenticeships, and it's [...]
Royal College of Physicians study finds e-cigarettes should be widely promoted as substitute for smoking April 28, 2016 E-cigarettes are not a gateway to traditional smoking and should be widely promoted as a substitute to cigarettes, a landmark report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has urged. By supplying the nicotine that smokers are addicted to without the harmful components of tobacco smoke, e-cigarettes can prevent most of the harm from smoking [...]
Majority of UK dealmakers say Brexit would be bad for business and study finds EU referendum uncertainty is already taking its toll on M&A April 28, 2016 The majority of UK dealmakers believe a so-called Brexit would have a negative impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity at home and in Europe. A new survey also suggested uncertainty around the referendum is having a negative impact on early-stage M&A activity in the UK, with growth slowing in the first quarter. Read more: Dealmakers [...]
Greek debt crisis: Eurogroup meeting on Greece might be next week or the week after, says Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem April 27, 2016 The Greek debt crisis is escalating again as the nation faces default if it fails to receive the loans needed to cover €3.5bn (£2.7bn) in maturing debt in July. And Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said that Eurozone finance ministers may meet next week, or the week after, against the wishes of European Council President [...]
Blame game kicks off following BHS failure April 27, 2016 The heat was turned up on the two most recent owners of BHS yesterday, as insiders and politicians sought to place the blame for the retailer's collapse. Dominic Chappell, a former racing driver, bought BHS from previous owner Sir Philip Green last year for just £1. On Monday, the 88-year-old retailer was placed in administration, [...]
Facebook’s share price jumps after it beats expectations April 27, 2016 Facebook's share price has jumped after the social network announced results that topped already high expectations. The social media giant's share price jumped over 8.8 per cent in after hours trading. Facebook, which expected to report strong, steady growth, reported revenue of $5.4bn (£3.7bn) in the three months ending 31 March. That's against the average analyst estimate of $5.3bn, and [...]
Star Fox Zero review: a multi-screen mess that asks too much and gives too little April 27, 2016 Star Fox Zero is a game about a cool fox who flies around in space shooting bad guys with his animal friends: a hateful bird, some kind of terrible frog and an incompetent rabbit. The game is largely similar to the Star Fox games of old – the 1993 SNES classic Starwing and its 1997 [...]
Arcadia boss Sir Philip Green could face grilling from two separate MP committees over BHS’ demise and £571m pension shortfall April 27, 2016 Update: The most recent owners of BHS will be called in front of MPs, according to reports. MPs on the business, innovation and skills (BIS) select committee will call them in to give evidence, Sky News has reported. Meanwhile, the Work and Pensions select committee has said it will call former BHS boss Sir Philip Green [...]
The top one per cent of earners pay over a quarter of all income tax, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies April 27, 2016 The UK's top one per cent of earners is now paying more than a quarter of all income tax, according to a new report. Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that the proportion of overall income tax paid by the top one per cent of earnings had risen to 27.5 per cent in 2015-16 [...]