What the Sunday papers said

Property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz will take great interest in this Friday's trading statement from Mitchells & Butlers as he continues to weigh up a formal bid for the All Bar One-to-Scream pub group. Analysts expect M&B chairman Roger Carr to unveil upbeat figures after rejecting the 550p-a-share indicative offer by Mr Tchenguiz's R20 consortium - The Mail on Sunday​

The Sunday Times profiles Aaron Brown and Tim Smalley, senior executives at R20 it describes as the power behind Mr Tchenguiz's throne. The two are working on the proposed deal to buy M&B - The Sunday Times​

ITV is close to deciding against bidding for the broadcast rights to Premier League football, after talks with two prospective partners broke down. The broadcaster has held abortive talks with both BT and Setanta, the Irish pay-TV broadcaster, with a view to making a joint bid for the six individual packages being auctioned by the Premier League - The Sunday Telegraph​

Eastern European migrants have bought powerful benefits to Britain's economy since 10 new countries joined the EU in 2004, according to research by the Ernst & Young Item Club. Interest rates are half a percentage point lower than they would have been without the influx of low-cost workers - The Observer​

Classic pub snack brand Mr Porky could be sold in a deal worth more than £30m. Sources close to the negotiations say the private equity owners of Red Mill Snack Foods are mulling a sale of the business - The Sunday Express​

The Government will split the £5.5bn identity card programme into at least three contracts because no company is prepared to shoulder the risk of the hugely complex scheme alone. The Home Office is expected to issue the contract to tender in the next six weeks in what will be one of the largest public sector IT projects ever - The Independent on Sunday​

and finally...

Britain's gambling boom has helped fuel a 20 per cent increase in the combined wealth of the country's super-rich. Half of the new entries in this year's Sunday Times Rich List with fortunes of £500m or more have made their money from hosting internet gambling or owning casinos. The London-based heir to the Heineken fortune and leisure tycoon Trevor Hemmings - owner of Brannigans - are among the trade's highest entries - The Sunday Times​