Senior buyers at Tesco have agreed to a private meeting with Farmers for Action, the group of agricultural suppliers demanding extra payment for their produce. The agreement falls short of the farmers’ demand to meet Terry Leahy, Tesco’s chief executive, but has removed the threat of blockades of its depots.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has postponed the introduction of the E-Commerce Directive until the summer. The directive, agreed in May 2000, will clarify the information that service providers need to give in business-to-business and business-to-consumer trading. The DTI says further consultation is needed.

The board of London Transport has voted unanimously for the government’s proposed public-private partnership for the London Underground. The vote comes after a second consultancy report, by Ernst & Young, came out in favour of the controversial scheme.

Westminster City Council has been accused of breaking European procurement rules over plans for redevelopment at Pimlico School under a private finance initiative scheme.