Aug 25 (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
* House prices are expected to rise by nearly a third over the next four years, with almost every English region overtaking the capital, but the devaluation of the Chinese yuan is hitting demand for prime London homes. (http://thetim.es/1MJDV1t)
* British companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc RDSa.L , Amec Foster Wheeler Plc AMFW.L and Weir Group Plc WEIR.L risk being outmanoeuvred by European rivals in a race for projects worth up to $185 billion in Iran's shattered oil industry. (http://thetim.es/1WOZOB9)
The Guardian
* The chief executive of RWE AG's RWEG.DE npower has quit less than two weeks after the energy supplier was forced to warn of another unexpected drop in performance following persistent problems with its billing systems. (http://bit.ly/1NQz2lI)
* A former official who leaked stories to the Sun about a Serco-run immigration centre has pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. While working as a detention custody officer, Mark Blake, from Slough in Berkshire, was paid nearly 8000 pounds ($12,607.20) for tips about the Colnbrook secure immigration removal centre, which resulted in 10 stories being published by the tabloid newspaper over three years. (http://bit.ly/1NFGBh8)
The Telegraph
* Treasury Select Committee Chairman Andrew Tyrie has asked the central bank to re-examine its conduct rules following a spat over the hedge fund pay of the Monetary Policy Committee's new member, Gertjan Vlieghe. (http://bit.ly/1hXsCHC)
* Sporting bet-owner GVC Holdings Plc GVC.L is pressing ahead with its attempt to gatecrash 888 Holdings Plc's 888.L takeover of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Plc BPTY.L and make a 1 billion pound bid for the online gambling company. (http://bit.ly/1EeQqRd)
Sky News
* HSBC Holdings Plc HSBA.L is poised to reject a revival of the Midland Bank name as it weighs a rebranding of its UK branch network prompted by a wide-ranging industry restructuring. (http://bit.ly/1KIEcNG)
* The taxpayers' stake in Lloyds Banking Group Plc LLOY.L has been reduced to below 13 percent following the latest share sale. (http://bit.ly/1Eg8HxL)
The Independent
* BT Group Plc BT.L has scooped rival Sky Plc SKYB.L to win the rights to broadcast the 2017-2018 Ashes series in Australia. The deal, worth a reported 80 million pounds, is part of a five-year partnership with Cricket Australia. (http://ind.pn/1LtP7NU)
($1 = 0.6346 pounds)