NHS Deaths: Health Sec Urges Police Probe

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has urged police to investigate the hundreds of deaths caused by neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital.

In the wake of a damning report into care failings at the hospital, Mr Hunt said it was "absolutely disgraceful" that nobody had been "held to account" for the premature deaths of up to 1,200 people.

"I think it's absolutely outrageous that potentially more than a thousand people lost their lives because of poor care and not a single person has been brought to book," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"This was a public inquiry that was designed to help us understand why the system didn't pick up what went wrong but I think it is absolutely disgraceful with all those things happening, whether it is doctors, nurses or managers, nobody has been held to account."

Mr Hunt said the police should look at the evidence already in the public domain and insisted it was not for him to say who was guilty and who was not.

Jeremy Hunt wants individuals to be 'brought to book'

"As a politician, I am not in a position to say this nurse is guilty, this nurse is not, and all these things have to be decided at arm's length following due process. This is about people's careers and livelihood and there has to be fairness of course," he said.

Robert Francis QC, who led the inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, uncovered a "disaster" in the standards of basic care and medical treatment for some of the most vulnerable and elderly patients.

Reporting this week, Mr Francis said there were failings at every level of the NHS and that the culture among healthcare staff must change.

He said: "What we need to avoid is yet another wholesale reorganisation of abolishing organisations and creating new ones.

"This is about how people behave when they go to work and their ability to raise concerns and be honest about what's going on in their hospitals."

Stafford Hospital victim Alan Nash died after his bowel was perforated

His comments came after it emerged there were 3,000 more deaths than expected at another five NHS trusts between 2010 and last year.

A review has been launched into Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Patients' campaigner Julie Bailey, whose elderly mother Bella died at Stafford Hospital, called for individuals in the NHS to be held accountable for the failings in care.

She said: "This is an opportunity to put down the gauntlet and say enough is enough. From today you will be held accountable for your actions - it's no good saying in the future you will be held accountable.

"We want accountability for the hundreds of deaths and the suffering our loved ones had to put up with."

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Brit Held Over Threats To Kill 200 US Students

Detectives are questioning a British man in connection with alleged threats to shoot dead 200 children at a US school.

Sky Tyne and Wear reported Northumbria Police arrested Reece Elliott, 24, from South Shields, on Friday on suspicion of making threats to kill.

An anonymous post made on Wednesday on a Facebook memorial page set up for a deceased student threatened a mass killing spree, saying: "I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

Elliott is being held at South Shields police station.

Homeland Security in the US has been informed, and the threats led schools in Warren County, Tennessee, to tighten security.

Some reports said as many as 3,000 students did not attend classes the next day.

The post said: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting him in a dumpster. Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast.

"I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Kristin Helm said its cyber crime agents are helping in the investigation and the source of the post had not been identified.

It is not yet known whether any potential prosecution will be brought in England or the US, or both.

Warren County Schools tightened security following the threats

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said: "At 2.12pm on Friday February 8, police received notification that a man had posted threatening information on Facebook.

"A 24-year-old man from South Shields has been arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and is currently in custody.

"The message is believed to have been posted on Wednesday. There is nothing to suggest it posed any physical threat to any school either here or in America."

Bobby Cox, director of Warren County Schools in Tennessee, said: "As most of you are aware we received notice of violent threats directed at Warren County High School late Wednesday evening, February 6.

"We put an action plan together with the local authorities to ensure the safety of our schools and our campuses across the system.

"We wanted to make sure that we had all the facts before we sent a mass message out via our calling system to you.

"Currently the Sheriff's Department is working with the TBI and Homeland Security to trace down the person who posted this message.

"We have increased the presence of Police and Sheriff's Deputies in our schools today and tomorrow and all schools will limit access into each building to ensure the safety of our staff and students."

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported police officers were posted to 11 schools in the area.

In December, gunman Adam Lanza killed 27 when he opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

He died at the scene and the body of his mother, Nancy Lanza, was found at his family home. She had been shot in the face.

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Horsemeat Scandal: Aldi Takes Meals Off Shelves

Who's In Charge Of Keeping Food Safe?

Updated: 1:38pm UK, Friday 08 February 2013

There are a number of different agencies responsible for food labelling and safety in the UK.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for food standards legislation in England that is principally non-safety, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitors standards that are safety based.

Food Standards Agency:

The FSA, a non-ministerial government department, is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food.

This includes food safety and hygiene, labelling for safety and allergies and food law enforcement.

