Jul182017

Explosion hits Taichung restaurant, 14 injured

East Asia

At least 14 people were taken to hospital after an explosion hit a restaurant in Feng Chia business district in Taichung city Tuesday lunchtime, local media said.

A man surnamed Wu reportedly suffered burns on over 90 percent of his body and is in critical conditions. Other victims included a 35-year-old pregnant woman and six people believed to be students from a nearby university.

A series of explosions were heard emanating from the restaurant in the business zone at 12:22 p.m., and fire enveloped the site and an adjacent clothing store, a noodle restaurant and a curry restaurant, local fire authorities said.

The combination of a gas leak and turning off an electric fan on the second floor might have caused the blaze, according to local authority.

The fire is under control and further investigation is underway.

Jul182017

BBC should correct the Today programme inflation coverage

John Redwood MP

The ONS today announced a fall in the UK inflation rate in June. That came as no surprise to me, as the main upwards driver of the inflation rate has been oil and commodity prices, and they have weakened a bit recently. The BBC thinks our inflation rate has risen owing to a decline in the pound – a decline which started in the summer of 2015, not with the Brexit vote.

The ONS now confirms in their analysis that the UK inflation rate has risen and now fallen a bit in line with other countries – e.g. US and Euro area – owing to movements in commodity prices. Time for the BBC to catch up with reality.

Jul182017

BCC: Inflation remains a risk to UK’s growth prospects this year

British Chambers of Commerce

BCC’s Head of Economics Suren Thiru comments on the inflation figure of 2.6% in June 2017.

18 July 2017

Commenting on the inflation statistics for June 2017, published today by the Office for National Statistics, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

“While the fall in inflation in June will surprise many, consumer price growth is likely to resume its upward trend in the coming months, with the elevated cost of imported raw materials still filtering through supply chains. Falling prices for motor fuels were the main driver behind the fall in the inflation rate last month.

“Inflation remains a major risk to the UK’s growth prospects this year, with rising cost pressures for both consumers and businesses likely to dampen overall economic activity.  

“However, it remains likely that the current spell of high inflation will be relatively short lived with moderating price growth at the factory gate indicating that inflationary pressures in the supply chain are starting to ease. If this trend continues as we expect, inflation is likely to peak sooner rather than later. While still close to historic highs, the BCC’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey revealed that the balance of firms expecting prices to rise over the next year did weaken in Q2.

“We currently expect that inflation will peak at 3.4% by end of the 2017, before easing back in subsequent years as the impact of the post-EU referendum slide in sterling drops out of the calculation.

“With UK economic conditions softening, it is crucial that the MPC holds its nerve on interest rates, particularly during this period of heightened political uncertainty. Raising rates too early could undermine consumer and business confidence, stifling UK growth further. More must also be done to ease the burden of high upfront business costs which continue to impede firm’s ability to invest, recruit and grow.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) sits at the heart of a powerful network of 52 Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK, representing thousands of businesses of all sizes and within all sectors. Our Global Business Network connects exporters with nearly 40 markets around the world. For more information, visit: www.britishchambers.org.uk

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Jul182017

Abolition of the Right to Buy moves a step closer

Welsh Government

The Bill aims to protect the stock of social housing in Wales from further reduction, ensuring it is available to provide safe, secure and affordable housing for people who are unable to buy or rent a home of their own. It complements other actions being taken by the Welsh Government to increase the supply of housing.

Proposing the motion to agree the general principles of the Bill, Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant said:

“This Bill aims to protect the supply of social housing from further erosion in the face of a high level of demand and a shortage of supply.

“Between 1981 and 2016, over 139,000 local authority and housing association homes were sold under these schemes. This has resulted in people in housing need, many of whom are vulnerable, waiting longer to access a home they can afford.

“By abolishing the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire, the Bill will also encourage social landlords to invest in new social housing safe in the knowledge that it won’t be at risk of having to be sold after only a few years.”

Following the agreement of the general principles of the Bill, a consultation on the information document that will be issued to tenants is intended to be launched tomorrow. A series of tenant engagement events hosted by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service Cymru will form a key element of the consultation. The consultation will also focus on best practice for tenant engagement and will inform advice to be provided to social landlords on disseminating the information. 

Jul182017

Press release: Dean of Peterborough: Timothy Kitson Sledge

HM Government

The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Timothy Charles Kitson Sledge, MA, Vicar of Romsey and Area Dean in the Diocese of Winchester, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, Peterborough, on the resignation of the Very Reverend Charles William Taylor, MA, on 6 October 2016.

Reverend Canon Tim Sledge, (aged 53) studied Music at Ripon and York St John’s College then studied at York University for his MA. He studied for ordination at Trinity College, Bristol. His first curacy was at Huddersfield, in Wakefield Diocese from 1995 to 1998 before becoming Vicar at Luddenden with Luddenden Foot in Wakefield Diocese from 1998 to 2003.

In addition, from 2002 to 2003 he was Priest-in-Charge at Sowerby in the Diocese of Wakefield. From 2003 to 2008 he was Diocesan Missioner Enabler in the Diocese of Peterborough. Since 2008 he has been Vicar of Romsey in the Diocese of Winchester and since 2013 Area Dean. He is an Honorary Canon at Winchester Cathedral.

He has written and contributed to several books including Youth Emmaus and Mission Shaped Parish. He also wrote Creative Communion (BRF 2008) and contributed to Daily Reflections for Common Worship (Canterbury Press 2015).

Tim is Chairman of the Young Vocations Strategy Group for the Church of England, is a trustee of Triangulate – a Romsey Mental Health Charity, and has strong links with the Anglican Province of Burundi.

Tim is married to Caroline, and has two stepchildren, Grace (20) and Matt (18).

He enjoys cooking, poetry, golf and the arts, attending concerts and visiting art galleries.