Latest news with #Duty
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weather Service rehiring at offices left ‘critically understaffed' by layoffs
The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking to hire 126 people, including at least some meteorologists, after massive layoffs at the agency left several offices understaffed. Tom Fahy, legislative director at a union that represents NWS employees, told The Hill that the weather service would conduct the hiring. Positions that would be open include meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists and electronics technicians. Fahy, with the National Weather Service Employees Organization, said that the physical scientists category includes some meteorologists, while the electronics technicians maintain equipment like radars. The move to hire more staff was first reported by CNN. A spokesperson for the National Weather Service confirmed via email that the agency was taking some steps to fill vacancies at the agency. 'NOAA leadership is taking steps to address those who took a voluntary early retirement option. NWS continues to conduct short-term Temporary Duty assignments (TDYs), and is in the process of conducting a series of Reassignment Opportunity Notices (RONs) to fill roles at NWS field locations with the greatest operational need,' said spokesperson Erica Grow Cei. 'Additionally, a targeted number of permanent, mission-critical field positions will soon be advertised under an exception to the Department-wide hiring freeze to further stabilize frontline operations,' she added. The move comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) fired hundreds of workers, including some at the weather service, as part of an effort to shrink the size of the government. It also comes after an internal document stated that the department was seeking to reassign staffers to fill vacancies in 'critically understaffed' offices and was leaked last month. The document said that the weather service was looking to fill positions including meteorologists in disaster-prone areas such as Houston and Miami. It also comes alongside the arrival of hurricane season, which began Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Gap Warns of Up to $300 Million in Tariff Costs
Gap, which also runs Old Navy and Banana Republic, said it doesn't plan to raise prices to offset duties. ()
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Coffee sector for duty cuts
Listen to article Stakeholders in Pakistan's growing coffee sector are urging the government to eliminate the 28% combined Regulatory Duty (RD) and Additional Customs Duty (ACD) on bulk instant coffee imports, arguing the current levy is stifling industry growth and preventing the development of a domestic coffee market. The duties were imposed in June 2021 under SRO 840(I)/2021 and currently include a 15% RD and 2% ACD, with other charges making up the rest. Industry sources point to the disparity between coffee and tea imports, which face only a 13% duty. They also note that the tariff on raw instant coffee is disproportionately high compared to finished coffee products, which attract duties between 42% and 53%. According to industry representatives, this duty regime contradicts Pakistan's National Tariff Policy, which emphasises policy predictability, value addition, and industrial efficiency. They argue that eliminating the duties would significantly lower the landed cost of bulk instant coffee, making local manufacturing more feasible and encouraging investment in domestic processing, blending, and packaging facilities. With rising demand for coffee — driven by remote work trends and a flourishing café culture — stakeholders believe that lower raw material costs would also help bring down consumer prices and make coffee more accessible across homes and offices nationwide. They add that reducing duties would streamline the coffee supply chain, cut administrative costs, and offer consumers a wider variety of products at more competitive prices. Industry players see strong potential in exports, saying local producers could create value-added instant coffee and ready-to-drink beverages for international markets.
Powys County Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Martin Lewis welcomes plans to consult on fairer council tax debt collection
Consumer champion Martin Lewis and charities have welcomed a Government pledge to look into making council tax collection practices fairer. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told ITV's Good Morning Britain on Wednesday that a consultation will take place. On the programme, alongside presenter Susanna Reid, Mr Lewis contrasted council tax debts to situations where people owe money to financial firms. He said: 'When a financial services firm, a credit card firm, even a payday lender has debt, they have a Consumer Duty. Brilliant news. I'm quite emotional. Govt has agreed to investigate Council Tax rapid debt collection escalation that is catastrophic for millions. Miss one MONTH'S payment and within six weeks you can have baliffs forcing you to pay for the YEAR plus £100s admin charges.… — Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) May 14, 2025 'The Consumer Duty says they must look at what's in the consumers' interests first. 'It means if they're collecting debt, they have to signpost them towards help, go through it gradually, and it would take six months to a year before they could throw bailiffs in. 'When it comes to council debt collection, it would make banks blush, it is so aggressive, and so rapid.' Mr McFadden said: 'Well, we're consulting on changing it, is the truth, and in particular this point of the system where, when somebody falls into arrears, they're expected to pay the whole amount – that's obviously very difficult for people. 'So we're consulting on changing that, so that there can be a reasonable period of time over which people can pay their debt. 'I would hope that councils approach this with sympathy and understanding. They of course have a duty to try to collect the council tax because they need that to keep the services running, but when someone gets into difficulty I would hope that councils approach it with some sympathy.' Mr McFadden said the consultation will be put out soon and local government minister Jim McMahon 'will be in charge of this'. Mr Lewis said he is 'delighted' to hear about the consultation. Speaking to co-host Ms Reid about how council debts can rapidly escalate, he said: 'You miss a monthly payment and within three weeks they can ask for the year's payment, which begs the question: How can someone who can't afford a month's payment pay for a year's payment?' Mr Lewis founded charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute which has been running a 'council tax trap' campaign urging change on the issue, as well as consumer help website Mr Lewis later posted a video on X, in which he said: 'I'm a bit teary if I'm honest… I cannot tell you how many desperate people I have met whose lives have been ruined by this form of debt collection. It's only a consultation, but I'm hoping that this could be the start of changing things.' Helen Undy, chief executive of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said: 'We are absolutely delighted that the Government has listened to sense and is taking the first steps towards making council tax debt collection fairer. 