Royal Mail To Change Post Box Collection Time

The collection time at almost 50,000 Royal Mail post boxes will be brought forward to earlier in the day under new plans.

Staff delivering letters are expected to make the pick-ups as part of their rounds.

Some 47,500 post boxes will see collection times as early as 9am, instead of the usual 5pm.

Royal Mail, which was privatised last year, said it will also add around 2,000 new boxes in under-serviced areas such as rural Scotland and Northern Ireland.

New boxes would also be fitted in areas of high pedestrian traffic, including train stations and shopping precincts.

It currently has some 115,000 post boxes around the nation.

The company said where new collection times are imposed, generally between 9am and 3pm, there will still be a late posting box within half a mile.

About 12,000 rural post boxes are already emptied during delivery rounds but the new plan would primarily affect urban and suburban locations.

The new system is designed to improve efficiency, amid a decade-long decline in stamped mail use.

The company said: "Rather than decommission uneconomic post boxes, while staying within the regulated density requirement, Royal Mail will ensure their viability by improving the efficiency of its collections arrangements."

It said consultations have been undertaken with consumer groups and regulator Ofcom has been informed.

An Ofcom spokeswoman said: "Ofcom recognises the need for Royal Mail to become more efficient so it can sustain a universal postal service that consumers value highly.

"While the changes won't affect the majority of postal users, Ofcom expects Royal Mail to communicate clearly with any affected consumers and ensure that their reasonable needs continue to be met."

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Malaysia Airlines Launches 'Complete Overhaul'

Malaysian officials have released a share buy-back plan to take Malaysia Airlines off the stock market, as part of a "complete overhaul" of the embattled carrier.

State investment firm Khazanah Nasional, which owns 69% of the airline, wants to purchase the majority shareholding from investors ahead of a delisting.

The move comes as the company continues to reel from the dual effect of losing two aircraft this year - the disappearance of MH370 and the crash of MH17 in eastern Ukraine.

The airline struggled with profitability for several years ahead of this year's disasters.

Khazanah Nasional has proposed buying the outstanding stock at 27 sen (£0.0475) a share, 29% higher than the three-month average.

The complete takeover would cost 1.38bn ringgit (£255m). Shares were suspended in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the announcement.

"The proposed restructuring will critically require all parties to work closely together to undertake what will be a complete overhaul of the national carrier," Khazanah said in a statement.

"Nothing less will be required in order to revive our national airline to be profitable as a commercial entity and to serve its function as a critical national development entity."

Before this year's disasters, the carrier's financial performance was among the worst in the industry, putting a question mark over its future.

Some industry experts recently voiced concern of its ability to survive without a major cash injection from the Malaysian government.

Branding specialists have said Malaysia Airlines must take dramatic steps such as replacing its senior management and a name change.

As a state-owned flag carrier, the airline must fly unprofitable domestic routes.

Its workforce has a strong union presence that has resisted operational changes, amid the rise of low-cost regional rivals.

Khazanah said the plan required approvals from regulators and Malaysia's finance minister.

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Canadian Teachers Swoop On Debt Group Lowell

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

A giant Canadian pension fund has swooped to buy a big stake in Lowell Group, one of Britain's biggest consumer debt collection agencies.

Sky News understands that Teachers Private Capital (TPC), an investment arm of one of Ontario's municipal retirement schemes, signed a deal on Friday to acquire just over 35% of Lowell's shares.

The deal values the debt collection group at around $1.6bn, and returns a large chunk of cash to TDR Capital, the private equity firm which has owned Lowell since 2011.

An announcement is expected on Monday as a consequence of Lowell's publicly-traded debt securities.

Lowell specialises in debt recovery and other credit management services, a sector which has attracted frequent attention from private equity funds.

The company, which pledges to take "a fair, sensitive and ethical approach to debt recovery", competes with rivals such as Cabot Credit Management and Arrow Global, which floated on the stock exchange last October.

