British economy grows by 0.5%

The UK economy returned to modest growth in the first three months of 2011, official figures revealed today, following a shock decline at the end of last year.

Gross domestic product (GDP) – a broad measure for the total economy – grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of the year, following an unexpected drop of 0.5% in the final weather-hit quarter of 2010, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.