It aims to:

1) make sure foods produced or sold in the UK are safe to eat

2) ensure imported food is safe to eat

3) make sure food producers and caterers give priority to consumer interests in relation to food

4) give consumers the information and understanding they need to make informed choices about where and what they eat

5) make sure regulation is effective, risk-based and proportionate, is clear about the responsibilities of food business operators, and protects consumers and their interests from fraud and other risks

6) ensure enforcement is effective, consistent, risk-based and proportionate and is focused on improving public health.

In the wake of the horsemeat scandal the FSA announced it is demanding a more comprehensive testing programme from food businesses.

Chief executive Catherine Brown said: 'Following our investigations into Findus products, the FSA is now requiring a more robust response from the food industry in order to demonstrate that the food it sells and serves is what it says it is on the label.

"We are demanding that food businesses conduct authenticity tests on all beef products, such as beef burgers, meatballs and lasagne, and provide the results to the FSA. The tests will be for the presence of significant levels of horsemeat."

There are separate FSAs for Scotland, Wales and the Irish Republic.

Defra:

In July 2010 food labelling was transferred from the FSA to Defra.

Food standards legislation sets out specific requirements for the labelling, composition and, in some cases, safety parameters for specific high value foodstuffs which are potentially at risk of being misleadingly substituted with lower quality alternatives.

The legislation makes sure consumers are not misled as to the nature of food products when it is sold to them.

It also makes the playing field level for food producers, so they have established standards they can work to when producing well known or traditional foodstuffs.

Most legislation on food standards is developed in Europe, with full involvement from UK Government officials.

Secondary legislation is then used to either implement the requirements or put in place enforcement powers, depending on the nature of the European legislation

Meat:

For a range of meat products there is legislation setting out specific compositional and labelling requirements.

The rules set out minimum meat content requirements for certain meat products sold using reserved descriptions such as sausages, burgers, corned beef, meat pies, pasties, etc.

In addition, there are very specific labelling rules for certain meat products that look like a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcass of meat.

Where any added water over certain limits as well as any added ingredients of different animal species to the rest of the meat must be mentioned in the name of the food.

Department of Health:

The DoH takes the lead on nutrition labelling police in England.

In October 2012 it announced proposals for front-of-pack nutrition labelling that displays how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories foods contain.

This is colour-coded and shows a guideline daily amount.

The advertising of food is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority.

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Child Poverty In UK: 'The Bigger Picture'

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

As many as 2.3 million children are not being included in official poverty statistics despite living "materially deprived" lives, according to a new report.

Households are currently deemed to be living below the poverty line if the money coming in is less than 60% of the average income.

But the think tank Policy Exchange says that definition is too narrow and that social deprivation should also be considered.

"It doesn't matter if you are just above the line or below the line," said the head of economics and social policy at the organisation, Matthew Oakley .

"If you have poor education, poor housing, you're struggling with family life, there's debt in the household, we should be trying to help these families... Just focusing on income clearly isn't enough."

Ruth Woodgate lives with her two daughters in the Nelson ward of Great Yarmouth, where nearly half of all children suffer poverty.

With £209 coming in each week, they are living way below the poverty line. All too often she relies on her bowl of coppers to find enough money for a loaf of bread.

"I find I'm constantly having to fight with myself not to feel bad about things because I know it isn't my fault, but the way I feel not having the money to do what I want to do for my children, to provide what I want for my children, makes me feel I'm a failure."

How child poverty is classified is being reviewed by the Government

Policy Exchange accuses politicians of increasing handouts to those not in work simply to push them above the poverty line, rather than helping them find work.

Ms Woodgate agrees: "I think it's a silly, silly mistake to make really because it's not dealing with the issues. It's just throwing money at the situation and that's not always what is needed.

"I don't need handouts, I need a job. People with alcohol and drug dependency issues don't need money, they need help to get off it."

The Government is reviewing how child poverty is classified and a consultation launched by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith ends next week.

Responding to the report, Mr Duncan Smith said: "This is exactly why we are consulting on a wider measure to capture the root causes of poverty, which include worklessness, educational failure and family breakdown.

"It is not just about money. Despite billions of pounds being paid out in tax credits in the past decade, the focus on income alone has not transformed people's lives.

"To have any real impact on tackling child poverty, we have to have a better understanding of what it means to live in poverty in the first place."

But not everyone wants a new definition. There is concern from some charities that what is an internationally recognised understanding of poverty could soon be ditched.

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Findus Beef Lasagne Meals 100% Horsemeat

Tests on Findus beef lasagne have revealed that some of the ready meals were made entirely from horsemeat.

Findus analysed 18 of its beef lasagne products and found 11 meals contained between 60% and 100% horsemeat, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.

