What the other papers say this morning – 02 April 2014
FINANCIAL TIMES
Plans for fracking on private land
Exploration companies would be given powers to drill under privately owned land as part of government plans to kick-start Britain’s fracking industry. The coalition is working on proposals, to be included in the Queen’s Speech to change trespass laws to make it easier for companies to explore for shale gas. “We’re looking at primary legislation. We want to streamline the rules and get this thing off the ground,” said one senior government figure. “It is not a done deal but a huge amount of work has been done,” another government figure involved in discussions said. Under the proposals, new rules on trespass would form part of an infrastructure bill.
UK’s biggest coal miner may collapse
UK Coal is appealing for government support to stave off a collapse that would cost 2,000 jobs.
The largest coal miner in Britain was rescued last year by the Pension Protection Fund, but it is on the brink of insolvency again. Hargreaves Services, the only other domestic large scale miner, is also in talks to invest in the business, but could not be reached for comment.
Insurers offer cash for NHS use
Private medical insurers are offering customers cash handouts of up to £2,000 to encourage them to use the NHS for operations instead of private hospitals. Insurers are offering incentives to patients seeking treatment for heart, cancer, cardiology, obstetrics, gynaecology and many other specialities.
THE TIMES
FCA to move to Stratford
The transformation of Stratford from an Olympic playground to a big-hitting business centre took a big step forward yesterday when it emerged that a key tenant of Canary Wharf will make the long jump north away from the Thames. In a move heralded as being as significant for the capital as the creation of Canary Wharf itself, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has agreed to anchor the Stratford International Quarter development next to the Olympic Park. The FCA will move from its current address, 25 North Colonnade, its home of more than a decade, to take nearly 430,000 sq ft at the scheme being developed by Lend Lease and London & Continental Railways.
The Daily Telegraph
Twitter buys out Bristol brothers
Twitter has made millionaires of two British brothers by buying SecondSync, as it bids to become a major player in television advertising. Andy and Ted Littledale will move the company from its base in the Bristol to Twitter’s London sales headquarters. SecondSync will also give up its space at Google’s campus building in London.
UK pensions in global top 10
Britain’s savings system has made a top 10 of the world’s most sustainable pensions for the first time. Reforms such as auto-enrolment took the UK up the rankings in the Allianz Global Investors pension sustainability index, introduced in 2009, from 12th place in 2011 to 10th in 2014.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
White House meets Obamacare aim
President Barack Obama on Tuesday said 7.1m people signed up for health insurance despite early stumbles with the health website, and warned critics that continued efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act will backfire.
Austerity challenge for France’s Valls
French President Francois Hollande charged new prime minister Manuel Valls with a renewed offensive against the EU prescription of austerity yesterday, saying the new government must “convince” Brussels that tax cuts and other efforts to boost the economy should be taken into account when deciding the country’s targets for deficit reduction.