The world's most successful economies are those where services make the biggest contribution to growth. Poorer economies are those where growth depends substantially on manufacturing, according to a paper to be published in the Bank of England's Quarterly Bulletin on Wednesday.

The thorniest issue on the agenda of finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) industrial countries when they meet in Berlin tomorrow will be how big - or small - a group they should become after the start of the single European currency. If Britain stays outside Europe's economic and monetary union, it could be pushed to the margins of the international meetings in future.

Sir: David Gordon (letter, 31 January) replies to my letter of 27 January and points out that farming systems still exist which allow animals a reasonable life and appropriate food, and which also minimise environmental damage.

Britain came bottom in an international numeracy study of adults in seven industrialised countries, heightening concern over flagging basic skills.

The Government's economic policies have delivered the best growth and inflation prospects for 30 years, according to a glowing end-of-year report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The much-talked about British "feel-bad factor" is a global phenomenon, with workers throughout the world experiencing deteriorating employment conditions, according to a report released today by the International Labour Office, an arm of the United Nations.

Sir: So, the International Maths and Science Study shows English teenagers perform poorly in mathematics (report, 16 November). Before everyone jumps to the conclusion that it is teaching methods - and, by implication, teachers - that are to blame, might I suggest a long, hard look at the content of the national curriculum for mathematics?

Plans to start reducing the debt burden on the world's poorest countries, agreed in Washington only six weeks ago, face a severe setback.

Central bankers from the leading industrial countries will meet regularly with their counterparts in emerging countries to increase co- operation and establish standards for banking supervision world-wide.

Like most annual meetings, the IMF's gathering in Washington presents delegates with an agenda that is supposed to be pretty much sealed up well before they get their chance to vote on it. The achievements of this year's meeting, such as the initiative to reduce the debt burden on small countries, have been crafted by officials during the past six months. The real issue for discussion during the active round of cocktail parties is the shape the IMF and other international institutions will need to take as the global balance of economic power shifts.

Ministers have ruled out proposals from university vice-chancellors that would require students to repay tuition fees.

Science; Social pressures force young girls to slim

Huge gap between rich and poor in Britain is the same as Nigeria and worse than Ethiopia, UN report reveals

The theory was that as the rich got richer, we'd all benefit. But it hasn't worked.