There is no evidence to suggest the horsemeat found in the Findus beef lasagne is a food safety risk, the FSA said.

However, the agency has ordered urgent tests on the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone. Meat from animals treated with "bute" is not allowed to enter the food chain in Britain as it may pose a risk to human health.

All food companies have been told to test their beef products, with the FSA saying it was "highly likely" that criminal activity was to blame for the contamination.

Consumers who have purchased the ready meals - produced by French food supplier Comigel on behalf of Findus - have been advised by the FSA not to eat them and return them to the shop they were bought from.

Retail giant Tesco and discount chain Aldi have already withdrawn a range of ready meals produced by Comigel over fears they contained contaminated meat.

Findus UK has already started a full recall of its lasagne products. It withdrew its 320g, 360g and 500g lasagne meals from supermarket shelves as a precautionary measure earlier this week.

It came after Comigel alerted Findus and Aldi that their products "do not conform to specification".

It advised them to remove Findus beef lasagne and Aldi's Today's Special frozen beef lasagne and Today's Special frozen spaghetti bolognese.

Shoppers who have bought the product can get a full refund, says Findus

Findus UK apologised to customers "for any inconvenience caused" - and said anyone who bought the affected lasagne products could get a full refund.

A spokesman said: "We understand this is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue.

"We are confident that we have fully resolved this supply chain issue. Fully compliant beef lasagne will be in stores again soon."

Tesco also decided to withdraw its Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese, which is produced at the same Comigel site.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are aware of the results of the Findus tests and we will of course assist Findus with their recall process.

"Tests on our frozen Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese product are ongoing under our new DNA testing programme. We will inform our customers of the results as soon as possible."

The FSA, Defra and the Department of Health are working with businesses and trade bodies to enforce food safety and assess whether there are significant levels of improperly described meat in a whole series of processed beef products in the UK, including supplies to schools and hospitals.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "The presence of unauthorised ingredients cannot be tolerated ... the responsibility and for the safety and authenticity of food lies with those who produce it, and who sell or provide it to the final consumer."

Labour has accused ministers of being "asleep on the job" and has called for a police investigation into what it believes is fraud.

Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said she was "shocked and appalled" by the latest revelations.

She told Sky News: "The time has come for government ministers to pull their heads out of the sand and to take some swift action.

"We have had three weeks of damaging revelations about what is happening in the meat industry ... there is evidence that criminal gangs are involved in this, and frankly I cannot believe that the Government hasn't called in the police to investigate this in the UK.

"I don't see how we get to the bottom of it without getting in specialist teams and working out who is behind this fraud and why it is happening."

People must have confidence that the food they buy is properly labelled, legal and safe to eat, she added.

Anyone who has purchased a Findus beef lasagne can call the firm's UK customer care line on 0800 132584, those in the Republic of Ireland, 1800 800500, or email careline@findus.co.uk for a full refund.

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Salford Crash: Two Die As Parked Cars Hit

Two people have died in a crash involving seven vehicles in Greater Manchester.

Police were originally called to reports of an aggravated burglary taking place at a house in Farnworth where a red Audi was stolen.

The vehicle was spotted a few minutes later by a police patrol car travelling in the opposite direction.

Officers turned around in an effort to pursue the car but immediately lost sight of the vehicle.

A few minutes later, police received reports that the Audi had collided with parked cars in Leigh Road, Boothstown, Salford, and that the vehicle had exploded in flames.

The accident happened on this street in Salford, Manchester

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers attended the scene with firefighters from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and two people were pronounced dead at the scene."

A number of homes on Leigh Road were also damaged during the collision.

Police said they had been working with fire crews to ensure the properties affected were "made safe".

They said inquiries were ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the collision.

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Mother Killed In Hinckley Shooting Named

A mother-of-two killed in a shooting in Leicestershire has been named by police.

Hayley Pointon, 30, died from a single gunshot wound at an address in Hinckley on Sunday night.

Police leading the investigation have appealed for witnesses who may have seen two hooded men nearby at the time of the shooting.

Detective Superintendent Tom Davies said: "Hayley's death has left two young children without a mother and it is vital that those involved are dealt with.

"We are still keen to speak to anyone who saw two men in the area at the time.

"The men both had their hoods up and were said to have left the scene in a dark car that was parked in the street.

"If you were in the area or you have any information about the incident or the events leading up to it, please come forward."

Three men have so far been arrested in connection with the shooting, including a 26-year-old man who has been released without charge.

The other two, who are aged 29 and 36, have been released on bail pending further investigation. Ms Pointon was from the Coventry area.

