High Street shows 'great resilience'

4 April 2014 Last updated at 00:12 By Emma Simpson Business correspondent, BBC News

About one in five High Street shops affected by the biggest retail collapses of the last five years is still vacant, new research suggests.

Accountancy firm Deloitte also found that the High Street was outperforming retail parks and shopping centres when it came to re-occupying empty shops.

Many big names, including HMV, Comet and Blockbuster, went under as the recession hit and online shopping grew.

But Deloitte said the High Street was "showing great resilience."

The firm analysed data from 27 major company administrations since 2009, many where it had an involvement in the process.

Then, using data from the Local Data Company, it traced the fate of nearly 5,900 shops.

Nearly a third of these premises were never vacated.

Many retailers, of course, did not disappear from the High Street, although they did come out of administration with fewer shops.

More than 4,000 stores, though, were vacated in one form or another.

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'Structural shift'

There are some big regional differences, with some areas faring better than others.

For instance, Greater London has a vacancy rate of 18%, compared with the north-west of England which has a vacancy rate of 32%.

But perhaps the most striking detail in this research is the evidence that the High Street has done better than other parts of retail.

Deloitte found that the average vacancy rate for the High Street is 20%, but it rises to 29% for shopping centres and 37% for retail parks.

The author of the report, Hugo Clarke, said the High Street had recovered much better than expected.

"The results of this research are surprising and seem to challenge a number of myths around the state of the High Street," he said.

"They would suggest that far from being dead, the High Street appears to be showing great resilience and a capacity for re-invention.

"It seems that a structural shift is taking place with the High Street emerging as an unexpected winner."

'En route' shopping

So what kind of businesses have filled the gaps?

Deloitte found that discount and pound shops acquired one in five of the empty properties, with Poundland taking more than anyone else.

Convenience stores, including those run by supermarkets, have also expanded strongly, accounting for nearly 12% of the space, with close to three-quarters of them on High Streets.

Ian Geddes, head of retail at Deloitte, said the pattern suggested a big change in shopping habits was under way.

"Rather than taking shoppers away, the internet is pushing people back to shops with the growth of click and collect," he said.

"The evidence suggests that we may be entering a new era of 'en route' shopping, powered by mobile shopping and the demand for collection points strategically located at a point between where the consumer is travelling from and to."

In other words, the High Street these days is becoming more about convenience.

But things are far from rosy.

The Local Data Company believes there are still a total of 43,600 shops standing vacant. That is just under one in seven shops, on average.

Every town is different. But this research shows that, overall, things aren't quite as gloomy on the High Street as some people might think.

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High pollution levels 'due to fall'

4 April 2014 Last updated at 07:21

Air pollution levels remain high in parts of the UK but forecasters have suggested they will fall later.

BBC Weather's Peter Gibbs said the pollution had "peaked" and "should go down quite rapidly" in the coming days.

Government data showed London and south-east England had the maximum pollution level of 10 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the prime minister has been criticised for "misunderstanding" the problem and suggesting it was a temporary issue caused by Saharan dust.

The European Commission's environment spokesman Joe Hennon branded David Cameron's remarks "more than disappointing".

Continue reading the main story

• Those with existing lung and heart conditions may find symptoms worsen
• They should avoid doing too much, especially outdoors
• Healthy people may experience minor symptoms such as a sore throat or a tickly cough
• They should avoid strenuous activity in order to reduce such symptoms

He told the Guardian: "To say this is a temporary issue caused by Saharan dust shows a clear misunderstanding of the air pollution issue.

"It's clearly an issue you would expect any government to deal with if it's serious about protecting the health of the general public.

"It shows that the problem is not yet understood and one of the reasons we're taking legal action against the UK is that they've not met the targets they agreed to. If I was living in the UK then I would not be happy about that."

Mr Cameron told the BBC on Thursday that he did not go for his morning run due to the Saharan dust, which he described as a "naturally occurring weather phenomenon".

The BBC's Rebecca Morelle said there had been a "horrible" mix of dust blown from the Sahara Desert, industrial pollution from Europe and UK pollution.

'Shoved' away

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reported that more than 20 areas from northern England to the South East were still gripped by high levels on Friday morning.

