Phone firms face ban on raising 'fixed' prices

Telecoms providers could be banned from raising prices in the middle of a broadband, mobile or home phone contract, Ofcom has said.

Consumers would have new rights to pull out of phone and broadband contracts if providers increase prices on fixed deals, under new proposals. Ofcom, the communications regulator, has today announced a consultation on how to protect customers from price rises during fixed contracts for landline, mobile and broadband services. It said its proposal would allow communications providers to increase prices during a fixed-term contract but leave consumers free to leave if they did not want to accept the rise. Ofcom recieved 1,644 complaints between September 2011 to May last year, finding that many consumers believed they were not made aware of the potential for price rises in what they believed to be fixed contracts. "Many consumers have complained to us that they are not made aware of the potential for price rises in what they believe to be fixed contracts," said Claudio Pollack, consumer group director at the watchdog. "Ofcom is consulting on rules that we propose would give consumers a fair deal in relation to mid-contract price rises." From January 5, BT customers will see the price of their landline and broadband rise by 5.9pc, more than twice the rate of inflation. The steepest price rises come for BT's Vision customers, who pay for television channels, and will see the monthly charge rises from £4 to £5, an increase of 25pc. The hikes, which take effect on 5 January 2013, will be the fourth set of rises the telecoms giant has implemented in just over two years. But it is not just BT customers who will be facing steeper charges. The vast majority of Virgin Media's 4.2 million customers will see the price of line rental going up by £1.09 on February 1, from £13.90 per month to £14.99 per month, a rise of 3.4pc. While seven million O2 customers will see their monthly mobile bills rise by 3.2pc for 7 million of its customers. The rise will add £13.44 annually – or £1.12 per month – to a £35 monthly bill and affects existing customers, including those who have recently taken out a new deal. Under current Ofcom rules, due to communications providers small print, customers are only able to get out of their contracts in certain limited situations – for example, if someone can show the changes being made will increase their total charges by more than 10pc, based on their recent usage. In other words, under the current system, the only fixed part of the contract is the length. Providers are within their rights to raise your tariffs and the majority of consumers are powerless to do anything. But this could change in the coming months. The regulator said that under the new proposals it would also expect providers to be transparent about the potential for price increases so consumers could make an informed choice when entering the contract. It said it had also considered a complete ban on price rises during fixed contracts but believed this would be inconsistent with European laws. Richard Lloyd, executive director at consumer group Which?, said: "The day when fixed must mean fixed in contracts is another step closer. That's a good start to the New Year for the 38,000 people who supported our complaint to Ofcom about the giant phone companies hitting hard-pressed consumers with millions of pounds worth of unexpected price increases. The mobile phone companies should see the writing on the wall, bring in these changes now and start playing fair with their customers without waiting for the regulator to rewrite the rules." The consultation closes on 14 March 2013 and Ofcom expects to publish a decision in June 2013.

UK banks 'significantly' increase lending for mortgages and business, says Bank of England credit survey

UK lenders have reported a significant increase in the amount of credit made available to households and businesses, according to the Bank of England, in the clearest signal yet that efforts to free up credit are working.

The BoE's latest quarterly Credit Conditions Survey revealed the availability of secured credit to households rose significantly in the final three months of 2012 – setting a new high since the survey began in 2007. Banks and building societies also increased lending to borrowers with smaller deposits, and said they were planning to increase their maximum loan-to-values in what will come as a welcome move for those struggling to get on the housing ladder. The survey showed that banks and building societies expect to ramp up lending significantly in the first three months of 2013. The results will reassure the Government and the BOE that the Funding for Lending (FLS) scheme launched in August to boost the flow of credit to households and businesses is having an impact. “Lenders noted that the FLS had been an important factor behind this increase, consistent with a reported easing in wholesale funding conditions, pushing up significantly on credit availability,” the BOE said. Figures from the British Bankers' Association (BBA) have shown a recent pickup in mortgage approvals to home buyers and the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has said it expects the housing market to "feel more stable and positive" in 2013. Thursday's report showed that lending to businesses is improving, with the first increase in credit availability for a year. Vicky Redwood, economist at Capital Economics, said: "The Bank of England’s latest Credit Conditions Survey provided further evidence that the positive impact of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) is building. What’s more, the beneficial effects are spreading to the corporate, as well as mortgage, market." Large and medium-sized firms appear to be benefiting most from increased lending and cheaper rates, the Bank said. Conditions remain tough for small firms, with banks only reporting a slight increase in lending to this sector and demand actually falling from small businesses. Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight, said signs that smaller companies may not benefit as much as larger and medium-sized firms were disappointing "given that it is a lack of available and affordable credit to smaller companies that has been of particular concern". "The implication is that banks remain very cautious about lending to smaller businesses in the current difficult and uncertain environment," he said. According to the survey an index of the availability of secured loans to households rose to 26.2 from 21.9 in the third quarter, while a measure for corporate loans jumped to 29.4 from minus 5.5. Both are at the highest level since the survey began in the second quarter of 2007. Earlier on Thursday the Nationwide's latest housing survey shows house prices dropped by 1pc in 2012, reversing a 1pc increase the year before, and are likely to remain flat or edge lower still during 2013.