:: Anyone with information is urged to call Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Elderly Woman Struck And Killed By Tram

An elderly woman has died following a collision with a tram in Failsworth, Greater Manchester.

The victim, in her 80s, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Wednesday evening.

Shortly before 10.45pm, police were called to a Metrolink line near Old Road, following reports of a collision.

Officers found that a pedestrian, the elderly woman, had been struck by a tram.

The Metrolink line in the area was closed for the remainder of Wednesday evening, but services have now resumed.

Police have appealed to anyone with information to come forward.

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Dale Cregan Trial: Hearing Gets Under Way

The trial of a man accused of murdering two women police officers begins today.

Dale Cregan, 29, is accused of killing PCs Nicola Hughes, 23, and Fiona Bone, 32, in a gun and grenade attack on September 18 last year.

He is also accused of the murders of David Short, 46, and his son Mark, 23, last summer.

Cregan denies four charges of murder, four of attempted murder and one of causing an explosion.

The trial will take place amid one of the tightest security operations ever mounted for a court case, with more than 150 police officers surrounding Preston Crown Court.

Some are armed with automatic weapons, while marksmen have been seen perched on the top of nearby buildings during previous hearings.

Security surrounding the court is tight

Cregan will appear in the dock alongside nine alleged associates.

They deny a range of offences including murder, attempted murder, causing an explosion, possessing a firearm and assisting an offender.

The jury for the 12-week trial was sworn in earlier this week and the lawyers have spent three days locked in legal argument about the details of the case.

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Alan Greaves: Funeral For Attacked Organist

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

The widow of a man who was killed on his way to midnight mass has told Sky News they had a "truly wonderful marriage".

Church organist Alan Greaves, 68, was attacked on Christmas Eve as he made the short walk from his home to his church in Sheffield.

Speaking ahead of his funeral, Maureen Greaves said: "His death was a very great shock and I wasn't prepared for it. I wasn't expecting him to die.

"The fact that the community have responded so well has been a comfort.

"He truly was a gentleman and he was someone whose love and compassion came over very clearly to people."

The couple both worked for Church Army and gave up huge amounts of time helping and supporting others.

Just weeks before his death, Mr Greaves had helped establish a new food bank project for those in need in South Yorkshire.

His widow said: "Obviously the house is full of memories. One of the saddest memories is that the piano has fallen silent.

"It is not something I'm going to get rid of, I will keep it and Alan's two daughters can play the piano and one day one of them might inherit it."

The couple got married in Sheffield in 1972 and had four children together.

The couple were married for 40 years

Mrs Greaves added: "I can look back on 40 years that have been really truly wonderful, even with all its disappointments and things that happen in any marriage.

"It wasn't a perfect marriage, but it was a marriage that was perfect in the fact that we stayed in love with each other."

Since the murder, the family has been touched by the groundswell of support from people affected by his death.

Mrs Greaves said: "It has been very overwhelming and humbling.

"Whenever I have walked on the streets people have come to me to give me a hug to say how sorry they are and especially to ask if they can do anything for me.

"Some people that have done that I know well - others have been complete strangers."

She has written the eulogy to her husband and plans to read it at his funeral at St Saviour's Church in the High Green area of Sheffield.

Two men have been charged with murder.

Jonathon Bowling, 22, and 21-year-old Ashley Foster have both been remanded in custody as the case goes through the courts.

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Poverty Blamed For Increase In Child Neglect

Nine out of 10 teachers, police officers and social workers come into contact with children they suspect are being neglected - but 40% feel powerless to intervene, according to new research.

The report by Action for Children also reveals that members of the public who would like to see more support when reporting such concerns has almost doubled in three years to 44%.

The study found that a third of the public who had concerns about a child did not tell anyone - mainly because they did not think they had enough evidence - while 15% were worried of repercussions.

Some 14% of professionals have reported a rise in suspected child neglect over the past year and of these, nearly three-quarters believed a deterioration in parenting skills was a contributing factor to the increase.

Lisa Nandy: 'These figures may be the tip of the iceberg'

Two-thirds believed greater poverty was to blame and more than half blamed family breakdowns.

The report is one of the most comprehensive reviews into child neglect; the second in an annual series by the University of Stirling. Six thousand members of the public, a range of professionals and 27 local authorities took part in the research.

Dame Clare Tickell, the charity's chief executive, said: "It is of grave concern that one in every 10 children could be suffering neglect.

"We know that early help has the potential to transform the lives of children and families, yet today's report tells us that the public aren't being given the know-how they need and professionals' best efforts are being hindered by stretched budgets and a lack of resources.