Pollution levels in eastern England reached nine on Thursday, with north-west England, Yorkshire, the Humber, the Midlands and south Wales also affected.

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Jay Wynne says cleaner Atlantic air will push away the pollution

But the BBC's Peter Gibbs said south to south-westerly winds on Friday should bring the UK "cleaner Atlantic air".

He said the wind would be "starting to swing around" by 08:00 BST and would continue "picking up the pollution and shoving it away out into the North Sea" for most of the day.

The 10-point scale for measuring air quality is used by Defra, with level one meaning a "low" risk of air pollution and 10 meaning "very high".

Continue reading the main story

This pollution spell is nothing compared to the "pea-soup" fogs that blighted British cities until the 1960s.

Our air has become cleaner over the past century but at the same time we have learned how even low levels of pollution can pose a long list of health risks.

And although this episode is severe, it is not exceptional.

The Saharan dust makes it more visible than normal but breaches of international guidelines are fairly routine.

Last year one monitoring site in central London recorded 21 separate days when nitrogen dioxide soared above World Health Organisation limits.

One key pollution measure is of tiny particles called PM10, measured by the cubic metre over 24 hours.

Today a few sites in England are enduring levels of about 100. Last month Paris saw PM10 reach twice that amount.

And pity the people of Urumqi in the far west of China. When I was there last November, the air was so bad the airport closed. Today's PM10 level? An eye-watering 710.

Levels are determined by the concentration of five pollutants in the air - ozone, sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and two types of particulate matter.

Asthma risk

High levels of air pollution are usually reached about five times a year.

Defra advised people with lung and heart conditions to avoid strenuous outdoor activity while pollution levels remained high.

It also said people suffering symptoms of pollution - including sore eyes, coughs and sore throats - should cut down the amount they do outside,

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said two-thirds of the UK's 5.4 million people with asthma "find that air pollution makes their asthma worse" and were at "increased risk of an attack".

The charity said asthma attacks were brought on by different triggers in different people, but urged anyone with the condition to be vigilant and follow basic safety tips in the coming days.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK for failing to reduce levels of NO2 air pollution.

Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Jenny Bates said "thousands" of people in UK were likely to "die prematurely" this year unless the government took urgent action.

"Ministers, local authorities and the London mayor must get much tougher on the causes of air pollution - especially traffic fumes," she said.

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New law targets aggressive bailiffs

4 April 2014 Last updated at 07:50

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Wendy Ritchie, speaking in 2013: Bailiff visit was "worst thing ever"

Sweeping changes to the way bailiffs can enforce the repayment of debts come into force on Sunday.

The new laws include a ban on bailiffs entering homes at night and from using physical force against debtors.

Bailiffs will also be prevented from entering homes when only children are present, and from taking household essentials such as washing machines.

Citizens' Advice Bureau said the rules needed to go further, and called for greater accountability in the industry.

Continue reading the main story

The current law relating to enforcement by the seizure and sale of goods is complex, unclear and confusing.

There are also different types of bailiffs and enforcement officers, depending on the type of debt being recovered.

This confusion can result in bailiffs and enforcement officers misrepresenting their legal authority.

There is anecdotal evidence of some bailiffs using aggression and excessive force, and the costs regime is complex. Each enforcement power has a different cost structure and the charging process is prone to abuse.

In addition, regulation is fragmented with some elements of the industry being tightly regulated, while others are only subject to informal regulation through trade associations.

There are currently no set training standards. Reform had been in discussion for years; finally it is going to happen.

Bailiffs are estimated to collect four million debts a year in the UK.

The new changes will come into effect on 6 April and follow the Ministry of Justice consultation on the debt collection industry last year.

They are part of a wider package of reforms to the Tribunals, Courts & Enforcement Act 2007.

'Seize this opportunity'

The new rules will also:

• Ban landlords from using bailiffs to seize property for residential rent debts without going to court first
• Introduce mandatory training and certification for bailiffs
• Ensure vulnerable people get assistance and that bailiffs are trained to recognise them
• Introduce clearer rules detailing when a bailiff can enter a property and what goods they can take
• Bring in restrictions on when bailiffs can sell goods
• Require bailiffs to tell the court the likely means of entry, goods involved and amount of force required before a warrant is granted to force entry, as well as provide details of how the premises will be left in a secure state afterwards
• Force bailiffs to give seven days' notice before taking possessions, unless they have specific permission from a court
• Introduce fixed fees, ending the ability of bailiffs to add excessive charges to the amount debtors had to pay

Karen Dyson from the Citizens' Advice Bureau told the BBC: "Citizens' advice bureaus across the country deal with over a thousand inquiries about bailiff problems every a week.

