Sunday Papers: Hundreds of Halifax branches facing the axe -- other news

 * Lloyds is examining the future of 300 Halifax counters serving customers in estate agents and offices before reviewing stand alone branches of the bank

 * Ipsos Mori research shows the proportion of people expecting the economy to improve in the next 12 months has staged the biggest recovery in nearly three decades of polling, but Labour is not reaping the benefit

 * A radical plan to raise £100 billion by privatising the motorway network has been presented to the three main political parties by NM Rothschild

 * Finance ministers and central bankers of the G20 countries who meet in London this week will warn that the rising oil price may derail recovery

 * National Association of Pension Funds has suggested the fees charged by banks are not a fair reflection of the risks they take

 * Fears are growing that housing associations will have to sell off thousands of social homes to meet the interest bill for their debts in the face of falling rental income

 * The Competition Commission is poised to rule on whether ITV can shed some of its regulatory burden, giving it a chance for recovery

 * Europe may have to stump up billions to avoid sanctions for the US depending on a ruling this week from the World Trade Organisation

 * The British government decided it was 'in the overwhelming interests of the UK' to make the Lockerbie bomber, al-Megrahi, eligible for return to Libya after discussions between Libya and BP and Shell over a multi-million oil exploration deal, according to leaked ministerial letters -- Sunday Times

 * Revealed: How Shell won the fight for Libyan gas and oil -- Observer