9am Briefing: Government to break up RBS and Lloyds

Published on Monday 2 November 2009 07:59

PLANS to break up the part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group to meet European competition fears were confirmed today.

And both banks have agreed to a clamp down on bonuses in exchange for more taxpayers' money.

RBS is to sell its NatWest branches in Scotland, as well as RBS-branded branches in England and Wales, the Churchill and Direct Line insurance arm and parts of its investment banking business as the price of state support.

Lloyds Banking Group will offload its Lloyds branches in Scotland, its Cheltenham & Gloucester branches, and the Intelligent Finance online business.

Borders rail link delayed

THE 300 million rail link from Edinburgh to the Borders has been further delayed until 2014.

Finance Secretary John Swinney yesterday said he would begin the process of appointing a contractor by the end of the year which will reportedly take until Autumn 2011.

The line – running from Waverley to Tweedbank in Selkirkshire – was originally scheduled for completion by 2011 but was postponed owing to the impact of the recession.

Hunt for missing woman

POLICE want to trace a missing woman who has not been seen for five days.

Mhairi Wilson, 37, from Leith, was last seen at 4pm last Thursday in Morningside.

She contacted her family that evening, but has not been in touch since.

She is 5ft 4ins tall, of medium build with short black hair and wore a black sleeveless top, red tartan miniskirt, black tights and was carrying a black rucksack when last seen.

Mhairi has a tattoo of a Star of David in a circle on her upper left arm.

Woman in hospital after flat blaze

A WOMAN was taken to hospital last night after a fire broke out at a flat in Leith.

The blaze started in the bathroom of a top-floor flat on Chapel Lane at around 6.20pm.

The woman, thought to be around 25, suffered smoke inhalation and received oxygen from paramedics.

The fire service said she was "conscious and breathing" and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance.

A van, four pumping appliances and five special appliances attended the scene from McDonald Road, Marionville, Crewe Toll, Liberton and Newcraighall.