High Streets need 'radical action'

28 November 2013 Last updated at 19:22 ET By Emma Simpson Business correspondent, BBC News

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Alternative use must be made of empty commercial properties

Rejuvenating town centres requires radical action on a scale not seen since the building programmes of post-war Britain, according to a new report.

The Distressed Town Centre Property Taskforce says structural changes needed in retail are so fundamental, many towns and cities need reshaping.

The taskforce was set up following Mary Portas's review of the High Street.

One key recommendation is for the government to designate town and city centres as key national infrastructure.

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"Start Quote

There's still a need for vibrant retail, just less of it"

End Quote Mark Williams Taskforce chairman

In its scale and range, it is an unprecedented group. For the past 13 months, senior retailers, property investors, landlords and bankers have been investigating the impact of the changes that have affected retail and property in England's towns and city centres.

In other words, the folk who own and finance so much of our town centres have come up with their own solutions on what to do.

Too many shops?

One of the main recommendations is that the government should designate town and city centres as key national infrastructure in order to open up new funding opportunities.

The retail landscape has changed completely in the last five years, thanks to the recession and the shift to online shopping.

It has left most towns with too many shops.

The report found that in the past four decades, retail floor space in England increased by around 43 million square metres.

That is the equivalent of building nearly 300 Bluewater Shopping centres across England, or seven of the new Westfield centres near the London Olympic site every year since the early 1970s.

The chairman of the taskforce, Mark Williams, said: "There's still a need for vibrant retail, just less of it."

Mr Williams, who is also a partner at the retail property firm, Hark Group, added: "Over the past 12 months, it has become increasingly clear that waiting for so called 'normal' economic growth to return is unviable: Many more town centres will have embarked on a course of terminal decline."

Scourge

Solutions, he says, will vary from place to place but for the overwhelming majority, a smaller retail core is necessary and alternative uses like housing and leisure need to be found.

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Taskforce chair Mark Williams: "People do not shop in the same way"

But for local authorities, it hasn't been easy tackling the surplus of space and with it the scourge of empty properties.

There are often a myriad of different landlords and competing interests to deal with, as well as getting funding.

Friday's report spells out the problems along with recommendations for change.

They include:

• Government should designate town and city centres as infrastructure in order to open significant funding opportunities currently not accessible. A High Street Infrastructure platform should be set up to help to deliver this idea
• Bold and strategic land assembly is required. Government should pilot a joint venture vehicle and an associated High Street property fund to pool land assets and address fragmented ownership
• Make it easier for councils to use compulsory purchase powers in order to bring about the scale required for major urban regeneration
• Local authorities should take more risk in investing capital reserves now, which can be replenished as the economy recovers
• Significantly greater flexibility in the planning system is needed to enable quick and easy change of use from redundant retail premises to more economically productive uses

Edward Cooke, the director of policy for the British Council of Shopping Centres, said: "All stakeholders have a role to play: Individuals, local councils, local and national businesses and central government.

"We believe these recommendations will deliver the direction and the funding necessary to make this happen."

Demolish

The question is, who will be paying for all this potential change?

The group says it is not asking the taxpayer to foot the entire bill. Often the problem is down to a gap in funding, which, if plugged, would make a development viable.

The Taskforce believes post-financial crisis, the traditional funding models for town centre redevelopment are no longer fit for purpose.

New ways of funding have to be found and that key bodies in the retail and property sectors are keen to play their part.

The message from the retail property industry to the government is clear: they are prepared to demolish land and write off distressed buildings to regenerate town centres, if the public sector and government can make it easier rebuild.

Mr Williams said: "There is a huge amount of private sector funds available to regenerate town centres. But it requires scale and planning. What it's not there is for piecemeal change, an ad hoc approach to fix the odd shop.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

All stakeholders have a role to play: Individuals, local councils, local and national businesses and central government"

End Quote Edward Cooke British Council of Shopping Centres

"So we're looking about scale and critical mass. And in that sense the private sector will respond to local authorities and government initiatives."

Bedfellows

The Taskforce says it is up to individual communities and local authorities to decide what is right for their area. But "future proofing" towns will require strong local leadership.

The big commercial stakeholders in our towns and cities are not often comfortable bedfellows, but they have all signed up to this report.

"What is extremely pleasing is that a wide coalition of influential stakeholders has united behind agreed parking issues and develop local plans and good local vision," said Tom Ironside, British Retail Consortium Director of Business and Regulation.

The government, which encouraged the Taskforce to be set up, is now digesting the findings.

The Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis, said: "It's a really interesting report with some really interesting things here which we need to look at. We are doing an awful lot for the High Street, we're empowering local communities to shape their town centres for what's right for their communities in the future."

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Government wants energy prices held

28 November 2013 Last updated at 20:22 ET By John Moylan Industry correspondent, BBC News

The government is asking the big six energy firms to hold prices until the middle of 2015, barring any major increase in wholesale fuel costs.

Industry sources have told the BBC the government wants to avoid another round of price rises that could be blamed on government green levies.

The government wants the commitment as part of a wider deal with firms that could cut annual bills by around £50.

Labour has promised to freeze energy prices for 20 months if it is elected.

The government has described that as a "con", saying that governments in general cannot control the international price of fuel.

But this move, if agreed, could keep tariffs on hold for at least 18 months, assuming there was no major rise in wholesale prices.

That could ensure there was no increase in energy bills ahead of the next election.

Labour's shadow energy secretary, Caroline Flint, said: "The truth is that only by legislating for a freeze can we guarantee that it will happen.

"David Cameron won't do that because he's not prepared to stand up to the big energy companies."

Continue reading the main story

This is deferring costs, not getting rid of them"

End Quote Industry source

'Deferring costs'

A senior figure at one of the big six suppliers, who did not want to be named, has told the BBC that he wanted to make the commitment.

"We want to make it happen, but we need predictability on costs," he said.

He said the key was to change the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which requires the firms to deliver energy efficiency measures to homes.

"If they can resolve the issues around ECO, that takes the gun away from our head," he added.

But another industry source warned that making such a commitment would be impossible: "We can't make that commitment while our costs are still increasing."

He cited several factors linked to government policy, including the Carbon Price Floor and the Renewables Obligation, which he said would drive costs higher in the years ahead.

The government is seeking to spread the cost of the ECO scheme from the current 27 months to four years.

The source said: "This is deferring costs, not getting rid of them."

"The bus has already left the station," he added.

The government is also looking at the cost of transmitting energy to our homes. This makes up 23% of an annual dual fuel bill.

According to the industry regulator Ofgem, electricity distribution costs will add £15 to an average bill over the next year, but flatten out thereafter.

Industry sources say the government wants that cost spread over a longer period.

Such a move could potentially knock £5 annually off bills.

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Parents 'to share childcare leave'

28 November 2013 Last updated at 21:04 ET

The government has committed to introducing a year of shared leave for new parents by April 2015.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the rights would allow men to become more hands-on fathers and stop women feeling they have to choose between a career or a baby.

There should not be a "one-size-fits-all" approach, he added.

But the Institute of Directors described the new rights as a "nightmare" for employers.