Queen turns off heating in greenhouses to save money

The Queen feels the effects of increased fuel costs after deciding the greenhouses on her Sandringham estate are too expensive to heat.

Instead of bringing on bedding plants in the glasshouses, the Queen will buy in fully-grown flowers from nurseries because it is now more "cost-effective". Her head gardener Martin Woods told The Daily Mail: "We're growing a bit, but not as much as we have done in the past. "We have a large area of glass and have scaled down. With heating costing so much, we can't carry on without it, so we are reviewing how much to grow without so much heat. It's not cost-effective for us. "It costs a fortune to heat greenhouses these days and it's much cheaper to buy the plants fully-grown because commercial nurseries operate on an enormous scale and can absorb the extra heating costs." The Queen's privately-owned estate in Norfolk has two greenhouses for carnations and others for crysanthemums and dahlias, but most will be mothballed this year, with only a small heated area retained for houseplants and a few other select specimens. Meanwhile testing of a new hydro-electricity plant to power Windsor Castle is being delayed by high water levels on the Thames. Two giant water turbines were installed at Romney Weir in December 2011, but delays in installing an 11,000-volt cable connecting them to the castle took much longer than expected. The cables are now in place but high rainfall over Christmas has hampered things further. David Dechambeau, the project director, said: "We could be generating electricity but the river is so high. It needs to have a drop over the weir to make energy. "After a month or so we will be running the turbines at night time and powering the castle and shutting them down in the day to continue testing." He said he hoped the turbines would be fully operational in about three months. The scheme is expected to provide around half the castle's electricity, about 2m kWh per year, which is enough to power 500 homes. Surplus energy generated by the Archimedes screw-type turbines will be fed into the National Grid.

Delhi gang rape suspects formally charged in India

Indian police have formally charged five men with murder, kidnapping and rape following the fatal gang-rape of a young woman that appalled the nation.

"We have filed the charge sheet against the five accused," an investigating police officer told a magistrate hearing the case in the Saket court complex in New Delhi. The five men, who could face the death penalty if convicted, were not present when the media were allowed into the courtroom. Journalists were initially prevented from listening to proceedings, sparking chaotic scenes outside. The men face at least seven charges, including murder, kidnapping, rape, robbery and attempting to destroy evidence. The next hearing in the case was set for January 5. A police charge sheet under Indian law lays out the charges against the accused and details the key evidence against them. The 23-year-old victim in the gang-rape case, who died at the weekend from her horrific injuries, gave a statement to police immediately after the attack. Her boyfriend, who was with her at the time and was also attacked, has also given an account. Lawyers at the court in New Delhi told AFP that they would not defend the suspects, meaning that the government would have to appoint advocates for what will be a fast-tracked trial. "We have decided that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused, as it would be immoral to defend the case," Sanjay Kumar, a lawyer and member of the Saket District Bar Council, told AFP.