"Obviously this is not the majority of bailiffs, but it is a significant minority.

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"We are really pleased to see these new rules. It's a real chance for bailiff companies to review the way their staff are operating."

She added that the Citizens' Advice Bureau would ideally like the rules to go further and see a "licensing system" introduced, which would see firms struck off, if bailiffs break the rules.

Steve Everson from the Civil Enforcement Association - which represents bailiffs in England and Wales - added: "It's a tidying up, and a tightening up, of regulations and legislation that has built up over hundreds of years.

"The whole thing is designed to get more professionalism within the industry."

Some bailiffs' organisations have previously welcomed the legal changes, saying reforms were overdue and the problem of aggressive bailiffs needed to be tackled.

Commenting on the changes, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Aggressive bailiff activity is unacceptable and it is high time that the cowboys out there are stopped from giving the rest of this important industry a bad name.

"People will still have to face up to their debts, but they will no longer need to fear their home being raided at night, the threat of violence or having their vital household equipment seized."

Have you been affected by the actions of bailiffs? You can send us your experience by emailing us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Bailiffs".

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Storm-damaged rail line reopens

4 April 2014 Last updated at 08:11

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Two months of Dawlish railway repairs in two minutes

The main railway line through Dawlish in Devon has reopened after part of the track was destroyed during winter storms.

The track was swept away with part of the sea wall in early February, cutting off the service linking Cornwall and much of Devon with the rest of the UK.

A 300-strong Network Rail team has rebuilt the track at a cost of £35m.

At London's Paddington station, sticks of rock were given out to celebrate the line reopening.

They were labelled: "Welcome back Dawlish. The orange army has rebuilt the railway."

Controlled landslide

The first passenger train on the line was the 05:34 BST from Exeter to Paignton.

Continue reading the main story

Dawlish line rebuild in numbers

• 6,000 tonnes of concrete
• 150 tonnes of steel
• 25,000 tonnes of collapsed cliff removed at Teignmouth
• Hundreds of tonnes of debris removed
• 600m of parapet wall repaired
• More than 13 miles of new cable installed
• More than 700m of track and ballast replaced

Source: Network Rail

Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the reopening as "a great day".

The sea wall of the coast-hugging line at Dawlish was breached on 5 February, leaving tracks dangling in mid-air.

Repair work was under way before being hampered by another severe storm on the night of February 14 when huge waves damaged a line of shipping containers forming a breakwater and punched a new hole in the sea wall.

Then, on 4 March, engineers discovered 25,000 tonnes of a cliff face near Teignmouth just south of Dawlish had sheared away above the line.

It resulted in water jets being used to pummel the cliff face to create a controlled landslide.

Contractors created new 3.5m (11.5ft) deep concrete foundations into the breach in the sea wall before the track was re-laid.

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'Very solid'

In total, £15m was spent repairing the area outside Dawlish station where track had been left dangling.

It cost an additional £20m to repair tracks either side of the town.

Andy Crowley, from contractor Amco, said: "The amount of concrete that's gone in there, that will be there for at least 200 years, beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

What the sea did to Dawlish seems unthinkable when you look at how things were before the storm.

The line, dangling in the air, was suddenly a dangerous place.

Engineers began improvising, using the old track to protect the seafront.

The second storm on 14 February was also extremely violent and the breach grew.

Network Rail's contractor says the new concrete sea wall will be there for another 200 years.

Julian Burnell, from Network Rail, said the repair of the breach was "very, very solid".

Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: "Our army of engineers has done an amazing job of putting back together a railway that was ravaged by the elements.

"They have overcome every obstacle thrown at them, winning many battles along the way to restore this critical piece of the network, ahead of schedule, and in time for the Easter holidays."

He thanked "hugely supportive and patient" local communities and businesses.

Network Rail is now looking at creating a new inland route as a back-up to the Dawlish line.

