20/09/23 Shooting businesses say they're being de-banked; Ukrainian students; Barley for beer - Publication Date |
- Sep 20, 2023
- Episode Duration |
- 00:13:39
The Financial Conduct Authority has published its initial review into 'de-banking' - that's when banks decide to terminate certain accounts. The issues surrounding 'de-banking' were raised when politician Nigel Farage revealed he had been refused banking facilities. Among the evidence the FCA has considered, is a report from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation. They surveyed their members and said 41 percent of the 325 who answered, had found difficulty with their banking, and that just over half of those people had been told by the bank, off the record, that their connection with shooting and firearms was the reason why their banking had been stopped or restricted.
As the war in Ukraine continues, the longer term consequences are being assessed, including the impact on farmland soil, which has been contaminated by heavy metals like mercury and arsenic. Staff from a Ukrainian university have spent a week at in the UK at the Royal Agricultural University, learning how to heal their soil back home.
All this week we’re looking at British booze, today it's beer. Malt is a key ingredient and it usually comes from barley, grown specifically for brewing. Malting barley production across the UK got back to pre-pandemic levels last year, at nearly 2 million tonnes, but the price of malting barley has risen dramatically since 2019, pushing up the price of a pint.
Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer - Rebecca Rooney