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Aug 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers (NOTE:Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy): The Times - The heatwave and World Cup boosted consumer spending in the United Kingdom last month, giving the pound a much-needed lift, according to the Office for National Statistics. http://bit.ly/2PhbMF8 - School leavers are being failed by the government's apprenticeship levy because fewer are getting the training they need than before the scheme came into force, employers in Britain have said. http://bit.ly/2PhUF6e The Guardian - House of Fraser, which is owned by Sports Direct International Plc , is cancelling all online orders and refunding thousands of customers potentially millions of pounds, after a dispute with its warehouse operator held up deliveries. http://bit.ly/2PgxgSv - Michael Gove, the environment secretary, is due to confirm plans to ban the sale of the most-polluting fuels for domestic wood burners in an attempt to cut harmful emissions. http://bit.ly/2PhcX7w The Telegraph - Debenhams Plc will slash up to 90 jobs as the struggling department store chain pursues cost savings across its fashion and home departments. http://bit.ly/2PdvMZc - The boss of a Kazakhstan-based mining company is being summoned to appear before a London court, after failing to turn up to questioning by the UK's Serious Fraud Office. http://bit.ly/2PkANzk Sky News - An investigation has been launched into concerns social media stars are not properly declaring when they have been paid to endorse goods and services. http://bit.ly/2PgvDnH - Peter Long, chairman of the ailing estate agent Countrywide Plc , is facing the humiliation of a second massive shareholder revolt in as many months over a pay row which could hand its top three executives more than 20 million pounds. http://bit.ly/2PgXsMC The Independent - Virgin Media Ltd, which is owned by Liberty Global Plc , has announced price hikes for its cable service, which includes broadband, TV and fixed-line phones, which will affect 5 million customers. https://ind.pn/2PgVTOY (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)