Indian woman during a protest to mourn the death of the gang rape victim in New Delhi (AP) Protesters have massed in India cities daily since the December 16 assault demanding the government do more to combat crime against women, with tougher penalties for offenders and even chemical castration being considered. The offence, though far from rare in a country where gang rapes are commonplace, has led to deep soul-searching in the media and the country's political class about the treatment of Indian women. A recent poll found India to be the worst in the G20 group of nations for women because of child marriage, abuse and female foeticide, which has led to a badly skewed sex ratio in the country of 1.2 billion people. Source: AFP

Jim Davidson pulls out of Celebrity Big Brother after abuse allegations

Comedian Jim Davidson has pulled out of Celebrity Big Brother, after he was arrested by detectives investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.

The 59-year-old comedian "vigorously denies" the allegations against him. He was detained at Heathrow Airport as he flew into Britain ahead of an anticipated appearance on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother show. Davidson will now no longer be taking part and programme chiefs are believed to be rejigging the line-up at the last moment. He was arrested at around midday by detectives from Operation Yewtree, the investigation set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile child sex revelations. The allegations are not directly linked to Savile, the Metropolitan Police said. In a statement, Davidson's solicitor Henri Brandman said: "Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years. "The complainants were then in their mid 20s. "Jim vigorously denies the allegations. "He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time. "He has not been charged with any offence. "Neither he nor I will be making any further comment." Scotland Yard said that both men had been released on bail until March pending further inquiries. On Wednesday afternoon a uniformed police officer entered Mr Davidson’s detached home in Stockbridge, Hampshire as three other people, believed to be plain clothes detectives also went inside. One of the men answered the door at the cream coloured property and said “we cannot comment” before closing it again. Four men and a woman, believed to be police officers left the property carrying documents and a large red box at around 7pm turning all the lights off and locking up as they did so. The arrest came several hours after a 53-year-old man from Hampshire was also arrested as part of the same investigation. It is understood the man, who was questioned locally, was also an entertainer, who had worked with Mr Davidson in the past. They are the ninth and tenth people to be arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, which is investigating allegations of abuse involving Savile and others. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the arrests were not connected to allegations involving Savile. The spokesman said: “Officers working on Operation Yewtree have today arrested two men on suspicion of sexual offences. “A 53-year-old man was arrested at approximately 8am at an address in Hampshire and taken into custody locally. “A 59-year-old man was arrested at approximately midday in west London and taken into custody at a London police station.” Other high profile names who have been arrested as part of the wide ranging investigation include the entertainer and comedian Freddie Starr, the former pop star Gary Glitter and the publicist Max Clifford.

Brad Pickett's future as UFC title contender hangs on contest with Eddie Wineland in bantamweight battle

Brad Pickett's future and his link into an immediate growth in the UK UFC scene comes into focus a week today in Las Vegas, when he meets Eddie Wineland in a bantamweight battle on the free-to-air segment of the UFC heavyweight championship title. Headlining on the night, champion Junior Dos Santos meets Cain Velasquez for a second time, with roles reversed.

