Oxford look to make amends for 2012

The Boat Race

• Date: Sunday, 31 March
• Start time: 16:30 BST

Coverage: BBC One, BBC Sport website and mobiles 1515-1715 BST; BBC Radio 5 live 1600-1730; live text commentary online

Oxford will not gain extra motivation from the circumstances of last year's defeat when they take on Cambridge in the 159th Boat Race on Sunday.

The two boats were evenly matched when the 2012 race was interrupted after a protester swam in front of both crews.

Oxford v Cambridge

• Cambridge are chasing back-to-back wins for the first time since 1999
• For the second year running Cambridge have selected only one British oarsman
• Oxford beat a German crew earlier this month which featured the core of the eight who won Olympic gold in London
• Cambridge lost to the University of Washington on the Tideway in February, but beat Molesey in their final warm-up
• Cambridge's George Nash and Karl Hudspith of Oxford are both competing in their third Boat Race, having won one and lost one
• Oxford have named their boat after three-time Blue, Dr Acer Nethercott, who died in January from brain cancer aged 35

A clash of oars on the resumption allowed Cambridge to ease to victory.

"I want to win a Boat Race because I know how bad it is to lose a Boat Race, but I won't be dwelling on last year," said Oxford president Alex Davidson.

"I am a competitive individual. Maybe this year it has been crystallised a bit by losing last year.

"The Boat Race is very black and white in that sense. I have been on the wrong side of it once and I don't want to be again."

Royal Marines will be stationed in inflatable boats along the length of the four miles and 374 yards (6.8km) of the course on Sunday, after last year's race had to be halted when Trenton Oldfield swam into the path of the two crews.

The race was halted for over 30 minutes, and effectively ended as a competition soon after the resumption when Oxford broke a blade in a clash of oars.

"You are aware that last year was maybe one that got away so there is some extra pressure there," said Oxford coach Sean Bowden.

"There are lessons to be learned from last year, about not to assume anything. It was a set of circumstances that happened, some of it our own making.

"The perfectly prepared team should be ready for everything. By definition we should have done something different last year. I don't think revenge is part of it."

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Matthew Pinsent to make refereeing debut

Oxford beat a German crew earlier this month which featured the core of the eight who won Olympic gold in London, and have several factors in their favour.

The heavier crew has won eight of the last 11 races, and Oxford weighed in for this year's contest more than 2kg heavier per man at 757.6kg (excluding the cox).

Oxford have also won eight of 13 Boat Races since the turn of the century, but Cambridge coach Steve Trapmore has confidence in his eight.

"I think it is the best crew I have had in my time at Cambridge," he said ahead of his third Boat Race.

"It has been a very motivated and positively-focused group. We have got two great crews out of it for the weekend."

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Scots police merger 'sets example'

30 March 2013 Last updated at 20:03 ET By James Cook Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

The chief constable of Scotland's new national police service has suggested that the merger of forces could be emulated in England and Wales.

Steve House told the BBC it was unsustainable to maintain 43 separate police forces south of the border.

Mr House said: "My personal view is that structural change is inevitable down south."

Eight forces are being combined to form Police Scotland which will take over the country's policing on 1 April.

In a wide ranging interview for BBC News, Mr House also revealed that only 100 voluntary redundancies had been processed in advance of Police Scotland becoming operational.

He had previously suggested that job cuts in the "low thousands" might be needed for the new force to make the efficiency savings demanded of it.

Backfilling jobs

The Scottish government has pledged there will be no compulsory job losses at Police Scotland, but Mr House said it was proving difficult to obtain volunteers whom the force could do without in the short-term.

Mr House, who will command more than 17,000 police officers, said: "The vast majority of people who volunteer, who perhaps come from the control room, we can't let go because we would have to find a police officer off the street to take their role."

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

If we could reduce alcohol consumption across the board, you would reduce violence levels dramatically - that's something we're focused on"

End Quote Steve House Chief constable, Police Scotland

He said he agreed with a report from the public spending watchdog, Audit Scotland, that using police officers to perform administrative roles previously carried out by civilians was not sensible.

"We have no policy or strategy for backfilling civilian jobs with police officers from the street," he said.

"We're looking to have the right level of integrated workforce, with the right number of police officers working with civilian colleagues."

The chief constable set out his priorities for the force, second in size only to London's Metropolitan Police, which included:

• improving the investigation of rapes
• tackling domestic violence
• reducing violent crime

Mr House said that if any police officer in Scotland could "wave a magic wand" and be granted one wish, it would be to reduce alcohol consumption.

He said this was an enormous factor in the majority of violent crimes where people were taken in to custody.

"If we could reduce alcohol consumption across the board, you would reduce violence levels dramatically - that's something we're focused on."

He said he did not know whether the Scottish government's plan to introduce a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit would work.

He said he had supported it on the basis that it was worth a try.

"It won't be the only answer. It will have to work with other things, but I'm for giving it a try."

Asked what he personally brought to the role of Scotland's first national chief constable, Steve House, 55, who was short-listed for the post of London's Met Commissioner in August 2011, said that despite his English accent he had been born in Glasgow where he had spent the first 12 years of his life and considered himself a Scot.

He said: "I'm not at the Met, I'm here in Scotland. I'd rather being doing the job I'm doing right now.

"I went for the job, I wanted the job, I didn't get it. You move on."

Local plans

Mr House, who will lead a team of 11 senior officers which includes only one woman, said he wanted to help more female officers reach higher rank and suggested he would be delighted if he eventually handed over command of the service to a woman.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Making sure there is local policing by local consent is something we should cherish"

End Quote Willie Rennie Scottish Liberal Democrat leader

"It would be great for me if, when I pass the role on, a woman gets the job. That would be fantastic," he said.

He also rejected suggestions that the new national force would damage local law enforcement priorities, insisting that an individual policing plan had been drawn up for each one of Scotland's 353 local council wards.

"It's a hugely locally-focused service. There is no redeployment of officers across the country.

"All 14 divisional commanders are people who came up through the ranks in that part of the country.

"It's very local and it's tuned to the local needs and requirements of each community."

But the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie said he was not convinced.

He insisted that too much power in Scotland was being concentrated in the hands of three people: the chief constable; the lord advocate who heads the Crown Office, Scotland's prosecution service; and the justice secretary in the Scottish government.

He said: "The idea that centralisation, that pulling everything into the centre, to get economies of scale - it can't necessarily save money.

"In fact, what you lose is the local leadership and the local connection.

"Actually making sure there is local policing by local consent is something we should cherish, and we should not dismiss too lightly."

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Mitchell complains to IPCC over Met

30 March 2013 Last updated at 20:07 ET

Ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell has launched a stinging attack on Scotland Yard over its inquiry into the 'plebgate' row.

In a letter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, he claims the force leaked contents of its own report.

His letter accuses the police of a "dishonest and illicit attempt to blacken my name and destroy my career".

The Metropolitan Police said inquiries into the matter were continuing.

Mr Mitchell has repeatedly denied claims, first reported in the Sun, that he swore and called police officers 'plebs' but he later resigned as chief whip.

He is suing the Sun over those claims.

A spokesman for the Sun newspaper said: "We stand by our story and will defend this claim vigorously."

Asked about Mr Mitchell's complaint to the IPCC, a Met Police spokesman said "our inquiries continue".

The spokesman added that the Met had "sent a report to the Crown Prosecution Service on Thursday as part of our investigation and a copy of this file was also sent to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, as they are supervising our investigation".

Continue reading the main story

• 19 September - Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell allegedly calls police officers "plebs" during argument in Downing Street
• 20 September - The story is revealed in the Sun
• 21 September - Mr Mitchell denies using word "plebs" but apologises for being disrespectful to police
• 17 October - Labour leader Ed Miliband says Mr Mitchell is "toast", as poor media coverage continues
• 19 October - Mr Mitchell resigns
• 15 December - Police officer arrested on suspicion of misconduct
• 18 December - CCTV coverage casts doubt on police officers' version of events
• 19 December - 23-year-old man arrested
• 31 January 2013 - 46-year-old male police officer arrested
• 1 February 2013 - 46-year-old female police officer arrested

So far four people - including three police officers - have been arrested as part of the investigation into the incident, which happened in September last year.

Initial reports had said that the former Conservative cabinet minister lost his temper and allegedly swore at police when they refused to open the gates for him as he cycled out.

