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Business briefing: Huawei trade ban on tech grounds not justified, say MPs – Metro Newspaper UK


THERE are ‘no technological grounds’ for banning Chinese firm Huawei from the UK’s 5G networks, a parliamentary committee has said.

While there may be ‘geopolitical or ethical’ reasons for a ban, MPs ‘found no evidence’ that excluding Huawei from the telecoms infrastructure would be a ‘proportionate response’ to security fears.

The science and technology committee investigated the firm’s alleged links to the Chinese government and fears its equipment could be used for spying.

In a letter to culture secretary Jeremy Wright, committee chairman Norman Lamb said: ‘We concluded that there are no technical grounds for excluding Huawei entirely from the UK’s 5G or other telecommunications networks.

‘The benefits of 5G are clear and the removal of Huawei from current or future networks could cause significant delays.’ But he said the government ‘needed to consider’ whether the use of Huawei’s technology would jeopardise UK co-operation with major allies.

There were also concerns it could be ‘enabling serious human rights abuses’ in parts of China.

A government decision on whether it is safe to use Huawei’s equipment is expected later this summer.

CHINA’S economic growth slowed to its lowest level in a decade, adding to pressure on leaders locked in a tariff war with the US. The world’s second-largest economy grew 6.2 per cent in the three months ending in June, down from 6.4 per cent in the previous quarter. It comes after US president Donald Trump raised import tariffs to pressure Beijing over its efforts to develop advanced technologies.

He’s cracked it! Turing is new face of £50 note

Notable work: The Bank’s Mark Carney with the design of the Turing £50 PICTURE: PA

WWII code-breaker Alan Turing has been named as the face of the next £50 note, to be released in 2021.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney, who announced the choice yesterday, praised the mathematician for his ‘enormous impact on how we live today’.

At the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, he described Turing as ‘the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, as well as a war hero’.

‘Turing is a giant on whose shoulders so many now stand,’ he added.

Turing was chosen from 989 names put forward as heroes of science. The shortlist included Stephen Hawking, Mary Anning and Ernest Rutherford.

While best known for his WWII code cracking — shown in The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch — he also played a key role in computer development, laying the foundations for work on artificial intelligence.

He was posthumously pardoned by the Queen after being convicted of gross indecency for his relationship with a man.

Just Eat serve up food hygiene ratings online

JUST EAT is the first online food delivery company to provide hygiene ratings for every restaurant on its platform. Its app and website customers can now see the Food Standard Agency’s information for about 30,000 restaurants and takeaways at a glance. Just Eat’s UK managing director Graham Corfield said the move would encourage restaurants to invest in food hygiene ‘and ultimately drive standards up across the whole industry’. At the moment, it is not compulsory to display the hygiene ratings online.

BUSINESS BITES

■ THE firm that made the Hogwarts’ uniforms in the Harry Potter films is ditching cashmere because of animal cruelty. Lochaven of Scotland, based in Stewarton, East Ayrshire, is switching to plant-based or synthetic wools.

■ RECIPE box firm Gousto has secured £30million in new funding from private equity firm Perwyn. The UK’s biggest meal kit business plans to hire more than 100 technology staff by 2022, up from 80 now.

■ GLAXOSMITHKLINE’S £4billion Tesaro takeover appears to be paying off. GSK reported Tesaro-produced drug Zejula has proved effective in stopping the spread of ovarian cancer after chemotherapy.

■ THE executive chairman of FTSE 100 software giant Micro Focus has cashed in £11.6million of his stake after turning 60. Kevin Loosemore ‘remains committed to the business’ and retains shares worth £11million.

■ RYANAIR’S arrival at London Southend Airport lifted passenger numbers 57 per cent in the second quarter. In April, the Irish carrier’s first month at the Essex hub, there was a 65 per cent rise to 187,952 users.





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