Fact Service December 2016

Issue 50 (15/12/2016) - UK inflation rate hits two-year high; Unemployment down but levelling off


; Rise in average weekly earnings growth; Few use right to Shared Parental Leave

Issue 49 (08/12/2016) - Rents drag working families into poverty; Worrying ignorance on asbestos in schools; TUC attacks cap on small claims

; Government shunts Network Rail off track
; Takeovers down in number, up in value

; Manufacturing output shrinks again

Issue 48 (01/12/2016) - Gig economy comes under scrutiny


; UK economy - 0.5% growth confirmed
; Executive pay and corporate governance

; Minimum wage rises from next April; Gender pay gap in London's public sector; Suspended prison sentences over safety

Issue 50

UK inflation rate hits two-year high
 (506 words)

Price inflation has hit its highest level for two years.
 ...
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Unemployment down but levelling off 
 (605 words)

The UK recorded a fall in unemployment in the latest three-month period but the labour market seems to have flattened off recently.
 ...
Subscribers only

Rise in average weekly earnings growth
 (582 words)

In October, growth in average weekly earnings was up to 2.8% from the previous month’s revised figure of 2.6%. 
 ...
Subscribers only

Few use right to Shared Parental Leave
 (367 words)

The low take-up of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and the lack of affordable childcare options for parents with very young children are major problems ...
Subscribers only

Issue 49

Rents drag working families into poverty 
 (452 words)

A total of 7.4 million people, including 2.6 million children, are in poverty despite being in a working family is the latest stark finding of ...
Subscribers only

Worrying ignorance on asbestos in schools
 (282 words)

A shocking lack of consistency across different local authority areas over the continuing presence of deadly asbestos in schools is revealed in ...
Subscribers only

TUC attack caps on small claims 
 (573 words)

In an appalling attack on workers’ rights, the government is planning to change the rules for compensation claims that would make it much more ...
Subscribers only

Government shunts Network Rail off track
 (356 words)

Rail unions have slammed proposals from transport secretary Chris Grayling to allow the private train operating companies and other firms to run ...
Subscribers only

Takeovers down in number, up in value
 (258 words)

There was a slowing in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the third quarter of the year compared with the second quarter,official figures ...
Subscribers only

Manufacturing output shrinks again
 (284 words)

Factory output fell by 0.3% in the three months to October compared with the previous three months. That is, however, an improvement on the three ...
Subscribers only

Issue 48

Gig economy comes under scrutiny
 (561 words)

The government has announced a consultation on the gig economy, which will be headed Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts.
 ...
Subscribers only

UK economy — 0.5% growth confirmed
 (191 words)

The latest estimate for growth in the UK economy, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), was unchanged at 0.5% for the third quarter
 ...
Open access

Executive pay and corporate governance
 (805 words)

Companies will need to justify high levels of executive pay under plans outlined in a government green paper.
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Subscribers only

Minimum wage rises from next April
 (224 words)

The Low Pay Commission, which recommends rise in the statutory minimum wage rates, has had its recommendations for rates from 1 April 2017 accepted ...
Open access

Gender pay gap in London’s public sector
 (275 words)

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has a gender pay gap of 4.6%, according to the authority’s latest gender pay audit.
 ...
Subscribers only

Suspended prison sentences over safety
 (210 words)

The director of a Port Talbot furniture factory and three of its managers/shareholders have received suspended prison sentences for ongoing health ...
Open access