Yet Pickett's success in Las Vegas could create a significant role Octagonside on Feb 16 at the UFC's Wembley Arena card, and provide an intriguing sideshow. Londoner Pickett is geared up for a fascinating two months if he defeats Wineland on the UFC 155 card, always a high profile event to end the year. The bantamweight, not normally forward in his calling out of fighters and demanding title fights, perhaps feels the clock ticking and has set his sights on being the first British fighter to hold a UFC title belt. A change of tone in him, therefore, with Renan Barao and Michael McDonald announced as the main event in London, at Wembley Arena, on Feb 16, 2013. Pickett has already suggested that post-Wineland, cum victoria, he would demand the winner of Barao-McDonald, who face off for the prize of interim UFC bantamweight title. In Pickett's eyes, victory would make him the natural compelling opponent for the winner of that interim bantamweight title collision. Makes sense. Indeed, Pickett is known to be a favourite of Dana White for his all-action style, while UFC matchmaker for the division, Sean Shelby, has intimated to me in the past that the 34 year-old is reckoned to be pound for pound, Britain's most rounded mixed martial artist. Difficult to argue with that, given Pickett's devastating skills, mesmerising transitions, and high intensity work-rate in a fight. "If I win this fight, I'm right up there. I'd be looking at the winner of Barao v McDonald with an eager eye," Pickett told ESPN this week. "So if I did win, who else would I fight [in London]? I plan to win my fight, enjoy the Wembley event, and it'll be fun to watch Barao v McDonald." Expect a raft of seats with 'RESERVED' markers on then for Pickett and crew, with a direct line to the Comcast cameramen. It may not be Pickett's natural style, but a call-out to the winner, a stare-down, would work wonders. Incidentally, I understand that the Wembley Arena event is selling well. Ticket sales in the £50, £75 and £100 categories are sold out, along with 60 per cent sold on the £150 and £200 plush seats. With Pickett set to show, and Cub Swanson announced as fighting Dennis Siver at featherweight in the last week, the card has become even stronger. I drew some criticism from fans after stating that Siver had put himself in title contention as a featherweight after his domination of Nam Phan in Seattle two weeks ago, but his matching against Frankie Edgar or Jose Aldo is not beyond the bounds. Come through Swanson, and Siver is there, in my view. It might also give Europe the prospect of another title fight later in the year. It's extremely plausible. Also on the London card, Tom Kong Watson will have a serious challenge from Stanislav Nedkov, who is making the move down from 205lb. Nedkov lost to Thiago Silva for the first time in his career in Macau in November, the fight result annulled later when Silva tested positive for marijuana. Worth the money alone will be watching Gunnar Nelson, the Icelandic submission star, live. The man is quite brilliant. The Wembley card has balance, excitement and ‘meaning’ aplenty. Seats at the event would be some Christmas present for any MMA fan. The London, Wembley Arena UFC card: Renan Barao v Michael McDonald (UFC Interim Bantamweight title) Dennis Siver v Cub Swanson (Featherweight) Jimi Manuwa v Cyrille Diabate (Light-heavyweight) Che Mills v Matthew Riddle (Welterweight) James Te-Huna v Ryan Jimmo (Light-heavyweight) Gunnar Nelson v Justin Edwards (Welterweight) Terry Etim v Renee Forte (Lightweight) Paul Sass v Danny Castillo (Lightweight) Tom Watson v Stanislav Nedkov (Middleweight) Andy Ogle v Josh Grispi (Featherweight) Vaughan Lee v Motonobu Tezuka (Bantamweight) Phil Harris v Ulysses Gomez (Flyweight) ---------------------------------------------------- Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez ready to deliver in end of year show They are to go at again a year later. The gameplan from incumbent champion Junior dos Santos is clear. The same gameplan. "My first gameplan was to try to keep the fight standing against him. For sure, I think Can Velasquez is gonna come hungrier for this fight, to try to work his game, try to take me down and use his ground and pound which he uses very well. My strategy is the same strategy and I'm prepared for this fight and ready to win." We also know how Cain Velasquez will contest the title. "I know how he fights. He's got good boxing. I've just got to fight my style of fight which means a lot of pressure and a lot of offense." It was clear that Dos Santos was also firing a broadside at athletes who use PEDs. That may come into focus in forensic detail in 2013. "I prefer to fight against clean athletes and real professionals so Cain Velasquez is one of those guys. He's a real professional fighter and that's a good challenge for me. I know he's very tough and I know how hard I have to train to face him," he said. "The other guys, they just say things but that is nothing behind the words and I think guys like me and Cain Velasquez are made at the gym and the other guys are made at the laboratory." Mutual respect is self-evident. "Cain Velasquez is an excellent wrestler and he puts pressure on his opponents all the time. That's what he's going to try to do to me. He's going to try to take me down, ground and pound and I have to be careful with that and use my takedown defense and my boxing skills. Everything I'm training now. I'm very confident I'm gonna win this. It doesn't matter what happens, I think I'm going to knock him out again.” Several other fighters on the UFC roster are divided on their opinion on the winner. Heavyweight Shane Carwin goes for JDS; Alistair Overeem pitches for Cain Velasquez. I interviewed him this time last year, and he was of the same view. Featherweight title challenger Frankie Edgar sees JDS as retaining his title. Pat Barry opts for Velasquez, as does Forrest Griffin Me? The best Junior Dos Santos beats the best Cain Velasquez. Namely, Dos Santos will land at some point, and Velasquez can be vulnerable around the whiskers. However, the longer the fight goes, the better for Velasquez, principally because he will have more opportunities to take Dos Santos to the ground, and potentially also get in close to unload his devastating hooks. If he bobs and weaves as Mike Tyson once did, he has a great chance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TUF - The Smashes Congratulations to Antrim man Norman Parke on winning the TUF Smashes lightweight final last week to earn a 3-fight contract in the UFC, and a bonus of $100,000. There was the feeling in the final, however, that it really was two friends and team-mates fighting each other. The two men had become ‘like brothers’ – their words – during the ten weeks, and as we all know, while brothers feud, they do not fight each other in professional contests. For me, the biggest surprise was Colin Fletcher’s gameplan against Parke. It lacked cutting edge, unusual for a clever thinker and a fighter who plans carefully to unravel opponents.