'It's our second campaign win on this in a month, as the Welsh Government just launched a consultation on the same issue. 'We will be responding robustly to both, and hope to see people given more time to pay, and an end to the unreasonable charges being piled on top of already unmanageable debts. 'If the consultation delivers the change that's needed, this really has the potential to transform lives.' StepChange Debt Charity also welcomed the announcement. A YouGov survey of more than 2,200 people for StepChange found that more than four-fifths (84%) oppose households having to pay their annual council tax bill in full if they miss one month's payment – a measure which the charity said is currently standard practice for many councils across England and Wales. StepChange chief executive Vikki Brownridge said: 'Our advisers hear day in, day out about the harmful impact of aggressive council tax debt collection, particularly on vulnerable households. 'As one of our core campaigns and key asks, we have been calling on the Government to review rules around imprisonment, rapid escalation of debt, and to ensure bailiffs are placed under proper regulation.' She added: 'We look forward to working closely with Government on this consultation, to ensure that people are protected from harmful debt collection which only serves to exacerbate hardship and worsen debt problems.' Steve Vaid, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline said: 'Council tax debts can cause huge issues for people. They escalate quickly and far too many people in financial difficulty are ending up with bailiffs at their door. 'We are pleased that the Government is listening to our concerns and looking to making council tax collection fairer, including ending the situation where people become liable to pay their entire annual bill after missing just one or two payments. 'This would make a huge difference to people struggling to pay and we look forward to seeing the full detail soon.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Martin Lewis welcomes plans to consult on fairer council tax debt collection
Consumer champion Martin Lewis and charities have welcomed a Government pledge to look into making council tax collection practices fairer. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden told ITV's Good Morning Britain on Wednesday that a consultation will take place. On the programme, alongside presenter Susanna Reid, Mr Lewis contrasted council tax debts to situations where people owe money to financial firms. He said: 'When a financial services firm, a credit card firm, even a payday lender has debt, they have a Consumer Duty. Brilliant news. I'm quite emotional. Govt has agreed to investigate Council Tax rapid debt collection escalation that is catastrophic for millions. Miss one MONTH'S payment and within six weeks you can have baliffs forcing you to pay for the YEAR plus £100s admin charges.… — Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) May 14, 2025 'The Consumer Duty says they must look at what's in the consumers' interests first. 'It means if they're collecting debt, they have to signpost them towards help, go through it gradually, and it would take six months to a year before they could throw bailiffs in. 'When it comes to council debt collection, it would make banks blush, it is so aggressive, and so rapid.' Mr McFadden said: 'Well, we're consulting on changing it, is the truth, and in particular this point of the system where, when somebody falls into arrears, they're expected to pay the whole amount – that's obviously very difficult for people. 'So we're consulting on changing that, so that there can be a reasonable period of time over which people can pay their debt. 'I would hope that councils approach this with sympathy and understanding. They of course have a duty to try to collect the council tax because they need that to keep the services running, but when someone gets into difficulty I would hope that councils approach it with some sympathy.' Mr McFadden said the consultation will be put out soon and local government minister Jim McMahon 'will be in charge of this'. Mr Lewis said he is 'delighted' to hear about the consultation. Speaking to co-host Ms Reid about how council debts can rapidly escalate, he said: 'You miss a monthly payment and within three weeks they can ask for the year's payment, which begs the question: How can someone who can't afford a month's payment pay for a year's payment?' Mr Lewis founded charity the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute which has been running a 'council tax trap' campaign urging change on the issue, as well as consumer help website Mr Lewis later posted a video on X, in which he said: 'I'm a bit teary if I'm honest… I cannot tell you how many desperate people I have met whose lives have been ruined by this form of debt collection. It's only a consultation, but I'm hoping that this could be the start of changing things.' Helen Undy, chief executive of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said: 'We are absolutely delighted that the Government has listened to sense and is taking the first steps towards making council tax debt collection fairer. 'It's our second campaign win on this in a month, as the Welsh Government just launched a consultation on the same issue. 'We will be responding robustly to both, and hope to see people given more time to pay, and an end to the unreasonable charges being piled on top of already unmanageable debts. 'If the consultation delivers the change that's needed, this really has the potential to transform lives.' StepChange Debt Charity also welcomed the announcement. A YouGov survey of more than 2,200 people for StepChange found that more than four-fifths (84%) oppose households having to pay their annual council tax bill in full if they miss one month's payment – a measure which the charity said is currently standard practice for many councils across England and Wales. StepChange chief executive Vikki Brownridge said: 'Our advisers hear day in, day out about the harmful impact of aggressive council tax debt collection, particularly on vulnerable households. 'As one of our core campaigns and key asks, we have been calling on the Government to review rules around imprisonment, rapid escalation of debt, and to ensure bailiffs are placed under proper regulation.' She added: 'We look forward to working closely with Government on this consultation, to ensure that people are protected from harmful debt collection which only serves to exacerbate hardship and worsen debt problems.'