Under the changes, the existing 52 weeks of maternity leave, other than the first fortnight for a new mother's recovery, will be shared between the parents.

But, in an effort to allay fears of the impact on smaller firms, bosses will have to agree any proposed pattern of time off and will retain the right to insist it be confined to a continuous block, with no more than two subsequent changes.

'Under pressure'

Anyone taking total leave of six months or less over the period will be legally entitled to return to the same job.

Mr Clegg said: "Women deserve the right to pursue their goals and not feel they have to choose between having a successful career or having a baby.

"They should be supported by their employers, rather than being made to feel less employable or under pressure to take unchallenging jobs.

"It is already illegal to sack a woman because she is pregnant, or on maternity leave, but we want to go further than that. We want to create a fairer society that gives parents the flexibility to choose how they share care for their child in the first year after birth.

"We need to challenge the old-fashioned assumption that women will always be the parent that stays at home, many fathers want that option too."

Mr Clegg added: "There shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach; that's not how families are set up. Many businesses already recognise how productive and motivated employees are when they're given the opportunity to work flexibly, helping them retain talent and boost their competitive edge.

"This is good for families, good for business and good for our economy."

But the Institute of Directors said the plan was a "nightmare" that would "heap yet more burdens on struggling employers."

Deputy director of policy Alexander Ehmann said: "The proposed system is considerably more complex and unwieldy than the current laws and employers will - once again - have to absorb the cost of adapting and implementing this new system.

For Labour, shadow minister for women and equalities Gloria De Piero said: "Nick Clegg claims to be on parents' side but he and David Cameron have done nothing to support families in the last three years."

She added: "This reheated announcement contains nothing new for families suffering from this government's cost-of-living crisis."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "Shared parental leave is a welcome new step that should encourage more fathers to get involved in childcare from the very beginning.

"But unless it is backed up with better pay, many couples simply won't be able to afford to take it."

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'Strong' rise in UK house prices

29 November 2013 Last updated at 02:06 ET

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How prices have risen over the decades on one housing estate

Prices of houses and flats have picked up strongly, according to figures from the UK's second largest mortgage lender.

The Nationwide building society said house prices are now rising at 6.5% a year, up from 5.8% a month ago.

It said the average price of a house or flat in the UK is £174,566, the highest since April 2008.

However, other measures suggest house price inflation is lower than the Nationwide figure.

The Nationwide made it clear that prices are still below the peak of the market, seen six years ago.

"Prices are still around 6% below the all-time high recorded in late 2007," said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist.

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He said the improvement was the result of the better outlook in the jobs market, and "a brighter economic outlook, which has helped to bolster sentiment".

On a monthly basis, prices increased by 0.6%, slightly slower than in October, when prices rose by 1% in one month alone.

Mortgage costs

Other recent housing market surveys have recorded growth rates around half that of the Nationwide.

The Land Registry said this week that prices in England and Wales were rising by 3.4% year on year. Land Registry figures are based on actual sales, instead of mortgage approvals, which are used by Nationwide.

However, the Land Registry estimates include a significant time lag.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its latest estimate for house price inflation was 3.8%.

Some economists believe the Bank of England's decision to stop Funding for Lending (FLS) for household mortgages could now put a brake on the housing market.

From January, FLS will only be used for business lending.

Under FLS, banks and building societies have been able to borrow money cheaply, if they lend it out to individuals and businesses.

One of the reasons given for its withdrawal from individuals was that the supply of mortgages had improved and FLS help was no longer needed.

But if the decision to restrict FLS does put upward pressure on mortgage rates in the new year, that, in turn, could slow house price inflation.

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Press misleading says ex-Sun editor

28 November 2013 Last updated at 20:40 ET

The press is misleading the public and engaging in hysteria over press regulation plans, according to a former editor of the Sun.

In a speech later, David Yelland is expected to accuse newspapers of censoring debate on the Leveson Report and its proposals for new press rules.

He will warn the public could end up with less protection than before.

A year on from the Leveson Report, he will say editors must show humility and acknowledge how much power they have.

Mr Yelland, who edited the Sun from 1998 until the end of 2002, will give the Leveson Anniversary Lecture at the Free World Centre in London.

'Absolutely nowhere'

During the speech he is expected to say the British press needs "truth and reconciliation" to rebuild its reputation.

Continue reading the main story

David Sillito Arts Correspondent

---

Until now, the newspapers have spoken almost with one voice denouncing what they say is "state regulation", a threat to the "free press".

Now we have a former editor of the Sun saying this is "simply not true".

David Yelland may never have fitted the caricature of the typical tabloid editor, but he did run the Sun at a time when it had 10 million readers.

What he wants to do is reframe a debate which has until now been portrayed as a tussle between the papers and aggrieved politicians and celebrities.

The central issue, he says, is that journalists and their industry have become "hated" by the public.

Self-regulation that the public trusts, he says, is vital for the health of the industry.

The language he uses, accusing the papers of bullying, censoring debate and failing the British people, may just reinvigorate a flagging debate.

He will say the Leveson Report has been misrepresented in parts of the press and will argue that its recommendations "make sense".

He will say editors need to show humility for the good of the journalists they lead, and will criticise those who shout and bully and pretend they are always right.

And he will call on editors and proprietors to acknowledge how much power they wield in British public life.

Mr Yelland will say the industry finds itself "absolutely nowhere" a year on from Leveson.

He will say it would be "both unjust and deeply depressing" if the public has less protection in another year's time that they did before the inquiry, which was prompted by revelations of phone hacking by journalists.

We should not be in a position, he will say, where the next Christopher Jefferies is "not able to challenge the newspapers that falsely accused him of murder".

Mr Jeffries, a retired school teacher, won damages from eight newspapers who had linked him with the murder of Joanna Yates in Bristol in December 2010.

'Unacceptable interference'

In his November 2012 report, Lord Leveson suggested continued self-regulation by the newspaper industry, but said a new standards body was needed and should be backed by legislation.

In a move not suggested by the report, politicians from the three main Westminster parties agreed on a royal charter to create a new watchdog with the power to impose fines and demand upfront apologies from UK publishers.

The newspapers said some of the recommendations were unworkable and gave politicians an "unacceptable degree of interference".

In his speech, Mr Yelland will support the royal charter and say a rival plan submitted by the press would not have delivered what Lord Leveson called for.

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Ministers mull energy bill cut plan

28 November 2013 Last updated at 00:12 ET By James Landale Deputy political editor

Ministers have begun to look at ways of reducing energy bills in the wake of Labour's promise to freeze prices.

Sources say the aim is to achieve an overall annual saving of about £50 from the average energy bill.

David Cameron says he wants to roll back the green and social levies that have added to the cost.

But the largest levy, a scheme giving free insulation to low-income homes, will be saved despite reports the prime minister wanted to get rid of it.

The Tories and Lib Dems have yet to agree all the details but expect to have a deal before the chancellor's autumn financial statement next week.

Ministers want to implement the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) scheme that gives free home insulation to low income households more slowly, over four years instead of two. This would cut the annual cost by half.