"With more and more families struggling, vulnerable children are falling through the cracks of a child protection system that is failing some of those who need it most - sometimes with tragic consequences."

Action for Children is calling on the Government to introduce a website with a post code function to enable the public to seek the most appropriate help at the earliest opportunity for children they are worried about.

The charity is also asking the Government to meet its commitment to putting measures in place to support professionals to make decisions whether and when to intervene.

Shadow minister for children and young people, Lisa Nandy said: "It's shocking that so many more children are facing neglect and ill-treatment than this time last year.

"Over the last 12 months we've seen a sharp rise in factors that put stress on families, like poverty and homelessness.

"At the same time the Government is cutting funding to local councils, piling more pressure on social workers who are already struggling with record numbers of children being taken into care.

"These figures may just be the tip of the iceberg. This report should act as a wake-up call."

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Gay Marriage: MPs Back Bill In Commons Vote

A Battle Worth Fighting?

Updated: 11:30pm UK, Tuesday 05 February 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

After gay marriage was backed by MPs with a thumping majority of 225, Tory MPs for and against it both hailed the result as a victory.

Those Conservatives who support the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill claimed they were delighted by the margin in favour, 400 votes to 175.

But opponents claimed victory because more Conservative MPs voted against the bill than in favour, 136 to 126, with 41 abstentions.

So who has cause to celebrate?

Those supporters of the bill to whom I spoke after the vote - including Margot James, Mike Freer and Nick Herbert - claim the big majority in favour means the bill is well on course to becoming law, because the size of the majority will send a powerful signal to the House of Lords.

But opponents - including Tim Loughton, Sir Gerald Howarth and David Burrowes - told me the fight is only just beginning and will now move to the committee stage in the Commons and then the Lords, where the bishops will join the opposition.

Despite loyalists insisting this was a free vote, a conscience vote and therefore neither a rebellion nor a threat to David Cameron's authority, the deep split among Conservative MPs is a personal humiliation for the Prime Minister.

Only an hour or so before the vote, he made an 11th-hour TV appeal to wavering Tory MPs. But it flopped badly. I don't know if it was just a coincidence, but until the PM appeared on TV most of the speeches from the Tory back benches I heard seemed to be in support of the bill. Afterwards, they all seemed to be pretty hostile.

The arithmetic shows that 47 out of 119 members of the so-called payroll Vote (that's ministers and Parliamentary Private Secretaries) failed to support the Prime Minister in the Aye lobby (about 40%).

Among his backbenchers 129 out of 184 (about 70%) failed to support him.

Owen Paterson was the only Cabinet minister to vote against the bill, though Philip Hammond made himself scarce and - oddly - Attorney General Dominic Grieve didn't vote either, despite sitting in the Commons chamber for large parts of the debate.

But several middle ranking and junior ministers defied the PM and voted against, including Michael Fallon, John Hayes, Greg Knight, David Lidington, Esther McVey, Mike Penning, John Randall and Andrew Robathan.

Also voting against were grandees Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Liam Fox, 1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady, serial rebel David Davis and the darling of the tearoom plotters, Adam Afriyie.

Of the 20 or so Labour MPs voting against the bill, the vast majority were Roman Catholics and the four Lib Dems voting against included Methodist lay preacher Sir Alan Beith.

During the debate, Sir Gerald Howarth - sacked from his job as a defence minister last September - proudly declared: "I am not a moderniser!"

When I interviewed him later he proudly described himself as "a traditionalist".

And that sums up the split: Modernisers v Traditionalists.

They can't both win this battle. And if Mr Cameron does win it, it may be at a heavy price: Tory voters and activists deserting him and defecting into the welcoming arms of UKIP and more dissent, mutiny and plotting among his malcontent MPs.

He insists it's a price worth paying because backing gay marriage is the right thing to do.

But many of his MPs - whether supporters or opponents of gay marriage - question his judgement and wonder whether it is a battle worth fighting.

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Household Water Bills To Rise By 3.5%

The average household water and sewerage bill in England and Wales is set to increase by 3.5%, regulator Ofwat said.

The average cost of a water and sewerage bill will rise to £388 from April 2013 to March 2014 - 0.5% above the rate of inflation.

Customers in southeast England face the biggest rise of  £23 a year.

The South West is close behind with a £22 increase, while families in Yorkshire will pay around £12 more a year.

Customers' bills are helping to pay for a £25bn investment programme to improve the water supply.

Ofwat chief executive Regina Finn said: "Back in 2009, companies wanted bills rises of 10% above inflation.

