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Minorities, women staff likely harassment victims at Bank of England 

BANK of England said it investigated 25 incidents of bullying and harassment in nearly a decade.

The bank’s data for the period between June 2009 and January 2019 came in response to a freedom of information request.


The latest statement shows that women and ethnic minorities are more likely to be victims of bullying and harassment at the organisation.

The data came despite Bank of England Governor Mark Carney’s pledge to create a more inclusive culture.

Ethnic minorities constitute 19 per cent of the staff at the bank, they comprise 26 per cent of complainants about bullying or harassment.

Meanwhile, women staff make up only 45 per cent of the bank but 57 per cent of them complained about harassment.

The organisational culture of the bank has already been under scrutiny by the Treasury select committee.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff felt there was a lack of transparency in recruitment, firing and promotion decisions.

Staff surveys have shown that ethnic minority employees were more likely to highlight improper language or behaviour.

The Times collected the data under the Freedom of Information Act.

In 2017, Carney said that his bank would focus on “building a culture that values diverse ideas, encourages open debate, and empowers people at all levels to take initiative”.

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UK house price growth slows as buyers delay decisions ahead of budget

Highlights

  • Average UK house price rose 0.3 per cent in October to £272,226, down from 0.5 per cent growth in September.
  • Annual house price growth edged up to 2.4 per cent, with market remaining resilient despite mortgage rates being double pre-pandemic levels.
  • Buyers delaying purchases amid speculation that November budget could introduce new property taxes on homes worth over £500,000.
British house prices grew at a slower pace in October as buyers adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of the government's budget announcement on 26 November, according to data from mortgage lender Nationwide.

The average house price increased by 0.3 per cent month-on-month in October to £272,226, down from a 0.5 per cent rise in September. Despite the monthly slowdown, annual house price growth accelerated slightly to 2.4 per cent, up from 2.2 per cent in the previous month.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said the market had demonstrated broad stability in recent months. "Against a backdrop of subdued consumer confidence and signs of weakening in the labour market, this performance indicates resilience, especially since mortgage rates are more than double the level they were before Covid struck and house prices are close to all-time highs".

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