According to a Times report from Ernst & Young Britain is heading for strong growth next year and in 2012 on the back of exports and investment, but there will be only a modest upturn this year.
It predicts weak 1% growth this year, giving way to 2.7% next year and 3.4% in 2012 - close to Treasury forecasts that have been widely dismissed as unrealistically optimistic.
The prediction comes ahead of a key week of economic data, which will culminate on Friday with the release of figures for the UK's first-quarter GDP. Analysts expect a rise of 0.4%, in line with the fourth quarter of last year.
But some analysts warn that the weak start to the year - with both manufacturing and service sector output down in January - coupled with the tendency of the Office for National Statistics to make low initial estimates, could produce a lower figure. | 