"That didn't chime with what customers told us they wanted, so we said they could only increase bills in line with inflation.

"We understand that there is huge pressure on household incomes, and any rise is unwelcome. Inflation is driving these increases.

Ms Finn said the regulator will ensure companies keep their promises on investments.

"We will make sure customers get value for money and if companies fall short in delivering their investment promises, we will take action," she said.

"In the past seven years, we have made companies pay out around £550m where they have under performed."

The new charges will vary for households depending on their supplier and whether they have a water meter, Ofwat said.

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Savile Police Arrest Man, 65, In South London

Police investigating allegations linked to Jimmy Savile and others have arrested a 65-year-old on suspicion of sexual offences.

Officers arrested the man at a house in South London on Tuesday and he remained in police custody.

The allegations are not directly related to any of Savile's offences, police said.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "He falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'. We are not prepared to discuss the matter further."

Scotland Yard is leading a national investigation, called Operation Yewtree, into allegations against disgraced television presenter Savile and a number of other high-profile figures.

They have separated the inquiry into three strands: claims against Savile, those involving Savile and others and those involving others.

Most of the allegations relating to "others" have been made against people associated with the entertainment industry, including ex-glam rocker Gary Glitter and comedian Freddie Starr.

So far, some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal, with 450 of them alleging they were sexually abused by former Top Of The Pops presenter Savile.

Of those making complaints about the late DJ, 73% were children at the time of the offences.

A report released last month revealed that Savile's victims included an eight-year-old boy and children who were seriously ill.

Branded one of the UK's most prolific known sexual predators, Savile now has 214 criminal offences recorded against his name, including 34 rapes.

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MoD Attacked For 'Flawed' Jet Decision

The Ministry of Defence has been strongly criticised for its "flawed" decision to switch fighter aircraft for the Royal Navy's new carriers.

The Commons defence committee attacked the move to adopt the joint strike fighter instead of the jump jet back in 2010.

At the time, ministers had said the model would be more capable and increase compatibility with other navies - even though it mean mothballing one of the two carriers to save money.

But last May, the MoD went into reverse and returned to the jump jet version due to fears the cost of fitting equipment was spiralling out of control.

The defence committee said the original decision was a mistake that had led to higher costs and further delays to the carrier programme.

"It is clear that the decision was rushed and based upon incomplete and inaccurate policy development. It was taken without the MoD understanding how the change could be implemented," the committee said.

"Perhaps the primary example of how little the MoD understood about this decision is the fact that it was supposed to improve interoperability. This turned out to be incorrect.

"We urge the MoD to learn the lessons of this closed, rushed and flawed decision of 2010."

The report also complained that the lack of a proper defence industrial strategy put the UK at a disadvantage compared with competitor countries.

Defence equipment minister Philip Dunne said the MoD's newly published 10-year equipment plan would ensure the armed forces get the hardware they need in the years ahead.

"The increased financial contingency will help cover future risk and make our equipment programme affordable," he said.

"There is also greater information for industry about our priorities, helping them to invest in the future capabilities our troops need," he said.

Mr Dunne insisted that the switch to the F-35B version of the US-built joint strike fighter had been "right at the time".

"Unacceptable cost growth, technical risk and project delays" meant the decision to revert to the jump jet was "in the best interest of defence", he argued.

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said: "This is another blow to the country's confidence in the Government's competence on defence.

"Days after confusion and contradiction on defence spending, the chaos of the aircraft carrier decision is laid bare.

"This wasted time and money led to a serious capability gap and exposed lacking knowledge of defence procurement.

"The UK has paid at least an extra £100m to have no aircraft to fly from an aircraft carrier for years."

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Undercover Police 'Stole' Dead Children's IDs

Undercover police officers working for the Metropolitan Police assumed the identities of dead children and were issued fake passports in their names, it has been claimed.

Britain's largest police force allegedly carried out the practice for three decades without consulting or informing the children's parents.

According to a report in The Guardian, officers would scan national birth and death records to find the identities to use for undercover work infiltrating protest groups.

The newspaper claimed the technique was adopted to lend credibility to officers working undercover and provide them with a back story while spying. It said some officers had used the identities for 10 years.

It is claimed as many as 80 officers used such identities between 1968 and 1994.

Scotland Yard said a formal complaint had been made but that the Metropolitan police would not "currently" authorise such a system.

One officer told the newspaper that he felt like he was "stomping on the grave" of the four-year-old boy whose identity he adopted.

He said: "A part of me was thinking about how I would feel if someone was taking the names and details of my dead son for something like this."

