UK economy still growing weakly, NIESR says

NIESR said the economy continued to grow despite January's bad weather

The UK economy is still growing weakly, a study has said, expanding by 0.3% in the December to February period.

The economic expansion came despite the impact of the heavy snow in January, said the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

Its latest economic growth data comes a month after official figures were revised up to show the economy expanded 0.3% in the final quarter of 2009.

The Office for National Statistics had earlier reported growth of 0.1%.

The NIESR growth figure for the three months to February is in comparison with the September to November period.

The research body said it did not expect UK economic output to return to the peak seen at the start of 2008 until 2012.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics said that UK industrial production had fallen by 0.4% in January because of the impact of the bad weather. This was the biggest monthly decline since August last year.

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