PRESS DIGEST- British Business - April 2
April 2 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
The Telegraph
BRITAIN CAN CUT GAS PRICES BY WORKING WITH EUROPE, SAYS MANDELSON
(http://link.reuters.com/fek28v)
Lord Mandelson believes working with Europe can end Russia's 'divide and rule' tactics on gas pricing as he warned Britain would be "bonkers" to quit the European Union.
BRITAIN HOLDS LESS FOREIGN CURRENCY RESERVES THAN POLAND, SAYS DEUTSCHE BANK
(http://link.reuters.com/gek28v)
Research from Deutsche Bank, titled "Mapping the World's Financial Markets", showed that the UK is ranked 24th in a list of the world's largest holders of foreign currency reserves.
The Guardian
VINCE CABLE DEFENDS ROYAL MAIL SELL-OFF IN COMMONS DEBATE
(http://link.reuters.com/mek28v)
The business secretary, Vince Cable, has refused to apologise over the government's privatisation of Royal Mail , despite a scathing report from the National Audit Office, which said undervaluing the share sale had cost the taxpayer 750 million pounds in a single day.
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS BEGIN TRIAL AIMING TO REDUCE HEATHROW HOLDING STACKS
(http://link.reuters.com/sek28v)
The time aeroplanes spend circling Heathrow before landing could be cut as air traffic controllers join forces internationally in a trial. The trial, which began on Tuesday and will last until the end of 2014, hopes to see the time planes spend in holding stacks around Heathrow reduced.
The Times
COMPETITION CLIMBDOWN OVER PRIVATE HOSPITAL SALES
(http://link.reuters.com/tek28v)
The Competition and Markets Authority has dropped its demand that BMI Hospitals sell seven of its private medical centres.
UK COAL BACK ON CRITICAL LIST DESPITE BAILOUT
(http://link.reuters.com/wek28v)
The last big coal miner in Britain is facing collapse, with the potential loss of 2,000 jobs, unless it receives an emergency cash injection of more than 10 million pounds.
Sky News
NEW CONSUMER WATCHDOG CMA GOES ON THE PROWL
(http://link.reuters.com/xek28v)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has become the UK's primary competition and consumer agency, bringing together the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading.
NPOWER HATCHES NEST DEAL AS ENERGY ROW RAGES
(http://link.reuters.com/zek28v)
Npower, which is owned by the German utility RWE, is expected to announce this week a partnership with Nest Labs, a connected devices-maker which was acquired by Google for more than 2 billion pounds.
(Compiled by Aashika Jain in Bangalore; Editing by Eric Walsh)