Mr Mitchell admitted there was an exchange and resigned from the cabinet - but denied directly swearing at any officers and denied using the word "pleb".

CCTV footage of the incident later cast doubt on the police reports.

Those arrested in relation to the incident include:

• A 52-year-old from the Diplomatic Protection Group who was held on 15 December on suspicion of misconduct in public office and bailed until April
• Two 46-year-olds from the same command were held on 31 January and 1 February for allegedly passing information to the media and were bailed until May
• A 23-year-old man who does not work for the police was also arrested and bailed until May

All three police officers remain suspended.

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Man dies after west Belfast shooting

31 March 2013 Last updated at 00:56 ET

Police have launched a murder inquiry after a man in his twenties was shot dead in west Belfast.

He was attacked near shops on Kennedy Way just after 23:00 GMT on Saturday and died shortly afterwards in hospital.

The victim is thought to have worked as a pizza delivery driver.

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Welfare cuts unjust, say churches

31 March 2013 Last updated at 05:34 ET

Four churches have joined forces to accuse the government of welfare payment cuts they say are unjust and target society's most vulnerable.

The Easter criticism has come from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist and United Reformed Churches, and the Church of Scotland.

They also want to see a change to "a false picture" of the poor as "lazy".

The government said society suffered when people were paid more to be unemployed than to work.

A series of changes to benefits are being made in April - including capping rises on working-age benefits at 1% - which will affect hundreds of thousands of households across the UK.

Ministers say they are necessary to tackle the rising cost to the taxpayer.

Rising costs

But the churches accuse politicians and parts of the media of making the cuts easier to impose by misrepresenting poor people as lazy.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury has also challenged the government's proposals to cap increases in benefits

The Methodist Church's Paul Harrison said the British public had "come to believe things about the poorest in our society which are just straightforwardly not true.

"The public believes that the major cause of poverty is laziness, yet the majority of people in poverty work. How can that be the case?"

And the Reverend Jonathan Edwards, general secretary of the Baptist Union, said "The one interesting fact I find is that the majority, the rise in poverty over the last decade, has been more amongst those on low income than on those who are unemployed."

The government says it has always been clear that the system is failing people, not the other way around.

The Department for Work and Pensions said in a statement: "Its not fair that benefits claimants can receive higher incomes than families who are in work - in some cases more than double the average household income."

'Paying price'

Earlier this month, the Archbishop of Canterbury backed an open letter, signed by 43 of his bishops, criticising plans to limit rises in working-age benefits and some tax credits to 1% for three years.

He said the current system recognised rising costs of food, fuel and housing by giving benefit rises in line with inflation.

"These changes will mean it is children and families who will pay the price for high inflation, rather than the government," he said.

In response, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith told MPs he did not agree that "the way to get children out of poverty is to simply keep transferring more and more money to keep them out of work".

"The reality is what we're having to do is reform a system that became completely out of control under the last government, get people back in work, for being in work is how you get your children out of poverty."

He said the government was doing "the right thing" in bringing in the benefit caps because "people on low and average earnings will realise, at last, that those on benefits will not be able to be paid more in taxes than they themselves earn."

Archbishop Welby later wrote on his blog that he was questioning one aspect of the government's wide-ranging welfare changes, not condemning efforts to make work pay and improve people's livelihoods which he said were, in general, "incredibly brave".

He said Mr Duncan Smith had spent "hard years turning himself into a leading and principled expert on welfare, its effects and shortcomings".

"He is introducing one of the biggest and most thorough reforms of a system that most people admit is shot full of holes, wrong incentives, and incredible complexity."

'Radical redesign'

Other changes to benefits being made in April include:

• The introduction of a new benefit, the personal independence payment (PIP), to be rolled out across the UK from 8 April to replace disability living allowance (DLA) for people of working age.
• Less housing benefit from the beginning of April for UK families living in council or housing accommodation judged to be larger than they need. Only those of working age will see reduced payments.
• A cap from 15 April, in England, Scotland and Wales, on the total amount of benefit working-age people (16-64) can receive

Meanwhile, the government is scaling back some of its plans to test the new Universal Credit, which will gradually - by 2017 - replace five work-based benefits with one benefit, affecting millions of claimants across the UK.

Ministers planned to allow people to make the new claims in four areas of north-west England from April.

But it has emerged that three of the pilots will not start until July.

The government said this would allow "safe and controlled" testing but Labour said the Universal Credit was "on the edge of disaster" because IT systems needed for it were not ready.

Ministers describe Universal Credit as "the most radical redesign of the benefits system this country has ever seen", saying it pays people to work rather than claim benefits.

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Cash shortage stretches to sea bed

29 March 2013 Last updated at 20:00 ET By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst

The government has admitted moving slowly to protect wildlife in the seas because of the cost.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said that in the current financial squeeze he could not designate as many areas for protection as he would like.

He said he was hoping to confirm the designation of the current tranche of 31 Marine Protected Zones under a consultation that ends on Sunday.

Environmentalists have accused the government of dragging its feet.

This is because 127 zones were originally nominated for protection after a compromise deal agreed with other users of the sea.

Jolyon Chesworth from the Wildlife Trusts said: "We are disappointed at the rate of progress. The government has an international obligation to protect wildlife in the seas.

Continue reading the main story

I want to do as many zones as we can for as little as we can"

End Quote Richard Benyon Environment minister

"The marine environment is not as obvious to people as it is when they see wildlife walking through a woodland or downland but it's just as important and equally worthy of protection.

"The 127 zones were only nominated after very long discussions with anglers, sailors and the fishing industry. We are now being asked to compromise on a compromise."

But Mr Benyon told the BBC that with cuts to the Defra budget, the cost of making scientific assessments and then developing rules for the use of different areas could not be dismissed.

"We are constrained by a hugely expensive process at a time when we have little money in government", he said.

"I want to do as many zones as we can for as little as we can. People have waited many years for this; we will designate the first tranche in September and will announce the next lot for consultation then."

Environmentalists are worried that the UK might slither back from its international commitment to create an ecologically coherent network of sites.

They are angry that several key sites have been left out of the first tranche on the grounds that insufficient evidence was supplied to justify them.

Sailors' fears

Mr Chesworth said that in his south of England region there was a cast-iron case for designating, among others, Bembridge Levels on the Isle of Wight - home of the stalked jellyfish and Poole Harbour - a key breeding ground for sea horses.

But both of these zones have been contested by sailors who fear that new rules will prevent them anchoring on sensitive sites. One boat owner on the Isle of Wight told Mr Benyon that the designations were "bonkers".

Boaters are the mainstay of the local economy and have lived in harmony with wildlife for decades, he said.

John Pockett from the Royal Yachting Association told the BBC: "We fear we won't be able to anchor our yachts; we fear we won't be able to train our next Ben Ainslie (the Olympian) because we won't be able to anchor marker boats."

Sailors are not the only ones protesting. In some areas fishing crews object to MPZs, even though they are supposed to provide a breeding ground for fish stocks to recover.

Conservationists warn that recently revealed chalk arches off the North Norfolk coast could be destroyed by one careless pass of a trawl net.

A further complication is the fact that UK jurisdiction ends six nautical miles from the shore, even though its responsibility for wildlife stretches further.

"It would be terrible to stop our own fishermen from exploiting a sensitive areas then allow boats of other nationalities to come in", Mr Benyon said. "We are trying to negotiate this with Brussels."

The proposals stem from the 2009 UK Marine Bill. If all the sites had been approved, just over a quarter of English waters would end up under some kind of protection. Currently, the total is way under 1%.

Globally just 0.6% of the world's oceans have been protected, compared to almost 13% of our planet's land area.

Marine author Callum Roberts told the BBC: "There's no way you'll have an effective network of marine-protected areas the way we are going. It's undermining trust."

But public sector cutbacks are a reality. And the government insists that the state of the economy will inevitably be felt on the sea bed, like everywhere else.

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Teachers stage ‘no confidence’ votes

29 March 2013 Last updated at 20:41 ET

A motion of no-confidence in Education Secretary Michael Gove is to be debated by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) later.

Members of the NUT and the NASUWT are holding their annual conferences this weekend.

The NUT, meeting in Liverpool, is expected to hold votes on Mr Gove and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.

The NASUWT will separately hear calls for an overhaul or abolition of inspections.

It claims the government's education policies are "destructive" and that Ofsted inspections are undermining confidence in England's education system.

