BRITISH PRESS REVIEW =6
The Consumer Credit Counselling Service has called on Northern Rock NRK.L to be less severe with borrowers who fall behind on their repayments, as the group does not negotiate with those in arrears and is quick to move and take possession of their homes. The CCCS said that Northern Rock was one of the most aggressive lenders in this respect, a claim borne out by the proportion of its customers with arrears of up to three months. The industry average is 0.8 percent, while the figure for Northern Rock is roughly 0.4 percent.
UK STEEL MAKERS LOBBY FOR OPT OUT ON TOUGHER EMISSIONS LIMITS
Steel manufacturers in the UK are calling on the government and the European Commission to grant special terms to the industry under the emissions trading scheme. UK Steel director Ian Rodgers has warned that the scheme, which allocates credits for groups that produce a lot of carbon dioxide emissions and requires them to buy further credits when they have filled their allocation, could put up to 36 pounds on the price of a tonne of steel when it goes to its second phase, which will see allocations cut.
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BOOSTS JOHN LEWIS