Sir Tim Smit, founder of Cornwall's Eden Project, said the closure demonstrated the need for south-west England to have better infrastructure.

He said: "One of the problems I think we face down here is a sort of political inertia.

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What the line at Dawlish looked like after the storms - and what it looks like now

"Because we don't have, if you like, the levers of power to make us seem important enough, we get viewed by the capital as if it's still at the old days of the Cornish Riviera, with a few nice things to do for people who've got wealth to come down and have holidays.

"But actually it's a really thriving place. I mean, it's one of the hubs of the creative industries in Britain. Yet you wouldn't know that the way we're talked about".

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'Culture of fear' in Met Police

4 April 2014 Last updated at 09:08 By Danny Shaw Home affairs correspondent, BBC News

There is a "culture of fear" in the Metropolitan Police because of the "draconian" use of performance targets, a report into the force has said.

It calls some targets "meaningless" and "unrealistic" - and says others are "disguised" by senior officers.

The report was compiled by the Met Police Federation from interviews and surveys with 250 officers.

Scotland Yard denied claims of a "bullying culture" and said it made "no excuses" for valuing performance.

John Tully, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said the report painted a "devastating" picture.

'Rock bottom'

He told the BBC's Today programme that officers who missed targets were put on a "hit list", with some facing potential misconduct action.

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"It's correct that we are measured on what we do. Whether or not it's an absolute must that there are performance-driven targets I think is questionable," Mr Tully said.

One officer, he said, told the federation that he had to arrest at least four people a month and that he had to do 10 stop-and-searches, one of which had to have a positive outcome.

The federation chairman said some officers were "at rock bottom" and that they wanted to see some sort of change in management style.

"I think there is need for some change. We need to look at that," Mr Tully added.

"Whether or not it's a full root-and-branch change, I'm not sure. The Met has a long and bright history around serving the people of London and I hope that continues."

The report, submitted to Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and other senior officers, follows a warning from Home Secretary Theresa May that police performance targets are making a "comeback".

Mrs May - who has scrapped most centrally-imposed police targets - told a conference in September that performance measures were being reintroduced by some forces as a "security blanket".

But Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne accused Mr Tully of "sensationalising" the issue.

He told the Today programme that it was the Met's job to bring down crime and since it had a "more accountable way of doing things", rates were down by nearly 10%.

Mr Byrne said targets were often set at team level, in which supervisers set work rate targets, which he said he approved of.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Officers believe target-setting is sometimes camouflaged and occasionally its existence is even denied"

End Quote Met Police Federation

"The public expects that we are out there to police the streets and keep them safe," he said.

Mr Byrne added that the report missed the bigger point, saying there were no targets for bravery that was seen every day on the force, in which people "put themselves sin the face of danger".

'Constant threat'

He added that there was a small minority that do not like to be held to account because the Met was changing. "People push back a bit when we take that no-nonsense approach," he said.

The Met Police Federation, which represents about 30,000 officers at the rank chief inspector and below, said "never before" have targets been applied with "such determination" as they currently are in the Met - the UK's biggest force.

One officer told the report: "Every month we are named and shamed with a league table by our supervisors, which does seem very bullying/overbearing."

Another officer refers to a "bullying-type culture".

The report says: "There is evidence of a persistent and growing culture of fear spawned by the vigorous and often draconian application of performance targets, with many officers reporting that they feel almost constantly under threat of being blamed and subsequently punished for failing to hit targets."

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

The Met has a long and bright history around serving the people of London and I hope that continues"

End Quote John Tully Metropolitan Police Federation chairman

But Scotland Yard, which has faced intense scrutiny following allegations of corruption and cover-up in the Stephen Lawrence case, denied officers were being unfairly pressurised.

In a statement, the force said it was faced with many challenges, but insisted it did not have a bullying culture.

"We make no excuses for having a culture that values performance," it said.

"We have pledged to reduce crime, increase confidence and cut costs. It's a big task and we have a robust framework in place to ensure we achieve this. The public expects no less."

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Ultra-high grade in GCSE shake-up

3 April 2014 Last updated at 00:06 By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent

A new top-level GCSE grade will be awarded to the most talented 20,000 pupils each year, in proposals for a shake-up of England's exam grades.