The two unions are in dispute with the government over pay, pensions and workload. A fresh wave of strikes is expected in the summer.

These will be local strikes, but national strikes are also being planned for later in the year.

The coalition has brought in widespread changes to education since it came to power three years ago, and says these will help drive up standards in England's schools.

The two big classroom teachers' unions oppose many of the changes, particularly the move towards academy and free schools and performance-related pay.

The NASUWT, meeting in Bournemouth, has published a survey of nearly 3,000 of its members, which found nearly all (95%) of respondents said the school inspection system operated "in the interests of politicians rather than the public or pupils".

And 80% said they agreed that the current model of school inspection "unfairly undermines public confidence in the education system".

The survey was carried out online by the union last month.

The general secretary of the NASUWT, Chris Keates, said teachers understood the need for inspection, but believed it had become too "high stakes" because a bad Ofsted rating could lead to a school being taken over or turned in to an academy.

"Teachers recognise that public services have to be accountable. They are not afraid of inspections but they feel it has become an unproductive and punitive regime," she said.

"And they are deeply concerned about the politicisation of Ofsted. It's now holding schools to account and has become a hit squad for the implementation of government policy.

"It's creating a climate of fear in schools and doing nothing to raise school standards."

'Outstanding'

Ofsted has been built up by the government, which sees it as a key way of protecting and improving standards in schools, especially since many schools are becoming academies, which are independent from local authorities.

Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has cut the categories schools are rated by, scrapping the "satisfactory" rating. He says all schools should be "good" or "outstanding".

He has also called for a sharper focus on teaching, saying schools should only be given the highest rating - outstanding - if they are ranked outstanding for teaching. In the past, this did not have to be the case.

'Tough message'

Sir Michael was not available to be interviewed, but a spokeswoman for Ofsted said: "Sir Michael has said from the outset any provision that is less than good is not acceptable.

"That's a tough message, especially for those schools and colleges that have been coasting. It's inevitable that when you challenge the system to do better, you will get some pushback."

She said the inspectorate had a new regional structure which gave "support as well as challenge" for schools and promoted improvement.

It was working towards its ambition of "ensuring a good education for every child".

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We need an education system that is on a par with the world's best.

"Our academies programme is turning around hundreds of underperforming schools, we are introducing a world class curriculum and our reforms to exams will create qualifications that will keep pace with the demands of universities and employers."

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Call for higher tax on second homes

29 March 2013 Last updated at 22:40 ET

The tax system should put countryside second homes beyond the reach of more people, according to the head of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Ex-poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion said "townies in the countryside" were "gutting" rural communities.

The CPRE president did not call for a ban on second home ownership, but told the Times he would make them "very expensive" through more taxes.

More than 165,000 people own weekend or holiday homes, the last census found.

The Times reports that Cornwall is the location of 23,000 of such homes.

'Scoot down in cars'

Sir Andrew said: "I think there's a question about whether second homes mean you have inert dormitory communities in the countryside through most of the week, very often lived in by people who scoot down in their cars, see their smart friends, don't join in the life of the community and don't feed into it.

"They're townies in the countryside, they make sure they're back in London in time to catch the 10 o'clock news on Sunday night. That means rural communities are gutted."

A row broke out recently over the Help to Buy initiative announced in the Budget, aimed at helping people get on the housing ladder.

Under the scheme, due to start next January, loans for those putting down 5% deposits would be guaranteed, but Labour critics said there was nothing to stop people using it to buy second homes.

The Treasury says this is not the point of the scheme but parents may be allowed to buy homes for their children when it is finalised.

Greenfield concerns

Campaigners have previously accused the government of creating a developers' charter in rural areas ahead of its Growth and Infrastructure Bill being debated in the Commons.

Ministers say the bill is needed to stimulate development but there are fears that it will rush through greenfield schemes for business and housing against the wishes of people living nearby.

The bill will relax rules on developers to deliver social housing, and make it easier to install broadband infrastructure.

The CPRE says the plans will spoil some of the UK's best-loved landscapes and it has warned of a rash of "broadband clutter" in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

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PM marginalising Christians - Carey

29 March 2013 Last updated at 23:15 ET

The former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, has accused David Cameron of making Christians feel marginalised.

He said it was a "bit rich" for the prime minister to tell religious leaders to oppose secularisation.

This follows comments made by the PM at a pre-Easter Downing Street reception for faith leaders.

A Downing Street spokesman rejected the criticism, saying Mr Cameron valued "the profound contribution" Christianity had made to UK life.

But Lord Carey wrote in the Daily Mail that the government seemed to be "aiding and abetting" aggressive secularisation.

He also said Mr Cameron had done more than any other recent political leader to increase Christian anxieties.

Many Christians doubted the sincerity of Mr Cameron's support of Christians' right to practise their faith, he said.

Lord Carey said: "I like David Cameron and believe he is genuinely sincere in his desire to make Britain a generous nation where we care for one another and where people of faith may exercise their beliefs fully.

"But it was a bit rich to hear that the prime minister has told religious leaders that they should 'stand up and oppose aggressive secularisation' when it seems that his government is aiding and abetting this aggression every step of the way.

'Persecuted minority'

"At his pre-Easter Downing Street reception for faith leaders, he said that he supported Christians' right to practise their faith. Yet many Christians doubt his sincerity."

Lord Carey also that said a recent ComRes poll suggested "more than two-thirds of Christians feel that they are part of a 'persecuted minority'".

"Their fears may be exaggerated because few in the UK are actually persecuted, but the prime minister has done more than any other recent political leader to feed these anxieties."

He said that Mr Cameron "seems to have forgotten in spite of his oft-repeated support for the right of Christians to wear the cross, that lawyers acting for the coalition argued only months ago in the Strasbourg court that those sacked for wearing a cross against their employer's wishes should simply get another job."

'PM values contribution'

And Lord Carey spoke of being "very suspicious" that behind plans for gay marriage "there lurks an aggressive secularist and relativist approach towards an institution that has glued society".

"The danger I believe that the government is courting with its approach both to marriage and religious freedom is the alienation of a large minority of people who only a few years ago would have been considered pillars of society."

However, a Downing Street spokesman rejected the criticism, saying: "Christianity plays a vital part in the Big Society, from the many brilliant church schools to the huge number of charitable causes based in churches across the country.

"The prime minister values the profound contribution that Christianity has made and continues to make to the country, which is why he strongly backs it."

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Post Office staff go on strike

30 March 2013 Last updated at 03:21 ET

About 2,000 staff at Post Office Crown offices have gone on strike in a row over jobs, pay and closures.

Members of the Communication Workers Union have walked out at 370 sites in a dispute over proposals to close or franchise out 70 of the branches.

The union said the plans would affect hundreds of jobs and be a further blow for already struggling High Streets.

The Post Office said the union was ignoring "harsh realities", with the offices losing £40m a year.

Crown offices are Post Office branches directly managed by the company - as opposed to locally-run by sub-post offices - mainly based in major High Streets.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) claimed that staff had not had a pay rise for two years.

'Transforming network'

CWU's assistant secretary Andy Furey said this strike could be the "first of many".

He told BBC News on Saturday: "We cannot allow the Post Office to walk all over us, we do need to stand up for ourselves so this could be the first of many strikes.

"Hopefully it won't be. Hopefully the Post Office will come to the bargaining table."

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: "The Post Office's plans are short-sighted and would rob the network of the most productive offices while simultaneously putting hundreds of jobs at risk and potentially damaging local economies."

The union said the Post Office's Crown offices accounted for one-fifth of the business's total workload.

It also said a meeting at the conciliation service Acas failed to break the deadlock, adding that "our members are steadfast in their conviction that the Crown network is valuable for local communities".

Post Office network and sales director Kevin Gilliland said: "We regret any disruption to services the CWU's call for strike action may cause to customers.

"Crown branches are currently losing £40m per year and this is being subsidised by public money. This cannot continue.

"We are committed to the Post Office remaining a key part of UK high streets and our plans ensure this will happen."

He went on to say its reforms mean 70 of Crown branches will be looking to "partner with a suitable retailer", while at the same time the Post Office would invest £70 million in the remaining 300 Crown branches to "modernise and grow services to ensure their long-term viability".

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Man, 82, held over sexual offences

28 March 2013 Last updated at 20:38 ET

An 82-year-old man from Berkshire has been arrested on suspicion of sexual offences as part of a probe related to the Jimmy Savile inquiry, the Metropolitan Police have said.

