Jan 21 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

William Hill Plc suffered an embarrassing false start, accidentally releasing Wednesday's scheduled trading update almost 12 hours early. Instead of putting its full-year numbers out as normal at 7 a.m., before the stock market opening, the bookmaker sent out the press release at about 8 p.m. Tuesday. (http://thetim.es/181PnVM)

A flotation of John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd will generate 130 million pounds ($196.89 million) for it to invest in transport, energy and construction projects worldwide. John Laing is being sold by Henderson, the fund management firm, at a valuation likely to be between 750 million pounds and 1 billion pounds. (http://thetim.es/1yFCcm1)

The Guardian

Ministers have approved an emergency injection of 25 million pounds for social care for older people in areas where hospitals are facing the biggest problems of delayed patient discharges. The new cash is going to 65 councils in England this week and must be spent by the end of March. (http://bit.ly/1CekLeS)

A further 300 jobs are being cut in the oil and gas industry by Talisman Sinopec. Last week, BP Plc announced a similar number of jobs were being cut in the sector. (http://bit.ly/1yH3Dh0)

The Telegraph

Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley is cutting his stake in the sports retailer. Goldman Sachs Group Inc said it was placing up to 15.4 million ordinary shares in the retailer on behalf of Ashley, which at Tuesday's closing share price would be worth 117 million pounds. (http://bit.ly/181L9xx)

BHP Billiton Plc is to cut its shale drilling budget over the next six months as it looks to meet its promise not to cut dividends in the face of a collapse in iron ore, copper and oil prices. (http://bit.ly/1KZ8vCO)

Sky News

Scottish Power has become the latest of the so-called "Big Six" energy firms to cut its standard gas price. Like its rival British Gas, the company said it would be waiting a month before implementing the reduction. The 4.8 percent cut will come into force on Feb. 20 benefiting 1.1 million customers. (http://bit.ly/1sVPOtR)

Findus, the frozen-food company at the centre of the horsemeat scandal which engulfed the industry in 2013, is being prepared for a sale that will value its UK arm at hundreds of millions of pounds. In a statement issued to Sky News, Findus insisted that there was "no sale process underway for the UK business, or any part of the Findus Group at this time". (http://bit.ly/1KZ4PRN)

The Independent

The European Union has lifted a ban on the importation of mangoes from India. Alphonso mangoes were barred from the United Kingdom and other member states in April 2014, after authorities in Brussels found consignments infested with fruit flies that they feared could damage European salad crops. (http://ind.pn/1unhusP)

British manufacturer McLaren Automotive has landed a 120 million pound loan to fuel its expansion, as it is poised to push the button on its Batmobile-esque P1 GTR supercar. The manufacturer revealed that a syndicate of banks, led by the Royal Bank of Scotland, has agreed the loan. (http://ind.pn/15rTt80)

($1 = 0.6603 pounds) (Compiled by Zara Mascarenhas in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)