Ross Pearson happy 'to fight angry' against George Sotiropoulus in UFC grudge match

There is a saying in fight sports that it is dangerous “to fight angry” yet Sunderland mixed martial artist Ross Pearson insists he will be just that when he faces George Sotiropoulus in the headline five-round fight of the TUF Smashes Finale against the Australian on Friday on the Gold Coast.

Pearson, who returns to lightweight for this UFC contest, having fought his last two UFC contests at 145lbs (featherweight) also revealed to Telegraph Sport that he cannot face the weight cut again. Pearson the opposing head coach to Sotiropoulus on the televised series of The Ultimate Fighter, and insisted that spending eight weeks around each other, genuine animosity had developed. Pearson told Telegraph Sport: “I’m not going to lie. We didn’t get on, we’re not friends. We’re two completely different people. We see things completely different, we do things completely different, and yeah, I think he’s a bit mentally weak.” “I think his mind is playing games on him a little bit. I think he’s worried because he is getting older, I think he is 38 now and he’s had nearly two years out with injury. I feel that his body won’t be able to push as hard as what it used to, he won’t be able to take a shot like he did. And yeah he’ll be competing at the highest level against me,” added Pearson. “He’s got a funny personality. I don’t know if that’s the old school George, he’s a lot older than me and he demands respect because he is older, but I found that he’s a little bit socially awkward to have a conversation with.” “It’s just that fuel to the fire, thinking about these things – what I don’t like about George for me to get ready to train to fight him. Some of the best fights I’ve ever had in my life are when I fight angry.” “It’s like a double-edged sword. I don’t want to push too hard and get injured or make a mistake but obviously I do want to fight with that fuel of the anger and I want some anger because I want to hurt them and I want to finish them. I feel that way about George.” “I need that little bit of aggression, I need that little bit of speed and power, I need that extra killer shot. But obviously I don’t want to be reckless and careless because George is tricky. He can catch you in awkward positions, so it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. I need it, but I don’t need it too much.” Pearson has benefited, he insists, from almost two years training with Team Alliance in San Diego. “I honestly feel that it’s the best gym in the world. The level of competition in training partners we have here is second to none, and the coaching staff, it’s definitely one of the best gyms in the world.” Pearson has benefited there from training under coach Eric Del Fierro, and top contenders Phil Davis, Dominick Cruz and Alex Gustafsson. “I've made a great comeback to 155lbs [lightweight] my body’s been working great, my timing’s on, my speed and my power is there, it’s just all back and I feel at my most powerful.” Pearson says that fighting at lightweight is the future for him. He has fought at both lightweight and featherweight (145lbs) but says the weight cut makes him a different, miserable person. “To be perfectly honest, I feel at home and comfortable with 155lbs. I enjoy my training there, I enjoy my sparring, I can eat properly, and I’m just a better person, and myself.” “At 145lbs, I just don’t think I can fully recover a hundred per cent to fight at the top tier. It’s the closest to death experience I can ever say I’ve had.” “I’m just a miserable horrible person, it’s not the Ross Pearson that everyone knows. I’m a fun guy, I’m always enjoying myself and having fun but when I get to 145 I don’t speak, I’m in a mood all the time and it’s just not me.” Having just spent eight weeks training eight raw recruits for the UFC in TUF, it is time for Pearson to do something for his own career – and put his beef into a grudge match with Aussie rival Sotiropoulus. It should be a barnburner.