Responding to the announcement today that the Government plans to remove Covid-19 Plan B measures from Thursday 27th January, business organisations said:

Moneypenny is launching a world first – a first of its kind integration with Microsoft Teams enabling incoming phone calls to business switchboards to be directly transferred to employees’ Microsoft Teams platform, wherever they’re working. This helps Moneypenny manage the disruption of hybrid working for their customers and ensure each call is routed to the right employee first time.

National valuer and online auctioneer John Pye has bolstered its Business & Property team with the appointment of David Jeans as a consultant surveyor, who has come out of retirement to join the firm. David has worked in the property industry for more than 45 years, 35 of which was within valuations.

Chartered surveyors Ashley Smith has gone from strength-to-strength since being acquired by Yorkshire-based Carter Towler. In addition to taking on three new members of staff, Ashley Smith has seen its business grow by over 20%in the last 12 months. Commenting on the expansion, Lewis Smith of Ashley Smith said: “Joining forces with Carter Towler has really taken our business to the next level.

Cost-of-living squeeze: what are the Chancellor’s options? asks regular contributor George Bull senior tax partner at audit, tax and consulting firm RSM Taxes are good for two purposes. First, raising money to pay for the things that a government needs to do. Second, redistributing money within a society.

The British Textile Testing Group (BTTG) is to rename three buildings that make up part of its headquarters in Manchester. The textile testing and research company is taking this step as it celebrates the long service and achievements of three members of staff, Neil Sorensen, Clarissa Austin, and Dr Tony Sagar. Collectively, the trio has worked at BTTG for 152 years.