They plan to fund another levy, the warm homes discount, out of tax rather than customers' energy bills.

Regulations could also be changed so the the cost of transmitting energy, which makes up about 20% of an average bill, could be cut.

Sources say they hope a reduction in bills will show that the government has made a substantial cut to the element of energy bills over which they have some control.

Officials say this figure is not designed to match Labour's planned saving from its pledge to freeze energy prices for 20 months if it is elected in 2015, which is about £72 per year.

They say they will not make the comparison because they do not accept that Labour's price freeze would save this amount of money.

Sources also expect the big energy firms to say how much they will be cutting their bills on the same day that the government announces the changes.

The average price of gas and electricity paid by UK households has risen by about 18% and 9% in real terms since 2010 and by about 41% and 20% in real terms since 2007. A series of recent energy price hikes by the major suppliers has continued to put the issue at the centre of political debate.

'Defensive measure'

The Conservatives and the Lib Dems have been keen to avoid their discussions becoming a big coalition row.

Both sides describe the plans as a "defensive measure" designed to take the heat out of the cost of living debate.

One Conservative source said: "Nick Clegg realises that he doesn't want the Lib Dems to be the party on the side of high bills."

But there are some outstanding areas of disagreement.

The Lib Dems are pushing to ensure that there is no watering down of the government's carbon targets and are pushing for some kind of compensation for slowing down ECO.

One area being looked at is whether new incentives could be offered to encourage people to take up the Green Deal scheme, under which the government lends householders money to pay for energy saving improvements.

The householder pays the money back over many years through their energy bill during which, in theory, the consequent lower energy costs help offset the loan.

On Wednesday, the Climate Change Minister Greg Barker told BBC Newsnight he wanted to "marry up" ECO and the Green Deal which has thus far had a very poor take up.

State aid?

The ECO scheme began this year and obliges energy firms to pay for low income households to make their homes more energy efficient. The cost of this is transferred directly to everyone's energy bills.

ECO is a two year project that will expire in March 2015. But under the government plans, it would be extended until 2017. This would halve the amount that energy firms have to spend each year and that saving would then be passed on to consumers.

Further savings are expected to come by reducing the cost of ECO, which vary wildly from company to company.

The Department of Energy estimates it adds an average £47 a year to the average household bill. The government is expected to act to bear down on the costs of the scheme so that the cheaper forms of insulation are used - such as lagging - rather than more expensive forms of solid wall insulation.

The warm homes discount helps people in the most vulnerable, low income households by taking £135 off their annual energy bills. The costs are borne by the energy firms who pass them onto their customers.

The energy department estimates that the warm homes discount adds £11 a year to the average fuel bill and the government is planning to transfer the cost of this away from bills to general taxation.

There are questions about whether this would amount to a state aid to energy firms - something that is banned under EU law - and about how the government would choose to distribute the money.

But sources say that transferring the warm homes discount to taxation is far easier than doing the same with ECO.

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Arrests over football 'match-fixing'

28 November 2013 Last updated at 01:42 ET

Six men have been arrested by officers from the National Crime Agency investigating alleged match-fixing in English football.

At least three footballers are reported to be among those held across the country, but the BBC understands that none is linked to professional clubs.

The NCA said the focus of the operation was a suspected international illegal betting syndicate.

It is thought the suspects are being held by police in the Midlands.

The NCA was launched this year to fight organised and serious crime.

It said it was working closely with the Gambling Commission and the Football Association.

A spokesman said: "This is an active investigation and we are unable to provide further detail at this time."

Newspaper probe

The FA said it has been made aware of the arrests.

In a statement, it said: "We have worked closely with the authorities in relation to these allegations. The FA will make no further comment at this time due to ongoing investigations."

"The Gambling Commission said it had provided advice, intelligence and expertise in supporting the investigation and continues to liaise with the NCA and FA."

Continue reading the main story

The integrity of our matches and our competitions is the bedrock of the domestic game"

End Quote Shaun Harvey Football League chief executive

The Crown Prosecution Service said it had liaised with the NCA during its investigation.

The arrests come after an undercover investigation by the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

It carries claims that a betting syndicate fixer from Singapore discussed the possibility of influencing the scores and outcomes of lower-league English games for £50,000 at a meeting in Manchester.

According to the paper, he claimed potential gamblers would make hundreds of thousands of pounds by using the inside information through bets placed on Asian-based websites.

The fixer reportedly offered to target two football matches, saying he would tell players how many goals he needed to be scored.

He can be heard in a video claiming that he would pay a player £5,000 to take a yellow card at the start of a match as a signal that the result was likely to be fixed.

The Football League said it had not been contacted by police about the investigation.

Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "The threat of corruption is something that the Football League and the other football authorities treat with the utmost seriousness.

"The integrity of our matches and our competitions is the bedrock of the domestic game."

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Anti-social law 'free speech threat'

27 November 2013 Last updated at 22:10 ET

Carol singers and charity collectors could find themselves before courts under a planned law aimed at cracking down on nuisance behaviour, a new cross-party campaign group has warned.

Injunctions to prevent nuisance and annoyance are to replace anti-social behaviour orders in England and Wales.

Ministers say Ipnas will be easier to obtain and enforce than Asbos.

The Reform Clause 1 group say the bill is too sweeping and will have a "chilling effect on free speech".

Peers are currently debating the proposals and the campaign hopes to persuade politicians that the reform - contained within Clause 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill - should be rewritten.

Former shadow home secretary David Davis, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald, are among those opposed to the legislation.

They say it is so badly drafted that almost any action could be construed as causing a nuisance.

The campaign also has the support of a number of groups including Big Brother Watch, the Christian Institute and the National Secular Society.

'Massive power'

Continue reading the main story

There is a danger that this legislation could be abused to target legitimate freedom of expression that some people might find annoying"

End Quote Peter Tatchell

Keith Porteous Wood from the National Secular Society said: "This draconian legislation could be applied to ordinary people from football fans to political campaigner."

He said the government had made "vague promises" that Ipnas will never be used in an inappropriate fashion but this was "simply not good enough".

He added that parliament's Home Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights had called for greater clarification in the legislation.

Reform Clause 1 campaign director Simon Calvert said protesters, street pastors and people expressing strong opinions in public could also be affected.

He said: "This is a crazy law. It will not deter thugs and hooligans who are normally already breaking lots of other laws anyway.

"But it will give massive power to the authorities to seek court orders to silence people guilty of nothing more than breaching political correctness or social etiquette."

Mr Tatchell said: "What constitutes annoyance is a very subjective judgment. There is a danger that this legislation could be abused to target legitimate freedom of expression that some people might find annoying."

The Home Office says measures contained in the bill aims to provide better protection for victims and communities.

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Concern over student loan debtors

28 November 2013 Last updated at 00:23 ET By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent

The government is not doing enough to get student loans repaid as the total value of money owed continues to rise, a spending watchdog has warned.

The outstanding loan debt is £46bn and will rise to £200bn in the next 30 years, the National Audit Office said.

About 50% of students are not expected to earn enough to repay all their loan.

