Friday newspaper round-up: Energy bills, mortgage costs, WE Soda
MPs have urged the government to set out its plans to protect households from high energy bills this winter as they said about 1.7 million people, including some of the most vulnerable groups, had been left waiting too long to receive previous support. The public accounts committee (PAC) said that although schemes were introduced quickly, the government “did not have the bandwidth” to make sure help reached all groups in a timely fashion. – Guardian
The UK is in danger of being left behind in the global race to decarbonise the economy with potentially disastrous consequences for jobs and communities, according to the TUC’s general secretary. In an interview, Paul Nowak said the UK was “limping towards a green future” and he called for a “national collective effort” involving employers, workers and the government to ensure a quick and fair transition to a net zero economy. – Guardian
Three million middle class homeowners are at risk of having their savings wiped out by the recent surge in mortgage costs, a leading think-tank has warned. Analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggests 2.9m middle income mortgage holders would exhaust their savings and be forced to ask for help to meet an unexpected expense of around £2,000. – Telegraph
American regulators are investigating Goldman Sachs over its dealings with Silicon Valley Bank in the days before the regional US lender’s collapse this spring. Both the US Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission are looking at the investment banking group’s role in the weeks before Silicon Valley Bank’s failure, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported that it had also been issued with a subpoena by the US Department of Justice. – The Times
The chief executive of the soda ash supplier WE Soda has suggested that the company might opt for New York instead of London if he resurrects the flotation plans that were abruptly shelved this week. In a double blow for London, WE Soda first dropped plans for a landmark £6 billion initial public offering on Wednesday. It then rubbed salt in the wound yesterday by saying that the US might be a better place to float next time. – The Times