The Financial Conduct Authority assumed responsibility for regulating consumer credit providers earlier this year.

TPC, which is also a significant investor in TDR's funds,  is understood to have been attracted to Lowell's growth prospects and its compliance record with UK financial regulators.

The deal adds Lowell to a portfolio of UK investments made by Ontario's vast teachers' pension fund, which include Camelot, the National Lottery operator; Burton's Biscuits, the owner of Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels; and Busy Bees, the nurseries group.

TPC's investment comes ahead of a potential stock market flotation of Lowell, which could take place as soon as next year.

TDR and TPC declined to comment.

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Russia In EU And US Food And 'Flight Ban'

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said the country is considering a ban on flights from Europe and the US to Asia.

Speaking at a government meeting he said the "serious measure" of blocking Russian airspace was a response to sanctions that recently stopped Dobrolyot, one of Russia's low-cost airlines, from flying.

It comes as Mr Medvedev confirmed the country has banned transit flights for Ukrainian airlines via its territory.

If Russia goes ahead with the ban on Western airlines, passengers could see ticket prices rise because carriers would be forced to use more fuel to reach destinations using longer flight paths.

The move could hit major European airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France, leaving them faced with multibillion-pound losses.

Mr Medvedev said a response to sanctions against Russia was needed

Meanwhile Russia announced further details of its sanctions on food and agricultural products from the West.

Mr Medvedev said an immediate ban has been put on fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, milk and dairy imports from the European Union, United States, Australia, Canada and Norway.

He said: "Until the last moment, we hoped that our foreign colleagues would understand that sanctions lead to a deadlock and no one needs them.

"But they didn't and the situation now requires us to take retaliatory measures."

He said the food ban would last for a year, but could be lifted earlier if the West reacted with a "constructive approach".

Responding to the decision, the European Commission warned it was ready "to take action".

In a statement it said: "This announcement is clearly politically motivated.

"Following full assessment by the Commission of the Russian Federation's measures, we reserve the right to take action as appropriate."

In 2013 the EU's agricultural exports to Russia were worth €11.8bn (£9.4bn), while the US says its food and agricultural exports amounted to $1.3bn (£77m).

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Malaysia Airlines Launches 'Complete Overhaul'

Malaysian officials have released a share buy-back plan to take Malaysia Airlines off the stock market, as part of a "complete overhaul" of the embattled carrier.

State investment firm Khazanah Nasional, which owns 69% of the airline, wants to purchase the majority shareholding from investors ahead of a delisting.

The move comes as the company continues to reel from the dual effect of losing two aircraft this year - the disappearance of MH370 and the crash of MH17 in eastern Ukraine.

The airline struggled with profitability for several years ahead of this year's disasters.

Khazanah Nasional has proposed buying the outstanding stock at 27 sen (£0.0475) a share, 29% higher than the three-month average.

The complete takeover would cost 1.38bn ringgit (£255m). Shares were suspended in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the announcement.

"The proposed restructuring will critically require all parties to work closely together to undertake what will be a complete overhaul of the national carrier," Khazanah said in a statement.

"Nothing less will be required in order to revive our national airline to be profitable as a commercial entity and to serve its function as a critical national development entity."

Before this year's disasters, the carrier's financial performance was among the worst in the industry, putting a question mark over its future.

Some industry experts recently voiced concern of its ability to survive without a major cash injection from the Malaysian government.

Branding specialists have said Malaysia Airlines must take dramatic steps such as replacing its senior management and a name change.

As a state-owned flag carrier, the airline must fly unprofitable domestic routes.

Its workforce has a strong union presence that has resisted operational changes, amid the rise of low-cost regional rivals.

Khazanah said the plan required approvals from regulators and Malaysia's finance minister.

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Co-op Group Reveals Major Restructure

The struggling Co-operative Group has announced plans for reform of its governance structure.

It said the executive board would be reduced from the current 18 positions to nine, as soon as new rules are registered.