The man, who has not been named by police, is one of 11 people arrested so far as part of Operation Yewtree.

It was set up in the wake of the Savile scandal, but the arrest is part of the strand looking at complaints against people not connected to the late DJ.

The man was bailed to a date in May.

The Met have not disclosed what time the arrest was made on Thursday, but released a statement just after 23:30 GMT on Thursday.

They said the arrest fell under the strand of the investigation they have termed "others".

High-profile arrests

Following the death of BBC DJ and television presenter Savile in 2011, hundreds of sex abuse allegations came to light.

Last month a Met Police report said he had abused adults and children across the country over more than five decades. The NSPCC said Savile, who was 84 when he died, had been one of the most prolific sex offenders in its 129-year history.

Operation Yewtree is the Met's investigation into the allegations that have arisen since Savile was accused of abuse.

It has three strands:

• One is looking specifically at the actions of Savile
• The second strand concerns allegations against "Savile and others"
• The third - named "others" - relates to alleged complaints against other people unconnected to the Jimmy Savile investigations

Ten people have been arrested and one suspect was interviewed under caution.

High-profile names held in connection with the investigation are PR consultant Max Clifford, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and comedian Jim Davidson - who all deny any wrongdoing. Gary Glitter, 69, whose real name is Paul Gadd, who was also arrested, has not yet made a statement.

Earlier this week, police said a former BBC producer who was held as part of the operation would face no further charges.

Wilfred De'Ath was arrested last year in Cambridgeshire over an allegation of indecent assault on a girl in the 60s.

He is the first suspect held under Operation Yewtree that the Crown Prosecution Service has made a decision on.

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Mitchell to sue Sun over 'plebgate'

29 March 2013 Last updated at 00:11 ET

Ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell has said he is suing the Sun over claims he swore and called police officers plebs.

Mr Mitchell has repeatedly denied the claims, first reported in the Sun, but he later resigned as chief whip.

His lawyer confirmed a libel writ had been issued, while a source said he wanted to address "the campaign of vilification by the Sun against him".

A spokesman for the Sun newspaper said: "We stand by our story and will defend this claim vigorously."

Earlier, police investigating the incident said they had passed evidence to prosecutors.

The Times and the Guardian reported that the police files sent to the Crown Prosecution Service contained "no evidence" that Downing Street police officers lied about their account of the incident.

The role of the CPS is to examine the evidence to decide if any charges should be brought against the officers.

'Further action'

Mr Mitchell's lawyer Graham Atkins has indicated that further legal action could follow.

Continue reading the main story

• 19 September - Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell allegedly calls police officers "plebs" during argument in Downing Street
• 20 September - The story is revealed in the Sun
• 21 September - Mr Mitchell denies using word "plebs" but apologises for being disrespectful to police
• 17 October - Labour leader Ed Miliband says Mr Mitchell is "toast", as poor media coverage continues
• 19 October - Mr Mitchell resigns
• 15 December - Police officer arrested on suspicion of misconduct
• 18 December - CCTV coverage casts doubt on police officers' version of events
• 19 December - 23-year-old man arrested
• 31 January 2013 - 46-year-old male police officer arrested
• 1 February 2013 - 46-year-old female police officer arrested

"I can confirm that I recently issued proceedings for libel against the owners of the Sun on behalf of Andrew Mitchell MP," he said.

"There are a number of other potential actions being considered but I do not intend commenting any further at this stage."

A source close to Mr Mitchell told the BBC: "He felt that a point had to be made. It is always risky suing newspapers but he felt he had no alternative."

So far four people - including three police officers - have been arrested as part of the investigation into the incident, which happened in September last year.

CCTV footage

Initial reports had said that the former Conservative cabinet minister lost his temper and allegedly swore at police when they refused to open the gates for him as he cycled out.

Mr Mitchell admitted there was an exchange and resigned from the cabinet - but denied directly swearing at any officers and denied using the word "pleb".

CCTV footage of the incident later cast doubt on the police reports.

Those arrested in relation to the incident include:

• A 52-year-old from the Diplomatic Protection Group who was held on 15 December on suspicion of misconduct in public office and bailed until April
• Two 46-year-olds from the same command were held on 31 January and 1 February for allegedly passing information to the media and were bailed until May
• A 23-year-old man who does not work for the police was also arrested and bailed until May

All three police officers remain suspended.

The CPS earlier confirmed it had received files in relation to the case.

"We have received initial papers but we have not received a full file of evidence and we now await the conclusion of the police investigation before considering charges," a spokesman said.

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Met Office advice was 'not helpful'

29 March 2013 Last updated at 03:14 ET By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst

The Met Office has admitted issuing advice to government that was "not helpful" during last year's remarkable switch in weather patterns.

Between March and April 2012, the UK experienced an extraordinary shift from high pressure and drought to low pressure and downpours.

But the Met Office said the forecast for average rainfall "slightly" favoured drier than average conditions.

The three-month forecast is said to be experimental.

It is sent to contingency planners but has been withheld from the public since the Met Office was pilloried for its "barbecue summer" forecast in 2009.

Last spring's forecast has been obtained by BBC News under Freedom of Information.

Continue reading the main story

The probabilistic forecast can be considered as somewhat like a form guide for a horse race"

End Quote Met Office

The Met Office three-monthly outlook at the end of March stated: "The forecast for average UK rainfall slightly favours drier than average conditions for April-May-June, and slightly favours April being the driest of the three months."

A soul-searching Met Office analysis later confessed: "Given that April was the wettest since detailed records began in 1910 and the April-May-June quarter was also the wettest, this advice was not helpful."

In a note to the government chief scientist, the Met Office chief scientist Julia Slingo explains the difficulty of constructing long-distance forecasts, given the UK's position at the far edge of dominant world weather systems.

She says last year's calculations were not actually wrong because they were probabilistic.

The Met Office forecast that the probability that April-May-June would fall into the driest of five categories was 20-25%, whilst the probability it would fall into the wettest was 10-15% (The average probability would be 20%).

The Met Office explained it this way: "The probabilistic forecast can be considered as somewhat like a form guide for a horse race.

'Unsolved challenges'

"It provides an insight into which outcomes are most likely, although in some cases there is a broad spread of outcomes, analogous to a race in which there is no strong favourite. Just as any of the horses in the race could win the race, any of the outcomes could occur, but some are more likely than others."

It said: "The creation of the three-monthly outlook relies upon the fact that weather is influenced by the slow variation of ocean conditions (and other processes) which can be predicted months in advance.

"Whilst there is a very strong dependence of tropical weather on processes such as El Nino ,the UK's weather is dominated by the highly variable atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic, making it much harder to what will happen weeks and months ahead."

In the case of last spring, Dr Slingo says the forecast may have been pushed awry by a little-understood climate phenomenon, the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) - a pattern of thunderstorms that starts in the Indian Ocean. The Met Office calls it "one of the great unsolved challenges of tropical meteorology".

The irregular phenomenon is an envelope of thunderstorms starting in the Indian Ocean and moving into the Pacific. The MJO concentrates tropical rainfall within the envelope, with blue skies around it.

Nick Klingaman from Reading University says that, as it moves east, the MJO influences monsoon rainfall in Australia, India, Southeast Asia, South America and Africa.

These "bursts" and "breaks" in the monsoon cause floods and droughts that impact agriculture, river systems and infrastructure. The "long arm of the MJO" even extends into the middle latitudes.

"The thunderstorm activity generates waves in the atmosphere that move toward the poles," he told me. "The position of the MJO today has been shown to influence the position of the Pacific and Atlantic jet streams 10-15 days later."

He says the MJO can be an important predictor of the state of the North Atlantic Oscillation - which controls much of our weather in the UK - about 2-4 weeks in advance.

And that's how a thunderstorm off the coast of India might trigger a pattern of events which led to the weather switch last spring.

Some weather models can predict the MJO three weeks ahead, he said, but others struggle to predict it a week ahead.

Forecasts have greater skill when the MJO is already active. Reading University is working with the Met Office on improving MJO forecasting, he said.

A Met Office spokesman said: "The science of long-range forecasting is at the cutting edge of meteorology and the Met Office is leading the way in this research area. We are confident that long-range outlooks will improve progressively.

