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The National Crime Agency is stand facing condemnation for lacking to inspect reports claiming that banks falsified signatures and produced fictitious evidence in court actions to recoup homes. The NCA has obtained at least 19 boxes of proof linking to 362 incidents. But anti-corruption campaigners and MPs say victims haven't been contacted and no investigation has been started. The NCA says it is making a "thorough assessment" of the material submitted to determine whether a criminal investigation was necessary. A NCA spokesman said that We are continuing to assess the material, including additional information supplied in May 2020.
New attempts have been made for the furlough scheme to be continued due to concerns the UK could be hit with a “second wave” of job losses. The Covid-19 job retention scheme is due to wrap up next month on October 31, with the government now beginning to dissuade its support. But manufacturers’ organisation Make UK argues that furlough should carry on beyond this date to help businesses. Make UK said a survey of more than 220 companies demonstrated strong backing for prolonging the furlough scheme. And it argued that carrying on the scheme could help stop a “second wave” of redundancies which its survey shows is in the pipeline.
The Australian government has sealed a deal to get rights to use to the University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine as early as January if it is considered safe and effective. Australians would receive 3.8million doses of the drug being created by UK firm AstraZeneca in the first two months of next year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison will on Monday unveil agreements worth $1.7billion with both AstraZeneca and the pharmaceutical firm behind a University of Queensland vaccine to make 84.4million doses if the drugs are approved. Researchers at the UQ are in early controlled-group stages in the testing of their vaccine - known as phase one - while the University of Oxford scientists are at the more advanced phase-three stage involving 30,000 people.