The NAO report also highlights concerns over the more than £5bn owed by about 368,000 former students whose exact whereabouts are unaccounted for.

It says officials are overestimating how much money will be recovered each year, and is not securing value for money for tax payers.

The increase in tuition fees in England has meant much higher levels of student loans and debts - and the spending watchdog says there needs to be much tighter scrutiny of levels of repayment.

Such an expansion requires a "much more robust strategy" for recovering loans, said Margaret Hodge, chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee.

"It is essential that government collects every pound it can of the debt that should be collected," she said.

Off the radar

The report says there is a lack of employment information about the former students who owe more than £5bn.

This includes people who might be unemployed or have moved overseas, but the watchdog warns that too little is known about where they now are.

In March 2013, the report says, there were 14,000 students living overseas, who were behind with repayments of £100m.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We need to ensure that all borrowers who are earning over the relevant payment threshold are repaying their loans, including those who have moved overseas"

End Quote Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The report says the Student Loans Company could do more to retrieve these missing payments.

This is against a rapidly rising number of UK students who are taking out student loans, with the NAO reporting that the number of borrowers will more than double to 6.5 million people over the next three decades.

The report warns that the government has previously been over-optimistic in how much is likely to be repaid by students.

The expected level of debt to be written off had been set at 28% in 2010, which had risen to 35% by 2013.

Labour's university spokesman, Liam Byrne, said figures from the House of Commons library showed this had risen to more than 40%, which would cost a further £600m.

"We may be at the point where so many students loans are being written off, that the government's new student finance system is actually more expensive than the old arrangements, even though the government is asking students for three times as much money," said Mr Byrne.

Earlier this week the government announced the sale of part of the student loan book to the private sector, from a type of student loan from the 1990s.

There are ambitions to sell off the bigger, income-related loans that have come with higher fees - a move that will be much more politically sensitive.

'Unsustainable'

The report notes that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is "preparing to sell early cohorts of the income‑contingent repayment loan book, and will take a sale decision in due course".

Martin Freedman of the ATL teachers' union said the report showed the loan system was "out of control".

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We may be at the point where so many students loans are being written off, that the government's new student finance system is actually more expensive than the old arrangements"

End Quote Liam Byrne Labour's shadow university minister

"The system is unsustainable and the government needs to review it urgently," said Mr Freedman, who argued that it would result in "unbelievable" levels of debt.

He also criticised spending £27m on debt collection, which he said would have been better used on education.

The head of the National Audit Office, Amyas Morse, said the increasing cost of the student loan system required a "more energetic and considered approach" and a "high level of collection performance".

A Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spokesman said: "The report demonstrates that there is an effective and efficient process resulting in high collection rates at a low cost which we believe demonstrates good value for money.

"We need to ensure that all borrowers who are earning over the relevant payment threshold are repaying their loans, including those who have moved overseas after leaving their course."

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New look at uniform cigarette packs

28 November 2013 Last updated at 03:29 ET

The government is to announce an independent review of cigarette packaging in England, amid calls for action to discourage young smokers.

David Cameron appeared to distance himself from uniform packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective.

But No 10 sources said the issue would be looked at again and the government was "open-minded" about what to do.

Labour said immediate action was needed, "not another review".

The government has never officially ruled this out, saying previously that it wanted to see the results of a pilot scheme in Australia - the first country to introduce it - before deciding whether to follow suit.

The Department of Health told the BBC that the government would not decide on the look of the standardised packaging until evidence from the pilot scheme had been considered.

A spokeswoman said all options would be considered, including packaging in a uniform colour, with a small tax mark, or using graphic images of smoking-related diseases on all boxes of cigarettes.

Most Conservative MPs supported standardised packaging at the time although a handful - including former GP Sarah Wollaston - accused the government of pandering to big business.

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham described the review as "delaying tactics".

Continue reading the main story

It is not surprising that the government appears to be looking again at the issue of plain packaging for cigarettes.

David Cameron has always been keen on the idea. In fact, it was the prime minister who pushed hard for it to become policy after the election rather than his first health secretary, Andrew Lansley, who was more circumspect.

It was, of course, controversial - and so ministers ended up shying away from it.

So what has changed? Australia still remains the only country in the world to have introduced this. But early evidence emerging from Down Under suggests it is effective.

A recent study carried out in the state of Victoria found not only did it make smokers more likely to think about quitting, it also worked subconsciously - smokers felt the cigarettes were of poorer quality.

"If the government was serious it would be taking action now to cut the harm from tobacco to children," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"I don't believe this is a serious move. It's just a tactic to avoid humiliation in the House of Lords."

But Public Health Minister Jane Ellison insisted the "time was right" to conduct a review.

"It's a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia," she said. "It's the right time to ask people to look at this.

"This is fundamentally about children's health. Two thirds of people start smoking when they're children and it's one of the most important public health issues we face in this country.

"Asking an independent body to take a look and survey the evidence for us is a sensible next step. We are going to take the opportunity to put regulations in place which will enable us to act quickly."

The Times, which first reported the story, said the new review would report in March and could lead to uniform packages on English shelves before the 2015 election.

The BBC understands the review, led by paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler, will focus on the experience in Australia.

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said ministers would also approve enabling legislation to allow them to sanction plain packaging "very quickly" if the evidence stacked up.

The Times said a study conducted in Australia found that smokers using standardised plain brown packets were 81% more likely to consider quitting.

'Marketing tool'

Labour, who have sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby's work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, said ministers needed to "stand up to vested interests".

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Ministers had shelved plans for plain packets earlier in the year, as Iain Watson reports

"The evidence to support standardised packaging is clear," said shadow health minister Luciana Berger.

"The consensus is overwhelming. We don't need any further delay while 570 children are lighting up for the first time every day."

Cancer Research UK said the move would "save thousands of lives".

Dr Harpal Kumar, the charity's chief executive, said: "Stopping cigarettes being marketed to children as a glamorous and desirable accessory is one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation.

"If this becomes law next year, there is no question that it will save thousands of lives in the future."

'Rise in counterfeiting'

The Department of Health held a consultation in 2012 on plans which would have required manufacturers to use standardised packets and fonts, and put prominent graphic warnings on their products.

Health campaigners say packaging is a "key tool" for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say uniform packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking.

The ban on images on packaging came into force in Australia on 1 January after a long-running legal battle between the former Labor government and the tobacco industry.

Manufacturers claimed the law was unconstitutional and infringed on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.

But they said they would comply after the legality of the measure was upheld by the country's highest court.

The Scottish government has said it is "still committed" to introducing standardised packaging, while New Zealand is also considering the move.

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Nine million in 'serious' debt

26 November 2013 Last updated at 19:05 ET

Nearly nine million people across the UK are living with serious debt problems, according to a new report.

The Money Advice Service (MAS) also said very few people were making any attempt to get professional help.

The problem is particularly acute in five English cities, where more than 40% of the population is struggling to repay debt.

According to the survey, 18% of Britons, 8.8 million people, consider they have "serious" financial issues.

MAS, which is backed with public money, said that for the first time, the survey had provided a detailed understanding of the lives of those who are in debt.