"Looking at the skill of these outlooks over many individual forecasts clearly shows that they provide useful advice to their specialist users more often than not."

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Young girl found abandoned in pram

29 March 2013 Last updated at 03:51 ET

A young girl, thought to be aged about three, has been found abandoned in a pram in Cumbria.

The child was found at about 11:00 GMT on Thursday after officers were called to a disturbance in Warwick Road in Carlisle, police said.

There was no trace of the girl's parents in the immediate area.

Cumbria Police have asked for anyone with any information about the incident to get in contact with them immediately.

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Hospital stops child heart surgery

29 March 2013 Last updated at 04:30 ET

Children's congenital heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary has been suspended as a review is carried out.

There are concerns about the number of deaths at the hospital, which is at the centre of a long dispute over the future of children's heart services.

The medical director of the NHS, Bruce Keogh, said it was "a highly responsible precautionary step".

But some people have questioned the decision and its timing, 24 hours after a High Court ruling kept surgery there.

Leeds General Infirmary had been earmarked for closure by the NHS review to concentrate children's heart surgery in fewer bigger centres.

But that decision was quashed by a High Court judge on Wednesday.

Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Pudsey, who has led a cross-party campaign to keep the unit open, said it was a "very odd" decision coming after the jubilation that greeted the court ruling.

"We have always asked them 'is it safe at Leeds?' and the answer always came back 'yes it is'.

"What is the information that says that has changed?"

Continue reading the main story

• Present in about six out of 1,000 babies
• Take form of holes between chambers, blockages in pathways from heart to lungs or body, or abnormal connections between chambers and vessels of heart

He added he had not received one complaint about care.

Children who would have been treated in Leeds will be sent to other hospitals around England.

Affected families are being contacted directly by the trust and the review is expected to take three weeks.

Anne Keatley-Clarke, chief executive of the Children's Heart Federation, an umbrella group for different voluntary organisations, said she had raised concerns about surgery outcomes two years ago, and more recently parents had reported difficulties in getting referrals at Leeds to other heart units.

In a statement on the federation website, she said: "My concern is that it appears that managers and clinicians in Leeds, together with the parent support group, have put their own interests ahead of the well-being of critically ill children and their very vulnerable parents."

Sir Bruce and senior managers from the Care Quality Commission visited the hospital on Thursday to say it must stop all children's heart surgery there immediately.

In a statement, Sir Bruce said: "The trust has taken a highly responsible precautionary step.

"Some questions have been raised by the trust's own mortality data and by other information.

"It is important to understand that while this information raises questions, it does not give us answers."

The chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said outside experts would be drafted in to help review "all aspects" of care.

In a statement, Maggie Boyle apologised to parents and families affected but assured them the trust always put the safety of patients first.

The CQC said it supported the trust's decision and it was in close contact with the trust to ensure effective arrangements were in place to protect the safety and welfare of patients.

Sharon Cheng, from Save Our Surgery - the group which is co-ordinating the fight to keep children's heart surgery in Leeds - said: "We're mystified.

"We don't know of anything that could justify this step."

Previously, an NHS review said surgery should stop at hospitals in Leeds, Leicester and London to focus care at fewer, larger sites, where medical expertise can be concentrated.

More than 600,000 people signed a petition opposing the closure plans. Many people were unhappy that children from Leeds faced journeys of up to 150 miles for care.

The leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Keith Wakefield, said he was "shocked at the timing of today's events".

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Oil firms invest £330m in North Sea

27 March 2013 Last updated at 20:31 ET

A consortium of oil companies is to invest more than $500m (£330m) in an appraisal drilling programme which could lead to further development of a giant North Sea field.

The BP-led consortium said drilling had already started on the first of five wells planned over the next two years at Clair, west of Shetland.

Up to 12 wells could be drilled, depending on initial results.

The news came as the UK government unveiled a new oil and gas strategy.

BP's partners in the appraisal drilling programme are Shell, ConocoPhillips and Chevron.

It is the latest in a series of announcements, aimed at transforming the Atlantic's role as an oil-producing region.

Clair is already known as a "monster" field, holding eight billion barrels of oil.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

This is a major milestone and a further big commitment to the west of Shetland by BP and its co-venturers"

End Quote Trevor Garlick BP

However, it has been technically difficult to bring ashore.

Although the field was discovered more than 35 years ago, production did not start until 2005.

Last year, BP announced a further huge expansion.

The company and its partners hope the appraisal programme will lead to a third phase, taking production well beyond 2050.

New oil would continue to be pumped by pipeline to Shetland.

BP North Sea regional president Trevor Garlick said: "This is a major milestone and a further big commitment to the west of Shetland by BP and its co-venturers.

"If successful, the appraisal programme could pave the way for a third phase of development at Clair - this is now a real possibility."

Analysts believe that Clair - along with other developments in the area - could lead to the Atlantic overtaking the North Sea as the UK's biggest oil-producing region within 20 years.

Meanwhile, the new oil and gas strategy aimed at securing thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of investment is to be unveiled by UK Business Secretary Vince Cable in Aberdeen, which is known as the oil capital of Europe.

He will address business leaders alongside Scottish Secretary Michael Moore and UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey.

The three secretaries of state will describe plans for "tax certainty", supply chain support and skills development.

Skills shortage

The government has also announced a £7m commitment to help establish the Neptune offshore technology centre of excellence in Newcastle.

Mr Cable, who will open a facility at offshore specialists Expro in Aberdeen, said: "I want us to consider what barriers are stopping British companies bidding for and winning work in the North Sea. This is an expanding industry. We can either help create more jobs and opportunities across the UK if we get this right, or see work going overseas if not."

The oil and gas industry employs about 400,000 people and provides nearly half the UK's energy needs, the government said.

The strategy states that government will work with the industry to tackle a looming skills shortage, partly by re-training military leavers to fill some of the 15,000 new jobs expected to be created in the oil and gas sector over the next five years.

It also says that perceptions of the industry are "out-dated and inaccurate", and the government will back a campaign to highlight its significance.

It pledges to encourage more technological advancement through research and development, and also to improve the ability of small and medium-sized businesses to access finance.

Malcolm Webb, chairman of industry body Oil and Gas UK, said: "The strategy fosters strong and meaningful collaboration between the government and industry and will help to focus efforts on addressing particular areas such as skills, technology and exports.

"It will further strengthen the oilfield services sector across the country, boost investor confidence, safeguard jobs and help to maximise recovery of Britain's oil and gas reserves."

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

I welcome their view that there will be a long term future for the oil and gas industry well beyond 2055"

End Quote Fergus Ewing Scottish energy minister

The future of the oil industry is key in the debate about Scottish independence.

The Scottish National Party, which forms the Scottish government, argues that the country can look forward to an oil boom in the early years of independence, assuming a Yes vote in September 2014.

Opponents warn against over-reliance on a volatile resource, prone to fluctuations in revenue.

Commenting on the publication of the strategy, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "I am delighted that the UK government are following the Scottish government's lead in recognising the strength and importance of the oil and gas industry by launching their own oil and gas strategy.

"I am pleased that the UK government highlight the positive future of the industry for years to come, the extent of reserves, and the benefit to the balance of payments, and production taxes.

"I welcome their view that there will be a long term future for the oil and gas industry well beyond 2055."

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IPCC report on Bettison claims due

27 March 2013 Last updated at 22:10 ET

A report into alleged misconduct by former West Yorkshire Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison is due later.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been investigating allegations he gave misleading information after the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy in which 96 football fans died.

At the time, Sir Norman was a chief inspector with South Yorkshire Police.

He resigned from West Yorkshire Police in 2012, saying the inquiry was "a distraction" to the force.

He is also facing a second allegation that he attempted to influence the decision-making process of the West Yorkshire Police Authority in connection with its own inquiries into the matter.

While serving with the South Yorkshire force, Sir Norman was a key figure in compiling its report into how it handled the aftermath of the tragedy.

Although the force's investigation has since been discredited, Sir Norman has always denied being involved in any cover-up.

Last autumn, following his resignation as Chief Constable, the West Yorkshire Police Authority asked the IPCC to investigate whether Sir Norman had tried to interfere with its inquiries into his role at Hillsborough.

When he resigned last October, five months before his scheduled retirement, Sir Norman said he would co-operate fully with the IPCC investigations.

The IPCC said his departure would not prevent Sir Norman from being prosecuted should criminal offences be identified.

