Dec 1(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

- About 850 jobs are expected to be lost at Metro Bank , and its seven-day opening model is under threat as part of a cost-saving drive by the troubled lender.

The Guardian

- The UK government has dealt a blow to the Barclay family's efforts to strike a deal to transfer control of the Telegraph newspaper and Spectator magazine to a consortium backed by the UAE, after confirming that it is launching an investigation into whether it raises serious public interest concerns.

- Members of Britain's RMT union working for train operators have voted to accept a pay deal, marking an end in part to the long-running national rail dispute.

The Telegraph

- Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) has launched a deal-making AI chatbot just weeks after announcing up to 600 job cuts across its advisory team.

- Britain's gas network has already hit full capacity as renewable energy fails to generate the power needed to heat the UK's homes.

Sky News

- Microsoft says its 2.5 billion pound ($3.16 billion) UK investment will enable more than a million people to gain crucial skills in the burgeoning sphere of artificial intelligence (AI).

- Huboo, a British technology company which helps online retailers serve their customers more efficiently, has secured 29 million pound ($36.62 million) in new funding as it plots a path to profitability.

($1 = 0.7919 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)