The report found that 74% of those struggling with debt were "unhappy".

There is particular concern that very few people ask for help.

"Millions of people could escape their spiral of debt by accessing free advice," said Caroline Rookes, the chief executive of MAS.

Continue reading the main story

% of population struggling with debt

• Hull 43.1%
• Nottingham 41.2%
• Manchester 41.1%
• Knowsley 40.7%
• Liverpool 40.6%

"We know it transforms lives and the sooner people access it, the better - to take steps to improve their life for good," she said.

'Nerve-wracking'

The study lists the top five cities where people are "over-indebted".

To qualify as such, people had to feel that their debt amounted to a "heavy burden", or else they had to have missed out on repayments in three of the last six months.

The most heavily indebted area was Hull, where 43.1% of the population admitted they were in trouble financially.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Before you knew where you were, you just didn't have enough at the end of the month. It's nerve-wracking. It's made me really ill"

End Quote Ann Jones North Hull

The four other places were also in England: Nottingham, Manchester, Knowsley and Liverpool. All five areas had at least 40% of the population in heavy debt.

"You'd be surprised at how many are struggling," said Ann Jones, a grandmother from Hull.

The BBC spoke to her at a food bank on the North Hull estate.

She took out a bank loan of £2,000, but had difficulty paying it back.

"Everything got so expensive, and before you knew where you were, you just didn't have enough at the end of the month," she explained.

"It's nerve-racking. It's made me really ill," she added.

Latest figures from the Bank of England suggest that personal borrowing, including mortgages and unsecured loans, is now at £1.43 trillion.

That is the same level of borrowing that was reached during the pre-crisis peak in September 2008.

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Independence blueprint to be debated

27 November 2013 Last updated at 02:35 ET

A debate on the Scottish government's independence White Paper is to be held at Holyrood later.

The debate will gave members of the Scottish Parliament a chance to examine the 670-page document in more detail.

First Minister Alex Salmond described the White Paper as the "most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published".

But Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont suggested the document's projections were "not credible".

A referendum on Scottish independence will be held on 18 September next year, with voters being asked the straight yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

The White Paper, which contains the arguments in favour of independence and is intended as a guide to what might happen if it is achieved, was launched by Mr Salmond at Glasgow's Science Centre on Tuesday morning.

'Arithmetic of politics'

Speaking ahead of the parliamentary debate, Ms Lamont questioned whether independence would bring the benefits claimed by the Scottish government.

Interviewed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, she said: "The assumption that simply by Scotland going it alone we will somehow be more radical, more progressive, is simply not true.

"We will still have to deal with the arithmetic of politics which is you have to fund things.

"What we seem to be getting from the Scottish government now is that we will cut taxes and at the same time we'll improve services - that's not credible."

The White Paper is titled Scotland's Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland, and states that Scotland would become independent on 24 March 2016 if there is a Yes vote in the referendum.

The first minister is due to open Wednesday afternoon's debate for the Scottish government.

He will argue that "it is better for everyone in Scotland if decisions about the country's future are taken by the people who care most about Scotland, the people who live and work here".

Mr Salmond will also say he looks forward to a positive national debate on independence for Scotland, with contributions from all perspectives and from all sectors of Scottish society, before next September's historic vote.

The White Paper confirmed that Scotland would seek to secure a Sterling currency union with the remainder of the UK after independence, and asserted that the country would negotiate for a smooth transition to EU and Nato membership.

Child care

The document also makes a series of pledges to be fulfilled if the SNP forms the first government in a newly-independent Scotland.

These included:

• Thirty hours of childcare per week in term time for all three and four-year-olds, as well as vulnerable two-year-olds.

• Trident nuclear weapons, currently based on the Clyde, removed within the first parliament.
• Housing benefit reforms, described by critics as the "bedroom tax", to be abolished, and a halt to the rollout of Universal Credit.

• It would be in Scotland's interest to keep the pound, while the Bank of England would continue as "lender of last resort".

• BBC Scotland replaced at the start of 2017 with a new Scottish broadcasting service, continuing a formal relationship with the rest of the BBC.

• Basic rate tax allowances and tax credits to rise at least in line with inflation.

• A safe, "triple-locked" pension system.

• Minimum wage to "rise alongside the cost of living".

Speaking at the document's launch, Mr Salmond said it was a "mission statement and a prospectus for the kind of country we should be and which this government believes we can be".

But former UK chancellor Alistair Darling, who leads the pro-UK Better Together campaign, accused the Scottish government of having "ducked the opportunity to answer the big questions about Scotland's future", and said the White Paper was "thick with false promises and meaningless assertions."

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NHS told to get tough on smoking

27 November 2013 Last updated at 02:53 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

The NHS must stop turning a "blind eye" to smoking and ban it in all hospital grounds in England, according to new guidance.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said it wanted to see smoking shelters scrapped so patients, visitors and staff could not light up.

Staff should also stop helping patients out of their beds to go for a smoke.

And patients who smoke must be identified and offered help to quit, the guidance added.

It said nurses, doctors and other staff could give brief advice and then refer smokers on to NHS stopping smoking services.

Smoking rates are particularly high among mental health patients with one in three smoking, rising to 70% in psychiatric units.

That compares with the one in five among the general population who are smokers.

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How one hospital in Cambridge has struggled to stub out smoking

The guidance, which is voluntary for the NHS to follow, even suggested staff caught smoking should be disciplined.

'Too long'

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) conceded some parts of the NHS had already adopted these approaches, but said the idea of the guidance was to make sure it became consistent across the health service.

NICE public health director Prof Mike Kelly said the NHS had turned a "blind eye" for too long.

"It has been tolerated by the NHS and it is high time that stopped.

"NHS hospitals and staff have a duty of care to protect the health of people who use or work in their services.

"We need to end the terrible spectacle of people on drips in hospital gowns smoking outside hospital entrances."

In practice, he said, doctors and nurses could provide nicotine replacement therapies and advise patients about counselling to ensure they were not "going up the wall" with nicotine cravings.

He acknowledged that stopping a determined smoker from going outside to light up was "clearly very difficult".

"This is not about imposing some sort of penal regime in which doctors, nurses, administrators spend all their time trying to enforce a series of rules and regulations."

He said it was about a culture shift and removing smoking shelters would help eliminate any subliminal message that it was ok to smoke around a hospital.

Stress relief

Stephen Dalton, of the NHS Confederation, which represents NHS trusts, said the guidance was welcome.

"A total ban on smoking complements the duty of care on healthcare staff and the organisation to protect the health of people in their care and promote healthy behaviour."

Dr John Moore-Gillon, a lung specialist, said there was no doubt that smoking rates fell in environments where it was banned, pointing to smoking bans in pubs, clubs and public buildings.

"And they're actually more likely to give up smoking if they're given this advice when they're in a hospital or other health care setting," he added.

But Simon Clark, of smokers' lobby group Forest, said: "NHS staff have a duty of care to protect people's health, but that doesn't include the right to nag, cajole or bully smokers to quit.

"Tobacco is a legal product and a lot of people smoke to relieve stress.