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Boris Berezovsky inquest due to open

27 March 2013 Last updated at 22:39 ET

An inquest into the death of exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky is due to open later.

Mr Berezovsky, 67, was found dead on Saturday on a bathroom floor at his home in Ascot, Berkshire.

A post-mortem examination found his death was consistent with hanging, but further tests are being carried out and are likely to take several weeks.

The inquest comes after the family of his second wife paid tribute to him, describing him as "extraordinary".

His daughter Anastasia, 19, said: "My father was not the typical parent, nothing about him was ordinary... he has taught me many things about this world.

"He has taught me to never stop fighting for what one believes in no matter what the costs may be."

Anastasia and her brother Artem are Mr Berezovsky's children with his second wife Galina Besharova.

She added: "There aren't enough words in any language that can somehow express everything that he was and everything he will continue to be. The only word that comes close is extraordinary."

'No struggle'

Mr Berezovsky's body was reportedly found by an employee, who called an ambulance at 15:18 GMT on Saturday. He had not been seen since around 22:30 GMT the previous evening.

Police have said the post-mortem examination found nothing to indicate a violent struggle, but investigations at the property would continue for several days.

They had earlier said there was no evidence so far that a "third party" was involved.

It will be several weeks before the results of further tests, including toxicology and histology examinations, are known.

BBC world affairs correspondent Richard Galpin says some friends of Mr Berezovsky had said he was depressed after the failure of his legal battle in London with fellow Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.

But others have insisted he was not a man who would have taken his own life, our correspondent adds.

Police have said they are speaking to the Russian's close friends and family to build up a picture of his state of mind in the last days of his life.

Assassination attempts

The inquest is expected to be adjourned to allow time for a full investigation before witnesses are called to give evidence and a conclusion is reached.

Mr Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, amassed a fortune in the 1990s following the privatisation of state assets after the collapse of Soviet communism.

He survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.

Mr Berezovsky had been living in the UK since 2000.

He was granted political asylum in 2003 on the grounds that his life would be in danger in Russia.

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Poorest 'face council tax rise'

28 March 2013 Last updated at 02:00 ET

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Elliot Lowe, carer: "We're going to have to start reducing our food bill"

More than two million of the poorest households in England will pay more council tax from next week because of benefit changes coming into force, an anti-poverty think tank has said.

The average increase for a low income family will be nearly £140 a year, said the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Ministers said councils should protect the most vulnerable from the increases.

But the Local Government Association warned of an increase in those unwilling or unable to pay the tax.

The body, which represents councils in England and Wales, said this could have a knock-on effect on funding for local services.

'Strained budgets'

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation's research found that 2.4 million low income families face an average rise in their council tax bills of £138 from 1 April.

It found that abolishing council tax benefit would leave 150,000 families paying on average £300 more a year, while 1.9 million claimants who do not pay anything now will be billed on average £140 per year.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

This tax hike will push people into poverty or cause more hardship for already very poor household"

End Quote Chris Goulden Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Council tax benefit is being replaced by a new system - council tax support - and responsibility for it is being moved from central government to councils.

At the same time, the total spent on the benefit is being cut by 10% - and each council in England has had to decide whether to pass on the reduction to residents.

Most are to increase bills for low income families.

The report, written by the New Policy Institute (NPI) for the foundation, found 232 local authorities had devised schemes that would demand council tax from everyone regardless of income, while 58 will retain current levels of support for families.

Chris Goulden, head of poverty at the foundation, said: "Some of the country's poorest families must find £140 extra from their strained household budgets to pay council tax for the first time.

"Making up the shortfall will be beyond most, with working hours under pressure and benefits falling behind inflation.

"This tax hike will push people into poverty or cause more hardship for already very poor households, taking money from families who had little to start with."

'Unjust and unwise'

Sabrina Bushe, researcher at NPI, said: "From Monday over two million households that were previously deemed too poor to pay council tax will find hefty bills landing on their doormats.

"Hitting only the poorest and most vulnerable, this tax increase - which won't raise much more money than it costs - is both unjust and unwise."

Continue reading the main story

Council tax support changes

• Council tax support (CTS) will replace council tax benefit (CTB) in April
• Councils will decide who qualifies for CTS, rather than the government, as under CTB
• Councils will have 10% less money to fund CTS, changes that will save £500m a year
• Pensioners will be protected and households in Wales and Scotland are unaffected

A spokeswoman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "Council tax benefit spending doubled under Labour and welfare reform is a vital part of help to tackle the deficit that we inherited. The localisation of council tax benefit will give councils stronger incentives to cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people back into work.

"Council schemes should have taken into account the impact on vulnerable people. For people facing genuine hardship, there are free advice services who can offer help and support, and many councils have put in place hardship funds to provide financial assistance to people in difficult circumstances."

The spokeswoman added that the government had taken action to freeze council tax bills for three years.

"As a result council tax has fallen by just under 10% in real-terms, helping hard-working families and pensioners by providing much-needed cost of living assistance," she said.

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Two in hospital after gas explosion

28 March 2013 Last updated at 04:30 ET

Two pensioners have been taken to hospital following a gas explosion at a house in Callander.

Emergency services were called to Murdiston Avenue just before 06:00. The house has been completely demolished.

A 77-year-old man was airlifted to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow while a 74-year-old woman was taken by ambulance to Forth Valley Hospital. Their conditions are not known.

Nine houses in Murdiston Avenue and Aveland Road have been evacuated.

Stirling Council has set up a rest centre in the town.

Chief Inspector Russell Penman, from Central Scotland Police, said: "The house has been totally demolished as a result of the explosion.

"We are treating this as a suspected gas leak and inquiries are at a very early stage to establish the cause."

Scotia Gas Networks are at the scene.

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Snow and ice bring travel disruption

27 March 2013 Last updated at 02:59 ET

Travel has been disrupted as further snow hit many parts of Scotland. Police have warned that many road surfaces remain icy.

In addition to high-level routes, difficult conditions have been reported on parts of the motorway network.

Problem areas included the M9 at Falkirk, the M8 at Livingston and the M8 in Glasgow.

Engineers are continuing to repair pylons and power lines in Kintyre in Argyll and on the Isle of Arran.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said it hoped to restore supplies to have all customers affected by last week's snow storm by Thursday.

More than 1,600 homes have spent a fifth night without electricity.

Two pylons were toppled by sheets of ice and snow on Friday, plunging about 20,000 properties into darkness.

SSE said 925 homes in Kintyre would stay cut-off overnight into Wednesday, and a further 725 properties on the Isle of Arran.

A spokesman added: "Conditions continue to be challenging, but we believe that, providing no further significant damage to the network is found, customers who lost their supply as a result of the recent severe weather event should have electricity restored by the end of Thursday night."

Continue reading the main story

The focus is clearly getting everything back to normal as quickly as possible"

End Quote Nicola Strugeon Deputy First Minister

Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, travelled to Campbeltown, Kintyre, on Tuesday to discuss the emergency response with officials from Argyll and Bute Council and to talk to local people affected by the power outage.

"There's still a lot of people without power and that has to be an absolute priority," she said.

"After every event like this, there's a process of learning lessons, looking back to see how the response has been, seeing what could have been done to prevent the impact being as severe in the future.

"But at the moment the focus is clearly getting everything back to normal as quickly as possible."

Some homes have been connected to temporary generators but Ms Sturgeon said the hope was that by Saturday "everybody will be back onto the grid".

Finance Secretary John Swinney has activated the Bellwin Scheme to allow additional revenue support to local authorities hit by the snow storms.

The scheme helps councils in the wake of large-scale incidents.

All schools in Arran are to remain closed for the rest of the week.

North Ayrshire Council said pupils involved in exams would get support on their return from the Easter break.

Argyll and Bute Council said a few of its schools were closed due to having no electricity.

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Banks to be told to raise capital

27 March 2013 Last updated at 03:57 ET

The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to tell the UK's banks they must raise billions more in capital to absorb potential losses.

The BoE's Financial Policy Committee (FPC), which began work last year, will make the ruling later on Wednesday.

Last November, the BoE suggested up to £60bn of extra cash may be needed.

BBC business editor Robert Peston says in the short term the move will be bad news for investors, including taxpayers who still own big stakes in two banks.

Taxpayers still own more than 80% of Royal Bank of Scotland and almost 40% of Lloyds, more than four years after they were bailed out by the government.