The Ofqual exam regulator has launched a consultation on a grading system that will rank from nine at the very top down to one for the lowest performers.

The changes, to be introduced from 2017, will also link exam grades to international Pisa tests.

Ofqual's Glenys Stacey says it will improve the "calibration" of exams.

The substantial changes, being put out for consultation, would provide a much clearer distinction between high-flying pupils currently achieving A and A* grades.

The highest grade - to be described as a grade nine - will be awarded to only half the pupils now achieving an A*, according to Ofqual's proposals.

International benchmarks

In last summer's GCSE exams, there were 6.8% of pupils graded as A*. The new highest grade would be awarded to only the top 3%, or about 20,000 pupils.

Under the new system, an A grade would equate to a grade seven - and the current C grade, widely seen as the pass level, would become a grade four.

Continue reading the main story

• GCSEs to be graded from nine to one, replacing A*-to-G grades
• Grade nine will be highest, at standard equivalent to top half of A*
• Grade five will be linked to international Pisa tests
• Grade four will be equivalent to current C grade
• Grade one will be F and G grades
• Introduced for new-style GCSEs in English and maths to be taught from Sept 2015
• First of new exam grades awarded summer 2017
• National Reference Test to be taken by sample of pupils, piloted from 2016

For the first time, there will be a link between England's exam grades and international benchmarks.

The results of Pisa tests in competitor countries, which have become an influential measure for international comparisons, will be used to establish grade five.

It will be expected to be set at about half or two-thirds of a grade higher than the current grade C.

And it remains to be decided whether grade four or grade five will become the expected level in future, for measures such as school league tables and minimum standards for schools.

A sample of pupils will also take a new test - the National Reference Test - which will be used to monitor the performance of each cohort, so that examiners will have a reference point for differences in ability between different year groups.

These changes will begin with three subjects - maths, English language and English literature.

These will be the first wave of tougher GCSEs, to be taught from September 2015, with the first awards under the proposed new system in summer 2017.

Other subjects are planned to follow, including history, geography and some sciences.

'Greater accuracy'

If adopted, the proposed changes would mean that GCSEs in England would have a different grading system and structure from GCSEs in Wales and Northern Ireland, extending the differences between the systems.

Ofqual chief Glenys Stacey says the changes are intended to "strengthen awarding" and to give greater accuracy in grades.

But she said that Ofqual would listen to views on the proposed amendments, and they were "not a done deal".

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association for School and College Leaders, said there were still "parts of the puzzle" missing in how the new system would work.

"Until it is made clear to teachers what students need to know in order to achieve a grade, and they have detailed specifications and sample questions, they will not be able to plan for these examinations.

"While we understand the government's wish to raise the bar by aligning some grades to Pisa, this raises all kinds of issues. Pisa is a completely different kind of exam than the new GCSEs.

"We welcome the proposal to introduce a reference test, which will help to make an objective judgement about whether standards have improved or not year or year. The careful consideration being given to different ways of awarding grades is also welcome."

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Ketamine 'exciting' depression therapy

3 April 2014 Last updated at 00:49 By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

The illegal party drug ketamine is an "exciting" and "dramatic" new treatment for depression, say doctors who have conducted the first trial in the UK.

Some patients who have faced incurable depression for decades have had symptoms disappear within hours of taking low doses of the drug.

The small trial on 28 people, reported in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, shows the benefits can last months.

Experts said the findings opened up a whole new avenue of research.

Depression is common and affects one-in-10 people at some point in their lives.

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Antidepressants, such as prozac, and behavioural therapies help some patients, but a significant proportion remain resistant to any form of treatment.

A team at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust gave patients doses of ketamine over 40 minutes on up to six occasions.

Eight showed improvements in reported levels of depression, with four of them improving so much they were no longer classed as depressed.

Some responded within six hours of the first infusion of ketamine.

Lead researcher Dr Rupert McShane said: "It really is dramatic for some people, it's the sort of thing really that makes it worth doing psychiatry, it's a really wonderful thing to see.

He added: "[The patients] say 'ah this is how I used to think' and the relatives say 'we've got x back'."

Dr McShane said this included patients who had lived with depression for 20 years.

The duration of the effect is still a problem.