It also said the smaller board would consist of members "qualified to lead an organisation of its size and complexity".

The plan has been formulated to help protect against de-mutualisation of its assets.

The move comes after "disastrous" results for the mutual.

Last year a £1.5bn capital black hole was discovered in its banking arm.

In April, the group revealed a 2013 annual loss of £2.5bn, on the back of a loss of £529m in 2012.

In detailed plans to be released later this morning, the Co-op also plans to give the group's members appropriate powers to hold the board properly to account for performance and ethics.

It said recruitment of new board members would begin immediately.

The proposals, which follow a period of consultation with the society's members, have been reflected in a proposed new rule book and would be put to a vote at a special general meeting on August 30.

Co-op Group chairperson Ursula Lidbetter said: "These governance reforms represent the final crucial step in delivering the necessary change to restore the group and return it to health.

"This has been a process built on co-operation, focusing above all on creating a society where every member has a voice in shaping the group's future.

"I would like to thank our members for their engagement in building a governance structure that strengthens the society and enhances member engagement and our unique democracy."

More follows…

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Lloyds Boss Joins Ranks Warning On New Rules

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The boss of Lloyds Banking Group has become the latest heavyweight figure to raise concerns about the impact of impending industry regulation, warning that a proposal to force bankers to prove they were not liable for major failures risks "incentivising people to do nothing".

Speaking to Sky News, Antonio Horta-Osorio said he supported the bulk of the proposals outlined last week by City watchdogs to strengthen accountability in banking, including seven-year clawback periods for bonuses and a new annual MOT to verify the propriety of bank employees.

He warned, however, that reversing the burden of proof for bankers risked being economically counter-productive at a time when financial institutions are under intense pressure to support the growth of the wider economy.

"I welcome the clawback proposals in principle. I have always believed that bonuses for senior managers should be linked to results, deferred for significant periods so that they can be potentially clawed back at a later date and that they should be made in shares to align the interests of management with those of shareholders," the Lloyds boss said.

He also agreed with the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards that the approach to enforcement within the UK should be reviewed.

"Enforcement and fines have an important role as a credible deterrent against future misconduct.

"But the new rules will potentially reverse the burden of proof where individuals are guilty until they prove themselves innocent in the eyes of the regulator.

"I worry that this could incentivise people to do nothing, as they could waste their time trying to create a paper trail rather than doing what they should be doing, focusing on customers.

"Secondly everyone makes mistakes. If you do a major thing wrong like causing the failure of a bank you should be held accountable for the decisions that you made. But we need to separate the major mistakes from the small ones which will always happen.

"Under the proposed rules we will run the risk that people spend their time avoiding accountability as they fear being prejudged as guilty when they get something wrong. We want to make sure that bankers, like any other profession, operate to the highest standards but we have to be fair in how we judge them."

Mr Horta-Osorio's remarks, which came days after Lloyds was fined more than £220m for manipulating the benchmark interest rate Libor, echo those made by Douglas Flint, chairman of HSBC.

Mr Flint said staff were becoming risk-averse because of potential regulatory consequences.

"We are in a business that manages risks and we have got to avoid getting to a state where people believe that there is a zero risk tolerance," he said on Monday.

"There certainly isn't within the firm. We expect to take risks which means we expect some outcomes to be adverse to your expectations but I think within the firm there are those who believe that our regulators in some cases have less tolerance for poor outcomes."

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Walgreens Confirms Full Takeover of Boots

US pharmacy chain Walgreens has confirmed it is to take full control of Boots.

In a deal worth £5.6bn worth of cash and shares, the drugs giant will acquire the remaining 55% of Alliance Boots that it does not already own.

But as US markets opened following the news, shares in Walgreens were 16% lower, wiping $10.6bn (£6.3bn) off the company's market value.

The transaction is expected to be completed early in 2015, following full shareholder approvals.

The new enterprise will be named Walgreens Boots Alliance and will keep its headquarters in the US.