The need to raise more capital may delay plans to sell the stakes back to private investors.

Our correspondent says UK banks have been taking steps to strengthen themselves since the financial crisis began, but they still do not have enough capital.

He says the view of the BoE is that the banks will not provide the credit needed for economic recovery unless and until they raise additional capital.

The BoE's announcement is due at 0930 GMT.

Regulation overhaul

In its Financial Stability Report released in November last year, the BoE said banks may need to raise as much as £60bn to cover potential costs relating to hidden losses, regulatory demands and potential fines for mis-selling.

Continue reading the main story

Cyprus is a reminder that the notion of the banks having to absorb big additional losses before too long is not a purely academic one"

End Quote

The FPC, which formally gained powers in December, is expected to say how much must be collectively raised by the banks, but will not say how much specific banks need to raise.

The Bank of England's FPC has overall responsibility for financial regulation in the UK and is part of a new order of regulation designed to keep the banks under closer scrutiny.

It will oversee two new financial watchdogs: the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which will take over responsibility for supervising the safety and soundness of individual financial firms, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which will be tasked with protecting consumers and making sure that workers in the financial services sector comply with rules.

The new watchdogs will replace the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which is set to close next week.

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David Miliband confirms departure

27 March 2013 Last updated at 04:10 ET

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Newsnight's Allegra Stratton looks back at David Miliband's political career.

David Miliband has confirmed he is to leave Parliament to move to New York to work for a charity.

"After a great deal of thought I've decided to accept the position of President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC)," he said.

Mr Miliband, 47, a former foreign secretary, was beaten to the Labour leadership in 2010 by his brother Ed.

In a statement, he added that it was "very difficult" for him to leave Parliament and politics.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

So does David Miliband's departure strengthen or weaken his brother ?

His friends insist his departure deprives Labour of a figure who would have brought experience and authority to Labour's front bench.

It's argued he would have enabled Labour to better reach out beyond its core vote and to attract those elusive southern voters.

He may also have helped re-fashion Labour's stance on the economy and so regained the party more credibility on the economy.

And yet there were also clear dangers.

A return to the shadow cabinet could have just prompted endless sibling psychodrama stories.

The Labour leader's supporters could reasonably argue their man isn't doing so bad without the help of his brother.

And while in the Westminster village the pros and cons of the most senior remaining Blairite's departure will be much mulled over, outside, life goes on.

After serving as an MP for 12 years, he said: "I now have to make a choice about how to give full vent to my ideas and ideals."

The announcement seemingly brings to an end the rumours that he was set for a return to the opposition front bench, which he left when his younger brother Ed pipped him to the Labour leadership in 2010.

His decision will spark a by-election in South Shields, where he has been MP since 2001, although the timing of any vote is not yet known.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said his close friends and political allies had not been consulted, merely told, as he "must have known they would try to dissuade him".

He said David Miliband "has clearly concluded he does not want to return to the fray, he doesn't want to serve under his brother in opposition or in government which is a serious blow to his brother, and disappointment to members of the party".

Kevin Maguire, associate editor of the Daily Mirror, which first broke the news, said Mr Miliband had been agonising for months over the decision, which he told his brother about "weeks ago".

"He knew he had to decide before the next election whether he was going to play a full role in the Labour Party, going to the front bench or whether he was going to leave, and it was a very difficult position for him," he said.

American violinist

Mr Maguire said it appeared he had acted "out of a touch of love" for his brother.

"I think there is no way back for him now, he knows that," he added.

But David Miliband's former cabinet colleagues, Lord Mandelson and Jack Straw, said they did not think it was the end of his political career.

Continue reading the main story

David Miliband

• Studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University
• From 1994 to 1997 was head of policy for Tony Blair, and from 1997 to 2001 was head of his policy unit in Downing Street
• In June 2002 was appointed Schools Minister
• Various ministerial appointments followed, and in June 2007 became foreign secretary
• Married to Louise, a violinist, they have two sons - Isaac and Jacob

"I think he has a future in politics... I think I know a little bit about comebacks in politics and, to coin a phrase, if I can come back [then] David Miliband can come back - and I think he will," said Lord Mandelson.

Mr Straw said he would be "welcomed back into the Labour movement".

As well as tributes from Labour colleagues, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps added: "He has contributed a great deal to British politics and we wish him well."

David Miliband quit the shadow cabinet after losing the close vote for the party leadership, in which he was clear favourite and lost out because Ed secured trade union votes.

He has remained on the backbenches but fuelled talk of a front-line comeback earlier this year with a vocal Commons attack on the government's benefit changes.

The MP, who is vice-chairman and non-executive director of Sunderland Football Club, is married to American violinist Louise Shackelton and the couple have two children.

He secured a majority of 11,109 in the South Shields constituency at the 2010 general election, winning 52% of the vote.

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Abu Qatada deportation decision due

27 March 2013 Last updated at 04:17 ET

Home Secretary Theresa May is due to learn whether she has won an appeal to overturn a decision to allow radical cleric Abu Qatada to stay in the UK.

Mrs May took the case to the Court of Appeal after judges ruled last November Abu Qatada could not be deported to Jordan for a retrial over alleged involvement in terrorism plots.

Her lawyers argued they took the wrong approach in reaching the decision.

His re-arrest this month followed an alleged breach of bail conditions.

Judges at an urgent Special Immigration Appeals Commission on 9 March ruled he must return to Belmarsh prison.

The Metropolitan Police said his re-arrest was linked to an investigation into extremist internet material.

'Real risk'

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) ruled in November there was a "real risk" evidence gained by torture could be used against Abu Qatada at a retrial in Jordan, meaning that he would not get a fair hearing.

In April 1999, he was convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment, and it is on these charges that he faces a retrial.

At a Court of Appeal hearing earlier this month, lawyers for the UK government argued a block on his deportation should be lifted, saying a "fair" trial in Jordan was possible.

James Eadie QC, appearing for Mrs May, said Siac had taken an "erroneous" view of the situation in Jordan and the legal tests that had to be applied when it came to assessing the conditions Abu Qatada could face there.

He said Jordanian law bans the use of torture and reliance on statements extracted under duress.

Jordanians will do everything in their power to make sure Abu Qatada receives a trial that was "fair and seen to be so", he added.

But lawyers for Abu Qatada told the court that the UK should not send someone back to a country with a "dubious human rights record".

Edward Fitzgerald QC, appearing for the cleric, argued the Siac ruling was right and there was "concrete and compelling evidence" that his co-defendants were tortured into providing evidence.

He said government lawyers had "identified no error of law" and were "quarrelling with findings of fact".

Restart deportation

If Mrs May wins the appeal, it would allow her to restart the deportation. But it is highly likely there will be more appeals to the Supreme Court or the European Court of Human Rights.

Abu Qatada was first arrested in October 2002 in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security prison. He was re-arrested and released on bail number of times over the years that followed.

In November 2012, he was released on bail from prison in when the courts blocked the home secretary's latest attempt to deport him to Jordan.

He was subject to strict bail conditions, including only being allowed out of his house between 08:00 and 16:00, having to wear an electronic tag, and being restricted in who he meets. He is also banned from using mobile phones and computers.

Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls, sitting with Lord Justice Richards and Lord Justice Elias at the Court of Appeal in London, are due to announce their decision on whether Abu Qatada can remain in the UK on Wednesday morning.

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Energy policies 'reduce bill rises'

27 March 2013 Last updated at 04:22 ET

Energy policies will cushion consumers from price rises, but only after contributing to a rise in average household bills, a report has said.

By 2020, bills will be 11% - or £166 - lower than they would otherwise have been, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change's report.

It looked at policies such as a drive to boost home insulation and promote energy efficient boiler installation.

Labour accused the government of masking the effect of its policies.

Downward trend

Savings generated from policies on energy efficiency and climate change are already having an impact and will increase over the next decade, the report said.

Household dual fuel bills are estimated to be on average 5% - or £64 - lower now than they would be without these policies, it said.

Nearly half of the average household dual fuel energy bill, or about 47%, is made up of fossil fuel prices, or £598, with the second largest cost attributed to network costs or transport and distribution of energy, at 20%, or £257.

Government policies on energy and climate change account for 9%, or £112 of this bill - with £30 of this spent on renewable energy policies, including £9 on on-shore and £9 on off-shore wind.