Some relapse within days, while others have found they benefit for around three months and have since had additional doses of ketamine.

There are also some serious side-effects including one case of the supply of blood to the brain being interrupted.

"It is exciting, but it's not about to be a routine treatment as where we need to be going is maintaining the response... it's not about to replace prozac."

However, it does offer a new avenue of research into a field that has struggled to find new treatments for depression.

'Something chemical'

David Taylor, professor of psychopharmacology at King's College London, told the BBC: "In these kinds of patients, spontaneous remission almost never happens, people going to these clinics are at the end of the road.

"It shows that depression is something chemical, that it can be reversed with chemicals, it dispenses for once and for all that you can just pull your socks up.

"What restricts it is the potential for disturbing psychological adverse effects and the route by which is given - intravenous - does restrict it to a small number of people."

He said in the future drug companies would develop a chemical that had the benefits, but without the side-effects, and that could be taken by something such as an inhaler.

The Home Office is reclassifying ketamine in the UK to be a class B drug, although it is already used in medicine for the treatment of back pain and as an anaesthetic.

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Ferries affected by France strike

3 April 2014 Last updated at 08:01

Ferry services to and from the Port of Dover in Kent have been severely disrupted by a strike in France.

The Port of Calais has been shut by the 24-hour strike, which started just after 23:00 BST on Wednesday.

A Port of Dover spokesman said freight traffic was building up, and that Operation Stack was imminent.

The operation, with Kent Police, involves parking lorries on the M20 coast-bound when the Channel Tunnel, English Channel or Dover port are shut.

The Port of Dunkirk is open and motorists heading there are being advised to travel to Dover via the M2 and A2.

Travellers are being urged to contact their ferry operator before travelling.

Are you affected by the dispute? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Ferry strike' in the subject heading and include your contact details.

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Nurseries 'not preparing children'

3 April 2014 Last updated at 09:01 By Hannah Richardson BBC News education and family reporter

Too many nurseries are failing to ensure children are ready to learn when they get to primary school, Ofsted's chief inspector says.

Sir Michael Wilshaw says England's poorest children are especially badly served, as only a third reach a good level of development in pre-schools.

A greater emphasis on structured learning is the answer, he says.

And he calls for schools to take the lead by providing high-quality early-years education in on-site nurseries.

The findings chime with the government's view of how to improve early-years provision.

Children's Minister Liz Truss has said repeatedly that she wants to see more teacher-led sessions in the nation's nurseries.

And she has praised nurseries in other European countries, such as France, where children take part in many teacher-led activities.

But the proposals are likely to anger some childcare experts who already argue that early education is damaging children by pushing them too hard at a young age.

Continue reading the main story

Rather than focus at the end of school, we should actually worry about what's happening at the very start of a child's life - the rot sets in early"

End Quote Sir Michael Wilshaw Ofsted

'Can't hold a pen'

In a speech launching Ofsted's first stand-alone report on early-years education, Sir Michael will highlight the gap between outcomes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and youngsters from more affluent homes.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said it was particularly important that nurseries provided good early years education in poorer areas where children tended to be less well prepared for school by their parents.

"More than two-thirds of our poorest children - and in some of our poorest communities that goes up to eight children out of 10 - go to school unprepared," he said.

"That means they can't hold a pen, they have poor language and communication skills, they don't recognise simple numbers, they can't use the toilet independently and so on."

Sir Michael added: "The corollary of not preparing children well for school is that they don't do well in reception and, if they don't do well in reception, they don't get on at key stage one, they find it difficult to read at seven, they fail at the end of primary school and that failure continues into secondary school.

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Beatrice Merrick, British Association of Early Childhood Education: ''We must not rush to formal learning too early''

"When we talk about social mobility, rather than focus at the end of school, we should actually worry about what's happening at the very start of a child's life - the rot sets in early."

He said the best provision was in "school-based nurseries and school-led nurseries" because head teachers "can track the progress of children in those school-based nurseries all the way into reception and beyond and make sure they do well".

In his speech later he will say that in some areas of the country, particularly London, "most children do well and the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged is closing".

He will add: "There is nothing inevitable about the link between poverty and failure. Indeed, we have to ask ourselves why, if this is being done well in some places, it isn't being done everywhere else."