"It's not only heartless and inhumane to ban patients from smoking outside hospitals and clinics, it's almost impossible to enforce without installing CCTV cameras and employing wardens to monitor the grounds."

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Royal Mail reports rise in profits

27 November 2013 Last updated at 02:59 ET

Royal Mail has seen its half-year profits rise, driven by growing revenue from its parcel business, in its first set of results since its shares were listed on London's stock market.

Pre-tax profits were £233m for the six months to 29 September, up from £94m a year earlier, excluding special items.

But Royal Mail said a one-off windfall resulting from a pension reform boosted overall pre-tax profits to £1.58bn.

A 60% stake in Royal Mail was sold on the London Stock Exchange last month.

The shares went on sale at 330p each, but immediately soared in value, leading to accusations that the sale had been underpriced.

Business Secretary Vince Cable will face a select committee hearing later over concerns the postal service was undervalued.

Volumes stall Continue reading the main story

In its statement, Royal Mail reported that its revenues had grown by 2% on a like-for-like basis to £4.52bn.

It also said parcels now accounted for 51% of its revenue.

But the volume of sales in the parcel business stalled in the summer amid good weather, and Royal Mail has admitted some business was lost to its competitors over the prospect of a strike.

Business from letters continued to decline.

"Our first half financial performance was in line with our expectations of delivering low single digit revenue growth and margin expansion," said Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene.

Last week, the regulator, Ofcom, told Royal Mail it must improve "important aspects" of its service.

It said Royal Mail had missed key performance targets, and warned that it could be fined if it missed targets in the future.

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Plan to curb 'benefit tourism'

27 November 2013 Last updated at 03:24 ET

David Cameron has announced a crackdown on so-called "benefit tourism", saying EU migrants will not be able to claim taxpayer-funded support indefinitely.

Eligibility rules for out-of-work benefits will be tightened and access to housing benefit will be curbed.

The prime minister said people were "deeply concerned" about levels of migration from Bulgaria and Romania.

But European Commissioner Laszlo Andor warned of "hysteria" and the UK being seen as a "nasty country".

Mr Cameron questioned the principle of free movement inside the EU, saying this right could not be "unqualified".

He suggested a future Conservative government after 2015 may press for major changes to limit the number of migrants to the UK from current and future EU members.

Transitional controls limiting Bulgarian and Romanian workers' access to the UK labour market - in place since the two countries joined the EU in 2007 - will expire at the end of the year.

'Monumental mistake'

There have been warnings of an "influx" of low-skilled workers from the two countries and calls from across the political spectrum for a review of migrants' access to the health service and welfare system.

In an article published in the Financial Times, the prime minister said the last Labour government had made a "monumental mistake" in not restricting access to the UK labour market when Poland and nine other countries joined the EU in 2004 - which resulted in much larger numbers coming than expected.

He announced a series of measures to address what he said were public concerns about the impact of current and future immigration from eastern Europe on the UK economy and public services:

• New migrants will not get out-of-work benefits for the first three months
• Payments will be stopped after six months unless the claimant has a "genuine" chance of a job
• The "habitual residency test" to determine eligibility for benefits will be tightened up
• An earnings threshold will be introduced
• New migrants will not be able to claim housing benefit immediately
• Those not seeking work will be removed and will not able to return for 12 months
• Fines for employers not paying the minimum wage will be quadrupled

"We are changing the rules so that no-one can come to this country and expect to get out-of-work benefits immediately," he told the newspaper.

Continue reading the main story

After Labour proposed this change in March, the government said it was all fine and nothing needed to change"

End Quote Yvette Cooper Shadow home secretary

However,

The Lib Dems said the "sensible" changes would "restore confidence" in the immigration system and "ensure that the right to work does not automatically mean the right to claim".

"Other countries in the EU already have similar policies and are considering the case for going further," said deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

"Unfettered access to benefits across the member states does not exist."

But shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the prime minister was "playing catch-up" and copying a Labour idea.

"After Labour proposed this change in March, the government said it was all fine and nothing needed to change. Yet now, rather than following a coherent plan, they are flailing around."

UK leader Nigel Farage said the UK was "still being far too generous".

"Under his proposal, somebody can come here on 1 January from Romania and within 12 weeks be entitled to unemployment benefit. I think that is outrageous. I wouldn't call that tough," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

He added the plan would do nothing to stop an unrestricted flow of a "very large number of unskilled people" coming into Britain at a time when the country was struggling with youth unemployment.

'Population movements'

The UK has been embroiled in a long-running legal battle with the European Commission about EU nationals' eligibility for benefits and UKIP has said this cannot be stopped unless the UK leaves the EU.

MigrationWatch UK has said it expects 50,000 people to come from Bulgaria and Romania to the UK in each of the next five years but the Bulgarian ambassador has said he believes the figure will be much lower - predicting levels of about 8,000.

Mr Cameron said the issue would continue to fester as other countries with income levels below the EU average aspired to join the EU.

He said it was time for people to recognise that the principle of free movement, a fundamental tenet of the European Union, had "become a trigger for vast population movements" and must be recalibrated.

He suggested a future Conservative government, as part of its pledge to renegotiate EU membership, could seek more discretion over migration policy. It might introduce a cap if annual arrivals exceeded a certain level, or only allow full access if a country met a certain income threshold, he suggested.

"It is time for a new settlement which recognises that free movement is a central principle of the EU, but it cannot be a completely unqualified one," he added.

He said Britain would work with other EU countries to "return the concept of free movement to a more sensible basis".

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SNP to reveal independence case

25 November 2013 Last updated at 19:07 ET By Andrew Black Political reporter, BBC Scotland

Scotland's first minister is to set out the SNP's blueprint for independence, ahead of next September's referendum.

Alex Salmond said the Scottish government's 670-page white paper would put beyond dispute Scotland's ability to be a successful, independent nation.

On 18 September, Scots voters will be asked the yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Opposition politicians said "time was running out" for the SNP to answer key questions about the challenges ahead.

'Stuffed full'

The white paper, "Scotland's future: Your guide to an independent Scotland", is being launched by Mr Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during an event at Glasgow's Science Centre.

Continue reading the main story

The Scottish government has described the white paper as a "landmark document", with the case for economic growth and fairness at its heart.

The SNP has argued Scotland's finances are healthier than those of the UK, providing a strong foundation to put the focus of the referendum campaign on Scotland's future.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Ms Sturgeon told BBC Scotland the white paper was "stuffed full with facts and figures and information", with a "heavy focus" on addressing questions that people wanted answered.

She said: "This is an exciting day in the referendum campaign.

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Independence vote explained in 60 seconds

"For everybody out there who has said, 'I'm not sure how to vote because I don't feel I've got all the information I need', this is the day when that information is put out there.

"Information that sets out the overwhelming case for independence, the benefits it will bring for individuals, families, communities, the country as a whole, the practicalities about how we make the journey to independence and answers to a whole range of questions people have been asking."

Ms Sturgeon added: "This is a big moment in the campaign and one which I think will decisively shift the dynamic of it."

The deputy first minister, who will make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the white paper on Tuesday afternoon, said the pressure was now on the pro-Union side to set out their vision for Scotland's future.