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We are doing all we can to offset these global energy price rises"

End Quote Ed Davey Energy and Climate Change Secretary

More than half of the energy and climate change policy costs in household bills are spent on measures to target the fuel poor and energy efficiency.

The report showed that 85% of the rise in household bills between 2010 and 2012 was from wholesale energy costs and network costs and 15% as a result of government policies.

Household energy consumption has been on a downward trend since 2005, partly as a result of energy efficiency measures already in place, according to the report.

By 2020 around 12 million boilers will have been replaced with more energy efficient models, it said.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: "Global gas price hikes are squeezing households. They are beyond any government's control and, by all serious predictions, are likely to continue rising.

"We are doing all we can to offset these global energy price rises, and while we have more to do, this new study shows our policies are putting a cushion between global prices and the bills we all pay."

Caroline Flint, shadow energy and climate change secretary, said: "The government's underhand attempt to mask the real impact of its policies on families' energy bills is shameful... Instead of cooking the books to trick people into thinking their energy bills will be lower, ministers should get behind Labour's plans to overhaul the energy market and deliver fair prices for the public."

'Less positive'

The report also found that businesses that are medium-sized users of energy currently face energy costs that are on average 21% higher as a result of energy and climate change policies, with this figure rising to 22% by 2020.

Large energy-intensive users currently face energy costs that are on average between one and 14% higher as a result of policies, with this rising to between six and 36% by 2020.

The estimates did not include measures the government was currently considering to reduce the impact of low carbon policies on the costs of electricity for energy intensive industries, including a £250m package of compensation for industry to 2014/2015.

Mr Davey said: "The picture for business is less positive, which is why our new proposals to exempt and compensate the most energy intensive industries from certain policy impacts is crucial. Nothing would be gained from forcing industry, jobs and emissions abroad."

Steve Radley, policy director at EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, said: "Measures to shield the most energy-intensive industries from a portion of the costs will make a difference but, unless we get a grip on spiralling policy costs, steeply rising electricity prices for the rest of the sector risk making the UK an increasingly unattractive location for industrial investment and undermining efforts to rebalance the economy.

"The first step is scrapping costly policies with questionable environmental impact, such as the carbon price floor and the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, as soon as public finances allow."

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Boris Berezovsky 'died by hanging'

25 March 2013 Last updated at 19:18 ET

A post-mortem examination has found Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky's death was "consistent with hanging", police have said.

Mr Berezovsky, 67, was found dead by an employee on Saturday on a bathroom floor at his home in Berkshire.

The examination found nothing to indicate a violent struggle. More tests are to be carried out on the body.

Thames Valley Police said investigations at the property would continue for several days.

They had earlier said there was no evidence so far that a "third party" was involved.

Mr Berezovsky's body was removed from the property in Mill Lane, Ascot overnight on Sunday.

The results of further tests, including toxicology and histology examinations, were likely to take several weeks, police said.

Crime officers have been carrying out forensic examinations at the property and "these are expected to last several days".

"A cordon will remain in place until this work has been completed, to protect the scene," Det Ch Insp Kevin Brown said on Sunday afternoon.

"While this important investigative work continues, we are unable to comment on any items found within the property."

Mr Berezovsky's body was reportedly found by an employee, who called an ambulance at 15:18 GMT on Saturday.

He had not been seen since around 22:30 GMT the previous evening.

Diminished wealth

Mr Berezovsky emigrated to the UK in 2000.

He amassed a fortune in the 1990s following the privatisation of state assets after the collapse of Soviet communism.

He survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.

In 2003 he was granted political asylum in Britain on the grounds that his life would be in danger in Russia.

He was married twice and had six children - two with each of his wives and two with a long-term partner.

The tycoon's wealth is thought to have considerably diminished in recent years, leaving him struggling to pay debts in the wake of costly court cases.

In 2011, Mr Berezovsky reportedly lost more than £100m in a divorce settlement. And, last year, he lost a £3bn ($4.7bn) damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.

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Nurses to first train in basic care

25 March 2013 Last updated at 21:23 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Nurses will have to spend time as healthcare assistants as part of a measures to be unveiled by ministers in response to the Stafford hospital inquiry.

More compassionate care is needed in the NHS, ministers will concede.

It comes after the inquiry criticised the system for putting corporate interest ahead of patients.

Hundreds of people died needlessly because of neglect and abuse from 2005 to 2008.

Statistics at the time showed there were between 400 and 1,200 more deaths than would be expected.

The inquiry said failings from the top to the bottom of the NHS meant the public had been "betrayed".

In total the report made 290 recommendations for reforming the system.

Ministers are not expected to respond individually to each one.

Instead, they will spell out a series of steps they are taking to answer the main themes that arose from the inquiry.

Among these will be details about how compassion on the front line could be improved.

'Hands-on'

Ministers believe placing student nurses on wards as healthcare assistants for up to a year will help them develop the caring skills required, before going on to do a degree.

It is unclear whether this time would count towards their degree however as nurse students currently have to spend half of their three years in training working on the front-line.

New minimum training standards and a code of conduct for healthcare assistants is also likely to be unveiled, although this looks like it will fall short of the registration scheme recommended by the public inquiry.

Speaking ahead of his announcement to Parliament, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said encouraging compassionate care needed to be more of a priority.

"Front-line, hands-on caring experience and values need to be equal with academic training," he said.

Continue reading the main story

This culture of cover up and denial is a cancer eating away at the NHS"

End Quote Peter Walsh Action Against Medical Accidents

"These measures are about recruiting all staff with the right values and giving them the training they need to do their job properly, so that patients are treated with compassion."

But Peter Walsh, of Action against Medical Accidents, said introducing a legal duty of candour, which was also demanded by the public inquiry, had the potential to have the biggest impact.

Such a duty would require the NHS to be honest when it makes a mistake.

Mr Walsh said: "For over 60 years the NHS has done no more than pay lip service to the fundamental principle that patients and their families should be told the truth when there has been an error which causes harm.

"Whilst frowning upon cover-ups, the system has effectively tolerated them.

"This culture of cover-up and denial is a cancer eating away at the NHS.

"The legally enforceable duty of candour will help change that culture and represents the biggest advance in patient safety and patients rights in the history of the NHS."

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Work to reconnect homes continues

26 March 2013 Last updated at 02:51 ET

Thousands of people have spent a fourth night without power as engineers work "flat out" to restore supplies cut as a result of Friday's storm.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said 3,300 customers in Kintyre, Argyll, and on the Isle of Arran remained cut off overnight.

Supplies were cut after two pylons toppled under sheets of ice and snow.

All homes in Dumfries and Galloway affected by the severe weather were reconnected on Monday evening.

SSE said the damage to the electricity network infrastructure in Kintyre had been "among the worst seen for 30 years".

The power company said it had never experienced two pylons collapsing at one time. The last time a storm brought down one of its pylons was in 1987.

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A spokeswoman added: "Transmission overhead lines staff have started working to make towers safe and carry out temporary repairs after finally gaining access to the location."

All schools in Arran will remain closed for the rest of the week. North Ayrshire Council said pupils involved in exams would get support on their return from the Easter break.

Dumfries and Galloway Council said all of its schools are now open while Argyll and Bute Council have said a few of its schools were unlikely to open due to having no electricity.

Snow and gales blasted the west coast on Friday, plunging about 20,000 properties into darkness.

Arran suffered a complete blackout and mainland areas in Kintyre and Dumfries and Galloway were also badly affected.

On Monday evening ScottishPower said that all homes in Dumfries and Galloway had now been reconnected to a main line electricity supply.

It said 300 engineers had been on the ground in Wigtownshire and Barrhill working to restore supplies.

SSE has drafted in more 400 engineering staff to Kintyre and Arran and has six helicopters operating in the area.

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) has organised eight mobile hot food outlets in Argyll and Arran, while 18 large generators and 50 smaller sets have been installed in the areas.

Speaking after a visit to Arran on Monday, Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown said emergency engineers and road clearing crews had been working "flat out" to help individuals and communities.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to visit the Kintyre Peninsula later.

The Met Office issued a fresh yellow warning covering eastern Scotland, northeast England and eastern parts of Northern Ireland.

Forecasters said snow showers and icy patches would continue to make driving hazardous on Monday night, especially over high ground.

The strong wind will be an added problem as it continues to blow the lying snow.

The warning is valid from 20:00 on Monday until 09:00 on Tuesday.

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