'Chronic under-funding'

But National Day Nurseries Association head Purnima Tanuku, also appearing on Today, told Sir Michael he was "missing the most important point here".

"Your own report suggests that more than 80% of private and voluntary day nurseries are actually delivering good or outstanding quality," she added.

She said Sir Michael was "actually condemning the sector based on a very small minority.

"I'm not sure when the last time Sir Michael set foot into a private or voluntary nursery, as opposed to a nursery school.

"He would see the high quality of play-based learning and a very suitable environment."

And the Pre-School Learning Alliance, which represents 14,000 early-years providers in the private and voluntary sector, said the assertion that school-based nurseries were the best early learning environments for young children was completely misguided.

"We are at a loss to understand why Sir Michael has essentially dismissed the existing huge network of experienced, passionate group settings and childminders who currently provide excellent, and appropriate, care for young children despite chronic under-funding and a never-ending wave of ill-researched, ill-thought-out early-years policies."

A Department for Education spokesperson said starting to learn from a young age with high-quality teacher-led provision could have a real and lasting impact on children's development and life chances.

'Flexible and affordable'

"High-quality school nurseries will enable children who are behind to catch up with their peers before starting school.

"We have been clear that we want to ensure more flexible, affordable and high-quality provision is available for parents - we know many would prefer longer school nursery opening hours, mirroring the working day.

"We have already made great strides in early-years provision with the introduction of the new early-years pupil premium, strengthened early-years qualifications and encouraging schools to open from 8am to 6pm."

Ofsted inspections have already been overhauled to place a renewed focus on the extent to which providers focus on basic education for under-fives and pay attention to children's personal and emotional development.

In a letter earlier this month, Sir Michael said inspectors should observe how well early-years staff teach children to listen and be attentive, develop their ability to express ideas and use their imagination, extend children's vocabulary and teach them the early stages of mathematics and reading.

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PM: Clegg and Farage 'EU extremists'

3 April 2014 Last updated at 09:16

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Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg make their opening statements

PM David Cameron has criticised both his deputy, the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, and UKIP leader Nigel Farage, after their televised EU debate.

"The problem with this debate is that both of the people taking part actually have quite extreme views," the PM said.

Asked on BBC Breakfast whether "his man" had won, he said: "I didn't have a dog in the fight, as it were."

Mr Clegg accused Mr Farage of peddling "fantasies", but faced charges from the UKIP man of "wilfully lying" in return.

The prime minister summarised the debate by claiming that: "Nick thinks there's nothing wrong with Europe and we shouldn't have a referendum, and Nigel thinks there's nothing right with Europe and we should just get out and leave.

"They're both wrong."

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David Cameron said both Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage have ''quite extreme views'' on Europe

Mr Cameron has said he will renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU before holding an in/out referendum in 2017 - if the Conservatives win the next general election.

"That's what Britain needs, and it's what people want: a proper choice but real change in Europe and that's what these European elections should be about."

'Battle joined'

He said Mr Farage did not "recognise the fact that we've got to trade and compete in Europe".

"The problem with the UKIP view is it's sort of: 'Stop the world, I want to get off, Britain can't succeed.' It's deeply pessimistic. I'm very optimistic," Mr Cameron concluded.

Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown praised the "courage" of his successor in calling the debates, and said he had conducted them with "some skill".

No British politician for decades had "been prepared to stand up and make the positive case for Europe", he told the BBC.

YouGov's snap poll gave the debate to Mr Farage by 68% to 27%, while a poll by ICM/Guardian suggested 69% of people watching thought the UKIP man came out on top.

Lord Ashdown said: "It was always going to be a very difficult argument to win."

But he added: "This battle is now joined. The future of our country depends on it."

Wednesday's debate was the second of two broadcast debates between the two party leaders.

A YouGov/Sun poll suggested Mr Farage won their first clash last Wednesday by 57% to 36%.

The BBC's chief political correspondent Norman Smith said Mr Clegg was much more fired up than he had been last week, while Mr Farage had been more measured.

'Billy no mates'

Mr Clegg kicked off the one-hour debate - hosted by David Dimbleby - by accusing his opponent of foisting a "dangerous con" on the public by arguing for Britain's exit from the EU, telling the audience in the BBC's radio theatre "if it sounds too good to be true, it is".

