PRESS DIGEST-British Business - May 6

May 6 (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

- British Home Office will limit work and study visa applications from nationalities like Pakistanis, Nigerians, and Sri Lankans, who are deemed likely to overstay and claim asylum, rejecting applicants from high-asylum countries and using bank statements to deny claims of destitution.

The Guardian

- British ministers will meet executives from HSBC HSBA.L, NatWest NWG.L and Lloyds LLOY.L on Tuesday to discuss boosting lending to small businesses, addressing Whitehall concerns over limited credit access post-pandemic.

- The Bank of England is expected to lower interest rates from 4.5% on Thursday, responding to concerns over UK job and growth impacts from U.S. President Donald Trump's unpredictable global trade war.

The Telegraph

- Britain is quietly revising 20-year-old contingency plans to prepare for a potential direct military attack by Russia, prompted by Kremlin threats and concerns over the country's readiness for war.

- Rwanda is open to using Britain-funded accommodation, originally built for Britain's migrant deportation plan, to house migrants deported from the U.S. under a potential deal with President Trump, with discussions on the details to follow.

Sky News

- Nationwide NBS.L, Britain's largest building society, has begun searching for a new chairman to replace Kevin Parry, who has led the mutual since 2022.

The Independent

- Britain's Conservative MPs are holding meetings this week to discuss removing party leader Kemi Badenoch amid growing alarm over the party's future after Reform UK's strong local election performance.