The Scottish government's critics said the white paper would be judged on whether it tackled concerns over issues like financial challenges.

For the UK government, Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said there were huge question marks over some of the policies already revealed by the SNP.

Continue reading the main story

Who? What? When?

• Voters in Scotland - including for the first time 16 and 17-year-olds - will have their say in a referendum on Scottish independence.

• They will be asked the "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

• The referendum takes place on Thursday 18 September, 2014.

He said it was "highly unlikely" the Scottish government's plan to keep the pound and retain the services of the Bank of England as part of a "currency union" with the rest of the UK would work, and said the SNP must set out a "Plan B".

The Scottish government's critics have also questioned its plan to get rid of Trident nuclear weapons - currently based on the Clyde - while being a member of Nato.

And they have said other SNP promises, on issues like pensions and welfare, are uncosted.

Mr Carmichael said: "Scotland does very well out of the United Kingdom.

"There are enormous questions that many people in all different parts of Scotland still want to see answered - time is running out for the Nationalists to answer these questions."

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

The White Paper runs to 670 pages and will be published as a book. Will it be bedside reading? Will we see it peeping from travellers' rucksacks? Will it be devoured, poolside, on electronic reading devices? Hope so"

End Quote

The Scottish government said its white paper had been written for the public to compare the SNP's case with the alternatives, before making their minds up on which way to vote.

An initial print run of 20,000 copies of the white paper has been produced, but it will be made available to everyone who requests a copy.

At the weekend, the Scottish government said that, if there was a "Yes" vote, its proposed "independence day" would fall on Thursday 24 March, 2016.

That date is also the anniversary of the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

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Modern life 'turning people off sex'

25 November 2013 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Money worries and the distractions of social media mean people are having sex less frequently, researchers say.

A survey of more than 15,000 Britons found those aged 16-44 were having sex fewer than five times a month.

The figure compared with more than six times a month on the last two occasions when the official National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles was carried out, in 1990-91 and 1999-2001.

The study's authors say modern life may be having an impact on libidos.

Dr Cath Mercer, from University College London, said: "People are worried about their jobs, worried about money. They are not in the mood for sex.

"But we also think modern technologies are behind the trend too. People have tablets and smartphones and they are taking them into the bedroom, using Twitter and Facebook, answering emails."

She also said the survey suggested that couples aged 16 to 44 may be using online porn as a substitute for sex.

Men polled in 2010 to 2012 reported having sex 4.9 times a month and women 4.8. In both previous surveys the averages were over six for both sexes both times.

The latest survey, which is carried out every 10 years, also asked older people about their sex lives.

It found 42% of women and 60% of men aged 65 to 74 had had sex in the past year.

Nonetheless, they were the age groups having the least sex - 2.3 times a month for men and 1.4 for women.

Among men, the 25 to 34 age group were having the most sex - 5.4 times a month - and for women it was the 16 to 24 age group, 5.8 times.

The average woman aged under 44 said they had had 7.7 partners over their lifetime, while for men it was 11.7.

The survey also asked participants about whether they had paid for sex in the past five years. Hardly any women had, but 3.6% of men admitted to it.

But the poll - the full details of which have been reported in the Lancet - also revealed the extent to which people are forced to have sex against their will.

One in 10 women and one in 70 men said they had experienced it.

However, fewer than half had told anyone about it and even fewer (13% of women and 8% of men) had reported the crime to the police.

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Payday loan 'risk to new mortgages'

25 November 2013 Last updated at 23:03 ET

Taking out a payday loan could endanger people's chances of getting a mortgage whether or not they had difficulties repaying the cash, the BBC has learned.

Nearly two-thirds of brokers contacted by trade publication Mortgage Strategy for Newsnight had a client turned down for a mortgage after a payday loan.

A record of a loan will remain on a credit record for nearly six years.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said borrowers would receive warnings under future advertising regulation changes.

According to evidence gathered by Newsnight, many mortgage applications have been instantly declined and credit scores adversely affected after people took out payday loans.

Out of the 279 replies received by Mortgage Strategy, 184 brokers said they had clients in such a position.

Jonathan Clark of Chadney Bulgin financial planners in Fleet, Hampshire, advised a couple who took out multiple payday loans on getting a mortgage under the government's Help to Buy scheme.

"I knew it was going to be a problem, but I was a bit shocked by the response I got because apart from one or two who said they could be accepted subject to a credit score - which is a polite way of saying it probably won't work - most of them were very negative and said it would be an instant decline.

"That was regardless of their income, the conduct of their accounts and everything else... these were major High Street lenders."

Continue reading the main story

• Advertised monthly costs may seem low, but annual rates are significant
• Loans are quick but customer service can be poor. The Financial Ombudsman receives more than 50 complaints about payday lenders every month
• Other lenders like banks or credit unions may offer a better deal. Here are 10 things to check before you take out a loan

The trade body that represents payday lenders, the Consumer Finance Association, said it would look at whether customers should be warned about the consequences before they take out a payday loan.

It said it has asked the Council of Mortgage Lenders and major credit reference agencies for more information.

The revelation comes as the government is to introduce a new law to cap the cost of payday loans.

Some payday lenders have been criticised for charging more than 5,000% annual interest although the lenders say the loans are meant to be short-term, so the annual rate can make charges appear worse than they are.

The level of the cap, which has not yet been announced, will be decided by the new industry regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The cap will be included in the Banking Reform Bill, which is already going through Parliament.

Mr Cable told Newsnight that future advertising will also require payday loan companies to make clear that borrowers have to seek debt advice.

"If they seek debt advice they will know the risk of imperilling their credit status," he said.

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Child-on-child abuse 'shocking'

26 November 2013 Last updated at 02:32 ET

"Shocking" sexual violence is being carried out by children against other children as young as 11, according to an official report.

The Office of the Children's Commissioner for England said the perpetrators could be 12 or 13, and rape is seen as "normal and inevitable" in some areas, especially among gangs.

Its report said bullying and sexist attitudes existed across the country.

Council chiefs said work by agencies on child protection needed to improve.

The report is the result of a two-year inquiry by the children's commissioner into child exploitation and gangs.

It is being published alongside research on young people's understanding of consent to sex, and a study on the pressures on young people who have been raised in gang-affected neighbourhoods.

The report says legislation is there to protect children but agencies from the police to social services need to become far better at spotting children at risk and providing them with the necessary protection.

'Chilling evidence'

Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz cited the "sheer levels of sadism" uncovered by the inquiry.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

This is a deep malaise within society from which we must not shirk"

End Quote Sue Berelowitz Deputy Children's Commissioner

In a foreword to the report, Ms Berelowitz said the findings showed the "appalling reality" of sexual violence committed by young people.

"The fact that some adults (usually men) rape and abuse children is generally accepted," she said.

"There is, however, a long way to go before the appalling reality of sexual violence and exploitation committed by children and young people is believed."

"We have found shocking and profoundly distressing evidence of sexual assault, including rape, being carried out by young people against other children and young people.

"While we have published chilling evidence of this violence in gang-associated contexts, we know too that it is more widespread than that. This is a deep malaise within society from which we must not shirk."