Keith Vaz said the practice would "distress" families of the dead children

Another told how he had adopted the identity of an eight-year-old boy who died from leukaemia in 1968.

A third officer, who used the identity of a child car crash victim, said he was conscious the parents would "still be grief-stricken" but argued his actions could be justified because they were for the "greater good".

The officers worked for the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which was apparently disbanded in 2008.

Keith Vaz, the chairman of parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, which will hear evidence about undercover policing on Tuesday, said he was shocked at the "gruesome" practice.

He told The Guardian: "It will only cause enormous distress to families who will discover what has happened concerning the identities of their dead children."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "A formal complaint has been received which is being investigated by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and we appreciate the concerns that have been raised.

"The DPS inquiry is taking place in conjunction with Operation Herne's investigation into the wider issue of past arrangements for undercover identities used by Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) officers.

"We can confirm that the practice referred to in the complaint is not something that would currently be authorised in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)."

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Most-Wanted Foreigners Hiding In UK Named

A list of the most-wanted high-risk foreign fugitives believed to be hiding in Britain - including three suspected murderers and an accused rapist - has been released.

The list of 17 people, who are wanted by authorities in other European countries but are thought to be in the UK, has been unveiled by Scotland Yard and Crimestoppers.

It is the third Operation Sunfire campaign and includes the search for 32-year-old Dritan Rexhepi, who is wanted over a double murder in Albania and has links to London, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Edvinas Judinskas, 19, is accused of murder in his native Lithuania over an attack where a gang forced their way in to a flat and beat the occupant to death with a metal rod and wooden chair leg.

He has links to Woolwich in southeast London, Reading and Greater Manchester - specifically Bury and Bolton.

The list also includes Evaldas Rabikauskas, 29, who is wanted in Lithuania over the rape of a teenager in 2007 and has links to Hackney in north London and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire.

Wanted: Pawel Jakob Chmielorz, Svetlana Mironenkova and Karol Koczmara

Roger Critchell, director of operations for Crimestoppers, said: "The purpose of Operation Sunfire is to track down and arrest murderers, violent robbers, drug traffickers and other criminals hiding in the UK.

"Crimestoppers is supporting this Metropolitan Police operation so that these individuals can be put before the extradition courts to face justice abroad and no longer be a threat to this country.

"Non-national fugitives hiding overseas in countries such as this are a threat to local communities as they most often remain involved in criminal activity and are a danger to those around them.

"We want these criminals off British soil and back to the countries where they have committed these heinous crimes so that justice may be served."

Detective Sergeant Peter Rance, who is leading the operation, warned the public not to approach the fugitives.

He said: "Today I'm asking the public, do you recognise these faces? Maybe you know where these people live, work or socialise?

"They are wanted to face justice for a multitude of crimes in other countries and it is in the UK's interests to help find them."

Anyone with information on the most-wanted is urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police said anyone who sees one of the 17 suspects should not approach them but call 999 instead.

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Richard III: Is This The Skull Of Dead King?

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

Archaeologists are to reveal whether battle scarred remains excavated from beneath a council car park in Leicester are that of King Richard III.

Their findings will be made public later. Experts have hinted at compelling evidence that suggests an historic breakthrough has been made.

Officials from the University of Leicester have released the first image of the skull, unearthed during a three week dig, from what's believed to have been the choir of Greyfriars Church.

Historical records show the long-lost church was the burial site of the monarch, following his brutal death at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

The remains were discovered on day one of the excavations.

Archaeologists are due to announce the results of the investigations in front of more than 140 journalists from across the world.

They have produced a three dimensional image of the body including a facial reconstruction.

The remains were exhumed in September

Dr Jo Appleby, from the University's School of Archaeology and Ancient History, led the exhumation of the remains in September 2012.

He said: "The skull was in good condition, although fragile, and was able to give us detailed information about this individual. It has been CT scanned at high resolution in order to allow us to investigate interesting features in as much details as possible.

"In order to determine whether this individual is Richard III we have built up a biological profile of its characteristics. We have also closely examined the skeleton for signs of a violent death."

The skeleton showed evidence of what is believed battle trauma and scoliosis, abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, signs that suggest it may be the remains of the medieval monarch.

It is not clear whether archaeologists will have the long awaited DNA results. But radiocarbon dating tests will help give clue to the time of death. Results from mineralised dental plaque will reveal information about diet, health and lifestyle.

The earliest surviving portrait of Richard III

It is understood that tests are on-going to verify the lineage of Michael Ibsen, who is thought to be descended from Richard III's sister, Anne of York. His DNA is being compared to samples extracted from the remains.

