Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, says the most prestigious private schools seem to be doing least to widen access. Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Guardian Richer, more prestigious independent schools devote less of their funds to bursaries for students from disadvantaged backgrounds than those that are smaller and less high-attaining, new research [...]

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, says the most prestigious private schools seem to be doing least to widen access. Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Guardian Richer, more prestigious independent schools devote less of their funds to bursaries for students from disadvantaged backgrounds than those that are smaller and less high-attaining, new research [...]

Bricklayers working in Hatfield. The construction industry took a big hit from the recession and expects the outlook to get tougher. Photograph: Frank Baron for the Guardian It was a bright, sunny day when 19 senior executives, each representing one of the government’s biggest suppliers, trooped into Admiralty House off Whitehall to meet the Cabinet [...]

First Group’s profits will be hit if the fuel subsidy goes. Photograph: John Garon/Pic-biz Four of Britain’s biggest bus companies could lose more than £200m in profits under plans to axe public spending on transport. The government is considering scrapping a scheme that allows bus operators to reclaim around 80% of what they pay in [...]