Ms Berelowitz suggested that the music and pornographic industries have a great deal to answer for in creating such attitudes, with young girls being treated as commodities within gangs, passed around as sexual toys or used to ensnare rival gang members.

She told BBC Breakfast that most of the girls who had been victims of gangland sexual assaults said it was "part of the inevitability of growing up in their area and that there is no point in telling anybody about it".

The inquiry found that 2,409 youngsters were known to be victims of child sexual exploitation by gangs and groups, while a further 16,500 were at risk.

It warned that the problem was prevalent in every area of England, and was not restricted just to low-income, inner-city neighbourhoods but "in every type of neighbourhood, rural, urban, deprived, not deprived".

'Normal and inevitable'

Research conducted by Bedfordshire University into sexual violence in gangs suggested two-thirds of young people questioned (65%) knew of young women who had been pressurised or coerced into sexual activity.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Our work shows us that the earlier you help children and families the better the chance they have from breaking out from a negative and often intergenerational cycle of poor relationships"

End Quote Anne Longfield Chief executive of children's charity 4Children

Half gave examples of youngsters offering sex in return for status or protection, and two-fifths (41%) said they knew of individual cases of rape - while more than a third (34%) gave examples of gang rape.

A study by London Metropolitan University suggested that young people had a limited understanding of "consent" and that sex without consent where those involved knew each other was often not seen as rape.

Only one in 12 of those interviewed said that young people would be likely to report crimes of sexual abuse.

It said sexual violence could be seen as "normal and inevitable", with young women "facing the blame" for their own abuse.

"The victim, usually a girl (but boys are victims too) is invariably blamed for their own assault," the study concluded.

"They should not have gone to visit the boy; should not have worn a tight top; should not have had the drink; have 'done it before' so have no right to say no."

The report condemned 94% of safeguarding children boards - which are run by local authorities, police, the NHS, the probation service and other groups - for failing to follow government guidance on tackling child exploitation, and set out recommendations for a new framework.

Councillor David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, said: "Child sexual exploitation is a horrific crime which can destroy lives. It is a complex issue to tackle and can be hugely difficult to track.

"Councils know that we need to do better but, as this report acknowledges, we cannot do this alone."

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Giant wind farm dropped by developer

26 November 2013 Last updated at 03:28 ET

Plans for a huge wind farm off the north Devon coast have been shelved.

Developer RWE Innogy is pulling the plug on the 240-turbine Atlantic Array project, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) told the BBC.

The scheme, which had not yet received the go-ahead, had attracted criticism, with environmentalists worried about its impact on marine wildlife in the Bristol Channel.

RWE Innogy said it was "not the right time" for the project.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We all need electricity, but there are more appropriate places"

End Quote Derek Green Manager of Lundy Island nature reserve

The Atlantic Array was planned in an area of 200 sq km (77 sq miles) about 16.5km (10 miles) from the north Devon coast, 22.5km (14 miles) from south Wales coast and 13.5km (8 miles) from Lundy Island nature reserve.

The turbines would have been 220m (720ft) tall and capable of producing 1,200 megawatts of electricity - enough for up to 900,000 homes, the developer has said.

RWE said it was "not viable... to continue with development in the Bristol Channel Zone".

RWE's director of offshore wind, Paul Cowling, said: "This is not a decision we have taken lightly.

"However, given the technological challenges and market conditions, now is not the right time for RWE to continue to progress with this project."

DECC told the BBC the scrapping of the scheme was a matter for the developer, but the decision "was made on purely technical grounds and reflects the many complex challenges of constructing offshore wind farms".

But BBC South West political editor Martyn Oates said: "Sources have told us that this will not go ahead because of problems in financing it.

"Just last week, [green energy group] Regen SW said that the government's recent announcement that it is going to cut back on green levies to support renewable energy was already undermining investment in the region and putting jobs at risk.

"And in terms of investment and jobs, this is a really big project, the company (RWE) says it would provide thousands of jobs."

'Anti-green ideology'

Friends of the Earth's head of campaigns, Andrew Pendleton, said: "The government's wanton green-bashing is starting to cost jobs and threaten the future security of our energy supply.

"The UK has some of the finest offshore clean energy resources in the world and harnessing it is becoming cheaper.

"But anti-green ideology at the heart of the coalition is sending the development of world-beating clean power into reverse."

But DECC told the BBC: "The UK still expects to deploy significant amounts of offshore wind by 2020 and we remain well placed to meet our 2020 renewable energy target."

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Atlantic Array

• Up to 240 turbines
• Turbines will be up to 220m (720ft) high
• Capacity: 1,200 MW, enough to power about 900,000 homes
• About 16.5km (10 miles) from the closest point to shore on the north Devon coast, 22.5km (14 miles) from the closest point to shore on the South Wales coast and 13.5km (8 miles) from Lundy Island
• Connected to mainland at Alverdiscott, Devon

Derek Green, manager of Lundy Island, said: "If it's true then we are absolutely delighted.

"It is fantastic news for tourism and wildlife in the Bristol Channel and in particular for Lundy."

Lundy's owners, the Landmark Trust, have spent the last 40 years "preserving a special way of life".

"We were concerned that by bringing development so close to the island that it would overwhelm it," said Mr Green.

"There are many turbines near Landmark Trust properties which we haven't opposed.

"But we have always said that offshore wind farms should be built offshore and this suite was in the middle of the Bristol Channel.

"We all need electricity, but there are more appropriate places."

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New law to cap payday loan interest

25 November 2013 Last updated at 02:32 ET

The government is to introduce a new law to cap the cost of payday loans.

The level of the cap, which has not yet been announced, will be decided by the new regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The Treasury says there is "growing evidence" in support of the move, including the effects of a cap already in place in Australia.

The cap will be included in the Banking Reform Bill, which is already going through Parliament.

Some payday lenders have been criticised for charging more than 5,000% annual interest - though the lenders say these loans are meant to be short-term so the annual rate can make charges appear worse than they are.

'Duty on regulator'

Australia has an interest rate limit of 4% per month, after a maximum up-front fee of 20%.

The FCA has already been given the power to cap the costs of payday loans.

But BBC political correspondent Vicki Young said Chancellor George Osborne had now gone further by "placing a duty on the regulator to use those powers".

Labour leader Ed Miliband has already said his party would cap the cost of payday loans.

Mr Miliband has also pledged to give councils new powers to limit the spread of payday lending shops in town centres.

The shadow minister for competition and consumer affairs, Stella Creasy, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme "the devil really is in the detail".

"The government is now talking about capping the costs of credit...the question is whether they mean capping just the charges or the total cost of credit.

"This industry's a bit like an inflated balloon and if you don't crack down on the whole cost of credit then wherever they can recoup their costs by expanding the prices at other points they will."

Earlier this month, Mr Miliband said payday lenders should not be allowed to "target" children by showing adverts on children's TV.

Last month the FCA told payday lenders tougher regulation would soon be implemented.

It said all borrowers should have an "affordability" check before being given a loan and suggested risk warnings should be put on adverts.

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