Hints and tips:
...No hurry Heaton-Harris | London is pushing back a deadline to hold elections in Northern Ireland in the hope that the UK and EU can resolve a row over post-Brexit trade rules before next Easter....
...Children at secondary schools in England will initially have to wear masks in classrooms as well as corridors, although that policy will be reviewed at Easter....
...In recent days, the government has come under growing pressure from some of its own MPs after several reports that students may have to wait until Easter to resume in-person teaching....
...The government on Friday said that the “vast majority of devices” would be delivered by Easter....
...Although Gavin Williamson, education secretary, said he would “certainly hope” that schools in England would reopen before Easter, Downing Street declined to predict that this would definitely happen....
...Mr Williamson is expected to set out details of the plan next week....
...Schools would be asked to remain open during the Easter holidays to look after the children of these frontline workers and vulnerable pupils, he added....
...Gavin Williamson, education secretary, wants to reopen schools as soon as the expert advice says it is safe. Downing Street declined to comment....
...In a letter to ASCL members on Thursday, Mr Barton wrote that schools should focus on providing “some semblance of education” for the groups of pupils who would still be attending until Easter....
...Chris Williamson, economist at Markit, said the figures marked a poor start to the new quarter and still “suggest sales are on a weakening trend”....
...Chris Williamson at IHS Markit notes the economy is in line for an “inevitable slowdown” in the face of climbing inflation, falling wages, and weak spending....
...Chris Williamson, at IHS Markit, added: “The likelihood is that the Bank of England will continue to look through the upturn in inflation in coming months”....
...While this figure would normally indicate the economy was growing at a healthy rate of approximately 0.5 per cent, Chris Williamson, from IHS Markit, said there was no guarantee that the unexpected drop...
...But the timing of Easter may also have been a factor in the slowdown....
...Chris Williamson of IHS Markit said the BoE has a difficult “juggling act of supporting the economy as the country rides through Brexit related uncertainty while preventing inflation from spiking higher”...
...While he pointed out that some of the slowdown in services growth in April may be down to the earlier timing of Easter this year – it fell at the end of March – he also noted: April also saw an increase...
...Chris Williamson, chief economist of survey firm Markit — whose data have been showing declining activity — said “any sparkle looks to be shortlived”....
...What finally tipped the balance was a fall in air and sea fares, most likely connected to the later timing of Easter this year, the Office for National Statistics said....
...“All the signs are that growth will ease from here,” said Chris Williamson at Markit....
...Mr Templeman said Designers at Debenhams, whereby designers such as Matthew Williamson and John Rocha design product ranges at cheap prices, was an important contributor. ?...
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