May 18 (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 finance minister Rachel Reeves plans to announce next week that she will scrap a planned rise in tax on motor fuel that is due to take place in September.

- EY UK has paid more than 100 million pounds ($133.16 million) to the administrators of NMC Health Plc NMMCF.PK to settle claims it was negligent in its audits of the failed firm.

The Guardian

- Jaguar Land Rover and General Motors GM.N are considering an expansion into UK defence via a 900 million pound military contract, as the automobile companies are among a group of firms vying to make thousands of trucks for the armed forces to replace an ageing fleet of Land Rovers that have been out of production since 2016.

- An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation, after 80 suspected deaths.

The Telegraph

- Investors in Britain's largest water supplier, Thames Water have told the government that a temporary nationalisation of the embattled company would slow its turnaround.

Sky News

- Britain's government will set out more detailed proposals next week to relax bank regulations that had been designed to stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis.

- Blastr, the preferred bidder for Liberty Steel, met the Official Receiver late last week to discuss the possibility of taxpayers underwriting risks associated with the purchase of Speciality Steel UK.

The Independent

- Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to tone down his call to reverse Brexit as he faces a crunch by-election that could see him return to parliament.

($1 = 0.7510 pounds)