Sunday Times reports that the prime minister's chief scientific adviser has proposed a levy on consumer power bills. Plus, all the other news from the weekend papers.
Tony Blair is considering placing a levy on consumer power bills in order to fund the building of up to 20 nuclear power plants, according to the Sunday Times. The paper claims that Blair’s chief scientific adviser Sir David King has proposed the charge as a way of ensuring a resurgent nuclear industry could get three or four decades of guaranteed profit on new reactors, allaying investors’ fears over the risk associated with a new building programme in the sector.
The Sunday Times also reports that a mosque that will hold 40,000 people is being planned for a site beside the Olympic stadium, to be opened in time for the 2012 Games. The mosque is being designed by London and Barcelona-based architect Ali Mangera, and would be used as the UK headquarters of worldwide Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat, which has come under scrutiny from Western leaders since 9/11 over allegations of links to Al Quaeda. Mangera and Tablighi Jamaat are in negotiations with Newham council, the Greater London Authority and the Thames Gateway Development Corporation for planning permission.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Lewes council is set to legally challenge Brighton and Hove Albion's new £51m football stadium. The Liberal Democrat-controlled council is to seek judicial review of John Prescott's "unlawful" approval for the new 22,000-seat stadium near Falmer station.
The Telegraph also reports that the Greek government has insisted that the Parthenon is not in danger from torrential rainfall after the leading architect in its restoration project Manolis Korres claimed its foundation would be at risk from heavy rain.
In other news: Contractor MJ Gleeson announced its finance director Colin McLellan would retire after the company’s annual shareholder meeting in January.