He warned leaving the EU would lead to a 'Billy-no-mates Britain".

An early flashpoint was Mr Farage's support for Vladimir Putin over Syria.

The UKIP leader accused the Lib Dem leader of being "hell bent" on getting Britain involved in a war - but Mr Clegg accused him of trivialising the issue.

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Mr Clegg and Mr Farage both produced leaflets during the debate

Mr Clegg also said Mr Farage's views on Mr Putin were reminiscent of a "pub bar discussion" - and that the Russian leader could have brought the conflict in Syria to an end with "one phone call".

Poking fun at Mr Farage, the Lib Dem leader suggested the UKIP leader would claim next that "the moon landing never happened, Barack Obama is not American and Elvis is not dead".

Mr Farage said the British people had "had enough of getting involved in foreign wars".

'Making things up'

He said he did not want Britain to be part of an "expansionist" EU foreign policy, claiming that the EU wants its own "army and navy".

Mr Clegg said this was a "dangerous fantasy that is simply not true".

The pair traded verbal blows over the percentage of British laws made in Brussels, with Mr Clegg claiming it was only about 7%. He also said the European Commission only employed the same amount of staff as Derbyshire County Council.

Mr Farage told the Lib Dem leader: "When I said yes to these debates I thought you would honestly make the pro-EU case.

"By saying 7% of our laws are made in Brussels, you are wilfully lying to the British people about the extent to which we have given control of our country and our democracy and I am really shocked and surprised you would do that."

Mr Clegg hit back, accusing the UKIP leader of "making things up to make a point".

The pair again clashed on EU immigration, with Mr Farage saying it was "good for the rich because it's cheaper nannies and cheaper chauffer and cheaper gardeners but it's bad news for ordinary Britons".

The UKIP leader said the scale of immigration over recent years had "shocked" the country and increased segregation in towns and cities.

But he said the worst social impact was that "it has left the white working class effectively as an underclass, and I think that is a disaster for our society".

The Lib Dem leader suggested that Mr Farage "does not like modern Britain" and that, in contrast, he was very comfortable with it.

'Crazy Horse'

Mr Clegg attempted to mock the UKIP leader as someone who was not a serious politician.

At one point, he brandished a UKIP leaflet - featuring a picture of a Native American - which he said suggests that if the British people ignore immigration, they will "end up on a reservation".

"What are you going to say next, that you are Crazy Horse or Sitting Bull?," he asked.

Mr Farage said he did not "recognise" the leaflet and did not "endorse its sentiments".

The Lib Dem later claimed the leaflet was distributed in Lancaster and Fleetwood ahead of the 2010 election but UKIP said it was not "official" party literature.

Towards the end of the debate, the UKIP leader issued a warning about the rise of far right parties in Europe, saying: "I want the EU to end but I want it to end democratically. If it doesn't end democratically I'm afraid it will end very unpleasantly."

He used his closing statement to make a pitch for votes in May's European elections, saying: "Let's free ourselves up and in doing so let's give an example to the rest of Europe.

"I know the people are behind this. I would urge people - come and join the people's army. Let's topple the establishment who got us into this mess."

Mr Clegg sketched out a vision of Britain's future in Europe entirely at odds with his Eurosceptic opponent in his closing remarks, promising "real remedies for the way the world is today not dangerous fantasies about a bygone world that no longer exists

"And that is why I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that we remain part of the European Union because that is how we protect the Britain we love."

Conservative leader David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband declined to take part in the debate.

Tory defence minister Anna Soubry said Mr Clegg backed the status quo in Europe while Nigel Farage could not deliver the change the British public wanted.

In contrast, she said the Conservatives were "absolutely united in our desire to renegotiate with Europe and to have a referendum - and to trust the British people to make up their minds".

For Labour, shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry said voters were more concerned about "making ends meet" than the future of Europe and the party's focus was on securing a debate between Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband in the run-up to next year's general election.

The SNP said it believed in "positive engagement" with the EU and an independent Scotland would have "a seat at the top table in Europe".

Plaid Cymru said it wanted a "strong voice" for Wales at the heart of Brussels and it was concerned that Wales could be "pulled out of the EU against its own will and its own interests".

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