Meanwhile, UK-based Boots will remain headquartered in Nottingham.

Walgreens Boots Alliance will be led by chief executive Greg Wasson, with senior executives from both companies on the management team.

Mr Wasson said: "We are excited to move forward with the next important step in becoming a new kind of global healthcare leader. 

"Expanding globally with Alliance Boots will make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible to communities here in America and around the world."

It comes after Sky News exclusively revealed news of the deal yesterday.

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Kellogg Crunches Numbers On £2bn Penguin Deal

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The American food giant Kellogg is examining a £2bn offer for the owner of McVitie's, Penguin and other famous British biscuit brands.

Sky News has learnt that Kellogg has appointed investment bankers at Barclays to assess an offer for United Biscuits (UB) that could presage another trans-Atlantic takeover of a prominent UK-based company.

Kellogg is already a major player in the US through its ownership of The Keebler Company, which it bought in 2001 but which for more than 20 years had been owned by UB.

Blackstone and PAI Partners, the private equity groups, have hired Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan to prepare a sale or stock market flotation of UB, whose other leading brands include Jaffa Cakes, Mini Cheddars and Twiglets.

A public listing is viewed as the likeliest option, although a final decision will depend upon the state of stock markets later in the year and the value of any formal offers received from bidders.

Bright Food, the Chinese majority-owner of Weetabix, and Turkey's Ulker are also expected to form part of a sale process.

Sky News understands that UB's board has engaged Centerview Partners, a leading independent advisory firm, to steer it through the process.

Martin Glenn, the former Pepsico and Iglo Birds Eye executive who was appointed to run UB last year, has begun meeting analysts and prospective institutional investors, from whom feedback is said to have been positive.

Mr Glenn has a strong reputation in the consumer goods industry and has focused in recent months on revitalising the core McVitie's brand with new advertising and products.

"He would make an ideal public company chief executive," a competitor said.

In 2012, Kellogg was linked to a possible bid for UB's snacks arm, which included Skips and Hula Hoops, but a formal offer failed to materialise before it was sold to Germany's Intersnack.

If UB does get sold, it would be the second industry deal in less than a year involving North American and British companies.

Last year, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan bought Burton's Biscuits, the owner of Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels, in a deal worth £350m.

Since then, Burton's has been in talks about a merger with Fox's, another major UK-based producer.

Kellogg said on Wednesday that it did not comment on rumour or speculation.

Last week, Michigan-based Kellogg announced second-quarter profit of $295m, broadly in line with Wall Street expectations.

A UB spokesman and Barclays also declined to comment.

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Bosses Who Fix Energy Prices Face Prison

Executives who rig wholesale gas and electricity prices face up to two years in jail under Government plans aimed at driving down the cost of household bills.

Those who fix prices at an artificial level would be committing a criminal offence if the Department of Energy (DECC) gets its way.

Such behaviour is currently investigated by regulators, whose powers extend only to fines.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "Manipulating the energy market is absolutely unacceptable, and these proposals provide a much stronger deterrent - more in line with the approach taken in the financial markets.

"The Government is doing everything it can to help consumers by increasing market competition to drive prices down."

The Big Six energy companies

The move is a response to rising consumer bills and widespread mistrust of the so-called Big Six electricity and gas suppliers

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: "Anyone found to be manipulating wholesale energy markets deserves to have the book thrown at them.

"Rumours of market abuse do nothing for consumer confidence in the energy market so we support the Government tightening the rules and bringing in stiffer penalties to deter wrongdoing."

Under the plans it would become a crime to make misleading claims or conceal facts about wholesale energy prices in order to manipulate the market - especially if such an act could affect competition.

Anyone who uses insider information to buy or sell on the wholesale market would also be committing a criminal offence.

The proposals are at consultation stage and could come into force across the UK in spring next year.

Their unveiling follows a study this week which showed rising energy bills was the top concern for households.

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