Exclusive: Crunch time for insurers on Covid-19 discount decisions November 30, 2020 It is crunch time for the insurance industry, which now must decide what Covid-19 refunds and discounts to give customers ahead of the deadline set by the city regulator. Insurers have until 3 December to decide where, if at all, it is appropriate to apply Covid-19 related refunds or discounts on insurance policies. The Financial [...]
Public may need immunity passport for ‘restaurants, bars, and cinemas’, says vaccine minister November 30, 2020 The government is looking at ways to enable businesses to establish whether customers have received a coronavirus vaccine before allowing them onto their premises, the vaccine minister has announced. Nadim Zahawi, the business minister who was appointed vaccine tsar over the weekend, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “We are looking at the technology, [...]
City watchdog receives nearly two coronavirus complaints from whistleblowers per week November 30, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has received 47 whistleblower reports on coronavirus-related conduct at financial services firms in the six months to 30 September, equivalent to nearly two complaints per week. Many of the reports were related to a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and non-compliance with the government guidance on social distancing. Other [...]
Covid-19: Who is winning the global vaccine race? November 30, 2020 Large global trials of several Covid-19 vaccine candidates involving tens of thousands of participants are well underway with some having gathered sufficient data to seek emergency use authorisation. The following is what we know about the race to deliver vaccines to help end the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 1.45m lives worldwide: Who [...]
Breaking: Booze banned in Welsh pubs from Friday November 30, 2020 Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes in Wales will be forced to close on Friday as the country tightens its national restrictions ahead of Christmas, first minister Mark Drakeford has announced. From 6pm on Friday, hospitality venues will be banned from serving alcohol at any point of day or night. Food will only be available via [...]
Foreign direct investment in UK to slow as investor priorities shift November 30, 2020 Foreign direct investment (FDI) is set to slow over the next 12 months, as Covid-19 impacts financial services firms’ investment plans in the UK. Last year investor sentiments placed financial services as the driving force of UK growth – the sector attracted 99 projects, equating to more than a quarter of all FDI in Europe, [...]
Govt may have to rely on Labour to implement new tiered system, says minister November 30, 2020 The government may have to rely on the Labour party to push the new tiered lockdown system through parliament after rebellion in the Conservative party, a minister has said. Up to 100 backbenchers in the Conservative party are unhappy about the upcoming Covid-19 tiered lockdown, environment minister George Eustice told Sky News this morning. As [...]
Marcus Rashford named on ‘sensible celebrity’ list to promote Covid vaccine November 30, 2020 Footballer Marcus Rashford is likely to be one of the celebrities used in a new campaign to help to persuade people to have the coronavirus vaccine. NHS bosses plan to enlist celebrities and “influencers” with big social media followings in a major campaign to persuade people to have a Covid-19 vaccine amid fears of low [...]
Covid infections fall 30 per cent nationally in lockdown November 30, 2020 Coronavirus infections fell 30 per cent nationally between 13 and 24 November, with 96 people per 10,000 infected. The recent national lockdown successfully lowered infection rates across the country. More than 105,000 volunteers were tested in England during the second half of November as part of a study by Imperial College and Ipsos Mori to [...]
Business as usual: Mid-tier firms predict rapid recovery after vaccine rollout November 30, 2020 The vast majority (94%) of mid-sized businesses in the UK believe they will fully recover from Covid-19 within a year if a vaccine is made available. More than two-thirds of mid-tier businesses – those with revenue of between £10m and £300m – think they will be fully recovered in just six months, according to new [...]