Key Quotes for 2014

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Last update: Wednesday 25th March




Interest rates are likely to rise from their historic low of 0.5% in the spring of next year. Martin Weale, a member of the Bank’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), appeared to indicate the rate hike is likely to come before the May general election. It is the clearest indication yet from any of the MPC’s nine members about when borrowing costs will start to rise, and comes a week after it abandoned its ‘forward guidance’ policy linking the cost of borrowing to unemployment figures. Mr Weale added that a faster than expected pick-up in average earnings over the coming months would mean that even an earlier rise could not be ruled out.
Money	The Sentinel, February 21, 2014



Energy giant npower has claimed bills in the UK are high because the country’s ‘old and draughty’ houses waste so much gas and electricity. npower chief executive Paul Massara said the actual unit prices of gas and electricity are among the lowest in Europe – but bills are high ‘because British houses waste o much electricity’. Mr Massara said: “If we can increase the efficiency of the UK’s old and draughty housing, we can ensure that annual energy bills are some of the lowest too.” He warned that the cost of upgrading the nation’s energy infrastructure is set to increase bills unless households can take action through efficiency measures. npower announced a 10% average bill increase in the latest round of price rises late last year, affecting about 3.1 million customers, but has said it will reduce bills as a result of a shake-up of Government green levies.
Money	The Sentinel, February 23, 2014



The Bank of England has abandoned its flagship forward-guidance policy linking interest rates to unemployment after just six months but insisted they must remain low for longer to support the economy. Governor Mark Carney said that despite the best pace of growth since before the recession, the recovery had been “neither balanced nor sustainable” and required continued support. He indicated interest rates would have to stay well below the pre-downturn average of five per cent for the next few years. The Bank pledged in August that it would not consider a rise until unemployment fell to seven per cent, in a bid to reassure businesses and homeowners about the cost of borrowing. But with the target due to be hit imminently, the guidance has been revised.
Money	The Sentinel, February 13, 2014



European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for an independent Scotland to join the European Union. Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr, he said an independent Scotland would have to apply for membership and get the approval of all current member states. Scotland’s Finance Minister described his comments as “pretty preposterous”. John Swinney said Mr Barroso’s view was based on false comparison. The referendum on Scottish independence will be held on September 18, with voters being asked the Yes/No question: “Should Scotland be an independent county?”
Politics	The Sentinel, February 17, 2014



In an interview published to mark his first anniversary as pontiff, the Pope said that he dislikes the media painting a picture of him as a celebrity and a star. Francis told Italian daily Corriere della: ‘Depicting the Pope as a sort of Superman, a star, is offensive to me’.
What famous people say	Daily Telegraph 5 March 2014, via Bible Society



The group behind a Creationist Museum in Kentucky has said it is now starting to build a new theme park based around a 510ft replica of Noah’s Ark. The park would also feature a Tower of Babel and a theme park ride through the ten plagues of Egypt.
Travel/Tourism	The Independent 28 February 2014, via Bible Society



The film actor, Matthew McConaughey, 44, thanked God profusely after winning the best actor Oscar for his role as Ron Woodroof in the film ‘Dallas Buyer's Club’. He said: ‘I want to thank God, 'cause that's who I look up to. He's graced my life with opportunities that I know is not of my hand or any other human hand’.
What famous people say	The Christian Post 3 March 2014, via Bible Society



Daily ‘stillness’ sessions should be introduced into schools to give pupils time away from the stresses of life, according to Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College. He said that the loss of religious assemblies in many schools had robbed pupils of the ability to ‘reflect during the school day’.
Education	Daily Telegraph 4 March 2014, via Bible Society



A quarter of young people in the UK now live with their parents, official figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said more than 3.3 million adults between the ages of 20 and 34 were living with parents in 2013, 26 per cent of that age group. The number has increased by a quarter, or 669,000 people, since 1996. This is despite the fact that the number of 20 to 34-year-olds in the UK remains almost the same, the ONS said. In 1996, the earliest year for which comparable statistics are available, there were 2.7m 20 to 34-year-olds living in the family home – 21 per cent of the age group at that time. The ONS also found that young men were more likely to live at home than women.
Housing	The Sentinel, January 22, 2014



The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lifted its growth forecast for the UK this year to 2.4 per cent in a fresh boost for Chancellor George Osborne. Its latest prediction, a sharp upgrade from a previous figure of 1.9 per cent, would see Britain among the fastest-growing of the world’s advanced economies. The World Economic Outlook puts the UK’s pace of expansion ahead of European rivals including Germany and France, although behind the U.S. on 2.8 per cent. It forecasts that growth for 2013 will have come in at 1.7 per cent and that after recording 2.4 per cent this year; it will slow to 2.2 per cent in 2015.
Money	The Sentinel, January 22, 2014



Comedian Russell Brand has launched a fund to support people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. The Give It up Fund, which was set up by Brand and will be managed by Comic Relief, helps those leaving drug and alcohol treatment reintegrate into the community. The cash will help people with housing, finding a job, any health needs and will pay for social activities and support groups.
Drugs/Alcohol/Addictions	The Sentinel, January 17, 2014



Britain can afford an above-inflation increase in their national minimum wage, Chancellor George Osborne has said. Mr Osborne indicated he was ready to contemplate a rise in the £6.31-an-hour minimum wage to £7. His comments came shortly after the Department for Business made its submission to the Low Pay Commission, which will soon make recommendations on the rise.
Work/Employment	The Sentinel, January 17, 2014



John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons has suggested a change to the current system that would allow people to vote in parliamentary elections online. The plan, designed to modernise the system and appeal to those who don’t currently vote (many of whom are young people), is going to be part of a ‘digital democracy’ commission. Estonia was the first country to use online voting, and a quarter of the electorate voted online in 2011.
Politics	Youthwork, February 2014



The issue of cyber bullying among young people was discussed by Parliament in December as the House of Commons engaged in a two and a half hour debate on the subject. The motion was tabled by Democratic Unionist MP David Simpson who said: ‘Recent reports have found that approximately 65 per cent of teenagers say they have experience online bullying… Many of these children emphasised how difficult it can be to find help when they have been bullied.’
Young People	Youthwork, February 2014



The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (NATSAL) has revealed some interesting facts about young people’s attitudes towards sex and relationships: it is the younger generations who are most hostile towards adultery and teenage pregnancy is at its lowest level since 1969. NATSAL also showed that young people are drinking less and taking fewer drugs than in previous generations.
Young People	Youthwork, February 2014

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