04-0854 ECONOMY: London
New estimates by the Centre for Economics and Business Research show that London's economy is set to record growth nearly 4 per cent between 2005 and 2007, fuelling predictions that the capital will propel the UK into the strongest boom since the 1990s.
Ind 1 Mar

04-0856 ECONOMY: Retail
Retailers are wasting £200m a year handling goods returned by shoppers, according to a new report, which claims the retail sector spends £500m on the logistics for returned goods. The problem is expected to worsen when the new European Union directive on recycling end-of-life electrical goods comes into force.
FT 1 Mar

04-0849 ENERGY: Wind farms
Gvt climate change targets are being threatened by the Ministry of Defence which attempted to block almost half of all applications to build on-shore wind farms, warns the Royal Society. The MoD objects to wind farms within 74 miles of air defence radar but this is at odds with the rest of Europe where only Germany imposes a similar ban, but set at 5km.
Ind 1 Mar

04-0851 HEALTH: NHS
A deal to sell off nearly 5,000 acres of land owned by the NHS and worth £400m has been halted after intervention by gvt officials who wish to explore the possibility of using the land for new homes for key workers such as teachers and nurses, and low earners.
T 1 Mar

04-0855 HEALTH: Stress
More than a million people have moved on to incapacity benefit for mental and behavioural disorders in the past five years, which experts say testify to the strains placed on British people by modern life including work, relationships and finances.
FT 1 Mar

04-0853 HOUSING: Homelessness
In a joint operation between Westminster city council and the Metropolitan Police, twenty-seven people were arrested over the weekend for aggressive begging. Operation Loose Change was described as an homelessness audit and marked the start of tougher measures as part of the council's `zero tolerance' policy towards beggars.
Ind 1 Mar

04-0850 TRANSPORT: Motoring costs
A new report by the RAC claims drivers significantly underestimate the cost of motoring. Increases in fuel prices and higher depreciation have pushed up the cost of running an average car by nearly 3 per cent to £102.59 a week. Driving now costs 25 per cent of the average income, second only to housing costs.
DT 1 Mar

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