Business comment, opinions on the business news

Ringing in the changes

Most people probably think that their lives - both work-wise and personal - would grind to a halt without continual access to a phone. Read

U-turn a costly house move

When it comes to the Government's Home Information pack, a big U-turn has taken place. Read

On the road to the truth

The news that a study is to be carried out to assess the impact that blocks on business developments are having on the North-East economy should be widely welcomed. Read

Colour not the code to health

A debate is raging over how food companies highlight the nutritional goodness - or not - of their products. Read

Setting target for more pay

I am all for women getting equal pay to men. But a rider needs to be added and that is that it must be for equal work. Read

Why it pays to check figures

Nearly one in five current account holders admit they fail to check their bank statement each month. Read

When 'home' meets work

The hot potato of whether workers should be allowed to make personal phone calls or surf the Net in work time has reared its head. Read

Property ladder gets steeper

Some figures released this week must have proved worrying reading for people squeezed out of the property-owning classes. Read

In the 1960s chemical giant ICI employed 30,000 workers on Teesside. People back then could probably not imagine Teesside without the chemical giant as a son followed father into its plants at Billingham, Wilton and North Tees. Read

Rare praise from minister

It was something we never thought we would hear. And that was a Government minister praising a campaign which had called him and his department into question. Read

It's time to go with the flow

Normally when we talk about the North-South divide it is our region which is the one lagging behind. For example, there is a £30bn productivity gap between the North and South. Read

Sizing up new postal costs

Size really is going to matter in a radical overhaul of the way the postal system works. Read

Key crossing for industry

News flash. Court case won. New crossing confirmed. Those were the words that greeted me on a sign as I drove up to Tyneside at the weekend. Read

Swift decision vital for port

Let's hope there is a speedy decision when it comes to the planning application for a £300m deep sea container terminal at Teesport. Read

Fingers doing the walking

People are more and more letting their fingers do the walking when it comes to the retail trade. Read

The route to ease jams

It sounds dead simple - if we get people to car share when travelling to work then there will be a lot less traffic clogging up the region's roads. Read