Sacked Rio Tinto executive Alan Davis steps down from board of Rolls-Royce with no explanation November 18, 2016 A former Rio Tinto executive who was sacked by the mining giant on Wednesday has stepped down from the board of Rolls-Royce with immediate effect. Alan Davies, who joined the Rolls-Royce board in 2015, was a non-executive director and member of the British manufacturing group's nominations and governance committee, the audit committee and the safety and ethic committee. "I [...]
This is what the property industry wants from the Autumn Statement November 18, 2016 The big day is almost here – Autumn Statement day. The housing crisis has been at the top of the political agenda for years, but successive governments have failed to get a handle on it. Chancellor Philip Hammond is promising new funding to help get Britain building, but the property industry wants a range of [...]
Crystal ball time: What’s lined up in the Autumn Statement for transport and infrastructure? November 18, 2016 Infrastructure has become a bit of a theme ahead of Philip Hammond's first Autumn Statement. He has already announced the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is to become an executive agency with a budget, and apparently autonomy too. Rumour has it he's planning to invest up to £15bn in Britain's transport network and back dozens of [...]
This Big Six energy provider has become the first major supplier to promise a price freeze this winter November 18, 2016 Big Six energy provider SSE has become the first major supplier to promise a price freeze this winter, capping them at their current levels until "at least" next April. SSE supplies energy to more than 8m customers in Britain and Ireland. The group's statement on household gas and electricity prices follows recent speculation that the [...]
Your bagged salad is a Salmonella risk November 18, 2016 Researchers at the University of Leicester have found that juices in salad bags are a breeding ground for Salmonella. Even tiny amounts of juices leaching from salad leaves can encourage the pathogen to grow, and the juices also allow particularly dangerous strains of the microbe to thrive. Read more: #Marmitegate: Tesco boss warns suppliers against hiking [...]
S&P: US oil and gas firm tips global corporate defaults to the highest rate at this time of year since 2009 November 18, 2016 The number of companies worldwide that have defaulted reached 146 this week, the highest level at this point in the year since the financial crisis was raging in 2009. A US-based oil and gas company tipped the corporate default scale, Standard & Poor's said today, continuing the trend in energy-firm defaults the credit ratings agency noted [...]
Full Croydon tram services resume after tragic Sandilands accident November 18, 2016 Tram services have resumed across the entire network following last week's tragic accident in Croydon. Seven people were killed after a tram derailed and overturned near the Sandilands stop in south London early last Wednesday morning. The tram driver was arrested on the same day the incident occurred, and questioned on suspicion of manslaughter. He [...]
Autumn Statement sell-offs? Land Registry, Lloyds, Channel 4 and more could be on the privatisation agenda November 18, 2016 Last year was a record for sell-offs of publicly-owned assets, with David Cameron and George Osborne’s government making more than £26bn from stakes in Royal Mail, Eurostar, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and other companies. Next week’s Autumn Statement should provide an insight into how far Theresa May and Philip Hammond will seek to continue [...]
Buckingham Palace is getting a 10-year, £370m refit November 18, 2016 Buckingham Palace is to be given a 10-year, £370m overhaul, the government said today. Essential works will include replacing electrical wiring, water pipes and heating system, which were installed just after the second world war. The government said work is needed to prevent a serious risk of fire, flood and damage to both the building and the [...]