Other News

• Government Must Do More To Support An Export-Led Recovery

  By Bob Northgate If the government is serious about encouraging British exports as a major source of job creation and economic growth, it must resolve problems around export trade finance, according to a new report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The business group says that some form of trade finance...
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• UK Retail Sales Rebound In February

  By Bob Northgate UK retail sales values rose 2.2% on a like-for-like basis from February 2009, when sales had dropped 1.8%, hit by snow and consumer caution. On a total basis, sales rose 4.5% against only 0.1% growth in February 2009. Food sales slowed further after shoppers had stocked up during January's...
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• United British Small And Medium Enterprises In Trade Drive To United Arab Emirates

  By Bob Northgate UK Minister for Trade, Investment and Small Business Lord Davies will lead a delegation of up to 70 British small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to the UAE this week, the UK’s 14th biggest export market, for a two-day mission aimed at increasing business and partnership opportunities. The delegation covers...
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• Indonesia, Growing Fast: Sir Andrew Cahn

  By Bob Northgate Sir Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will this week visit Indonesia, one of UKTI’s priority high growth markets, where he will support the Government in its stated aim of opening up to foreign investors. Sir Andrew said: “Indonesia is a country that is...
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• Women On Boards: Public Want Quicker Pace Of Change

  By Samantha Tonkin Government calls on firms to report action taken. Companies may be required to report on their progress to get more women into the boardroom, under proposals announced today. It comes as new research shows that sixty per cent of people think there are not enough women directors in big...
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• CBI Submission Highlights Government’s Dangerous Position

  By Bob Northgate Responding to the CBI's submission to the Chancellor urging him to use his last Budget before the election to set out more details of spending plans for government departments in order to boost confidence in the UK's public finances and provide economic stability. Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince...
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• One In Five Companies Refused Bank Loans Left In The Dark Over Why Their Application Has Been Rejected

  By Bob Northgate Small firms cite securing bank lending as their biggest growth challenge this year. One in five small and medium sized businesses who have been refused funding do not know why their bank rejected their loan application, according to research carried out by commercial credit reference agency Graydon UK and...
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• Civil And Public Servants Start National 48 Hour Strike

  By Bob Northgate Courts, jobcentres, driving tests, tax offices, border controls and passports are amongst some of the services that will be affected today as up to 270,000 civil and public servants from across the UK begin a 48 hour stoppage over cuts to redundancy terms. The strike, called by the Public...
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• BCC Downgrades Medium-Term GDP Expectations As Risks Of A Setback Heighten

  By Bob Northgate [u]BCC Economic Forecast – March 2010[/u] Ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget, expected this month, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today published its latest Economic Forecast. The business group maintains a prediction of 1.0% GDP growth in 2010, but it has downgraded its growth expectations for 2011 because...
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• PD Ports is Crowned Outstanding Carrier of the Year by Asda

  By Bob Northgate PD Ports, the operator of North East port, Teesport, has been crowned as the Most Outstanding Service Carrier of the Year in 2009 by leading UK retailer, ASDA, at its annual National Carrier of the Year awards ceremony. The award was won by PD Ports for its Logical...
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