News Digest 26/2/16: 40% Non-Compliant With ESOS

Just 40% of the 10,000 businesses that qualified for the Government's Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) were compliant by the 29 January deadline, according to the Environment Agency (EA).

The EA revealed that it received nearly 6,000 notifications of compliance and 1,000 notifications of intent to comply. However, a further 3,000 still had not indicated compliance with the mandatory energy efficiency scheme on any level. This leaves thousands of companies facing possible enforcement action.

Treasury Select Committee wants to veto appointments to FCA

The Treasury Select Committee MPs tabled an amendment to the Bank of England and Financial Services Bill that would allow them to veto the appointment and dismissal of the chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Committee Chair Andrew Tyrie explained 'More of the most powerful appointments should be subject to full pre appointment scrutiny. The government continues to disagree, appealing to the 'market sensitivity' of these appointments. That is not an adequate explanation.'

Last summer, Chancellor George Osborne sacked former FCA boss Martin Wheatley.

Business is the most accessible high powered profession

There are proportionately fewer privately educated people working in the top UK businesses, in comparison to other leading career paths such as law, military and medicine. According to figures from Sutton Trust, just over one third of the top business professionals were educated at private school. This is the second major drop in the number of business leaders coming from public...