The Wildlife Trusts, the national co-ordinating body for the 46 county trusts, has called for a four-tier scheme of support "which would pay farmers to help wildlife, with a scale of awards to reflect the amount of environmental work undertaken on each farm".

BBC: Another chance for wildlife

The national target for ambulance trusts to respond to "category A" 999 calls within eight minutes is 75% and for calls within 19 minutes 95%.

BBC: Ambulance at A&E

Liquidity has improved, thanks to the widespread use of real-estate investment trusts (REITs). (The American-based National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts commissioned the Ibbotson study.) But the global enthusiasm for REITs, together with the growing trend for property launches in the British mutual-fund sector, has a top-of-the-market feel.

ECONOMIST: Property??s strong run is not represented in portfolios