Shakespeare portrayed Richard III as a deformed tyrant. Modern historians argue that the King was the victim of Tudor propaganda. He was the last Plantagenet monarch, a Yorkist defeated in battle by Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII.

Today's news conference could help restore the reputation of one of British history's most maligned figures.

Archaeologist initially described their dig as "a long shot" - but now it seems they are on the verge of revealing the true identity of the King of the car park.

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Justice Minister Says He Smacked Own Children

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has defended parents' right to smack their children - and admitted he did it to his own.

The Conservative Cabinet minister said he was not opposed to smacking youngsters, saying sometimes it "sends a message".

Mr Grayling has two children, aged 20 and 16, with his wife Susan.

He admitted to occasionally smacking them when they were younger.

"You chastise children when they are bad, as my parents did me," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"I'm not opposed to smacking. It is to be used occasionally. Sometimes it sends a message - but I don't hanker for the days when children were severely beaten at school."

Following his comments, sources close to the minister said he used the punishment only when "really warranted".

In a statement the NSPCC said: "Whilst parents are currently allowed to smack their children, the evidence is continuing to build that it is ineffective and harmful to children.

"There are more positive and constructive ways to discipline children and a clear message that hitting anyone is not right would benefit all of society."

In his interview with the Mail on Sunday, Mr Grayling also reiterated commitments he made soon after taking up the ministerial post to ban perks for prisoners like ending automatic early release for inmates who misbehave during their sentence.

He told the newspaper: "I want prisons to be spartan, but humane, a place people don't have a particular desire to come back to."

He also said he would not tolerate gay couples in prison sharing a cell.

"It is not acceptable to allow same-sex couples to effectively move in together and live a domestic life. If such a thing happened, I would want those prisoners put in separate prisons."

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Stafford Hospital Inquiry Will Demand Changes

By David Crabtree, Sky News Correspondent

A report into the quality of care provided by one NHS Trust will call for sweeping changes to how the nation's hospitals are run and regulated.

Hospitals could face fines or be closed down for falling foul of new standards, while patient organisations could be given stronger powers to make sure their voices are heard.

The recommendations will be made by Robert Francis QC, who chaired an independent public inquiry into patient care at Stafford Hospital and will publish his findings this week.

Up to 1,200 people may have died needlessly between 2005 and 2009, and the organisations and individuals who were in charge at the time will face severe criticism.

A previous report by Mr Francis condemned the hospital, saying the most basic elements of care were neglected.

Patients were left lying in soiled sheets and some remained unwashed for up to a month, while pain relief was provided late or not at all.

He said some patients were discharged before it was appropriate, only to be readmitted shortly afterwards, while food and drinks were left out of reach of patients, who were forced to rely on family members for their care.

The inquiry into what went wrong at Stafford Hospital has cost £11m

The previous report found the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust was obsessed with targets, cost cutting and processes.

After its publication in 2010, patients and families called for a full independent public inquiry, the results of which are now imminent.

Julie Bailey, who led the fight for the inquiry after her mother died at the hospital, said: "This is about making sure that this is never allowed to happen again.

"This is to make sure that each hospital is safe and that each person who puts their loved ones into a hospital can be sure they are getting proper care and not being neglected or in a place which is dangerously out of control.

"It has been a long and tough road to get this public inquiry. I hope those involved are duly criticised and that in the future, proper regulations are put into place to make sure that patients come before targets and costs."

Complaints continue to be made at Stafford Hospital. Only last week it emerged that a baby had been found with a dummy taped to his mouth in an intensive care unit.

Doreen Duff died in Stafford Hospital five years ago

James Duff lost his wife Doreen at the hospital in 2008. She suffered a stroke and lost the use of her left side before she was admitted.

"When she came out, she was paralysed from the neck down," Mr Duff said. "She couldn't speak and everything had gone. That was all down to lack of care at Stafford Hospital.

"After all that has gone on and what the relatives have been through, it is still going on. Complaints are still being made about Stafford Hospital."

The NHS Trust has defended itself against allegations of recent bad practice.

Dr Charles Spencer, the trust's medical director, apologised for past events which he said were unacceptable.

However, he added: "We have made huge changes to treatments at Stafford and Cannock Hospitals in the last four years.

"That is recognised by the fact that we are among the 20 safest hospitals in the country for patient mortality. Our infections are down our patient satisfaction is up."

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Blackpool Stab Death: Teen 'Received Threat'

A 16-year-old girl whose body was found burning in an alley had recently received a death threat in an email, a friend of the teen has told Sky News.

Sasha Marsden's body was set on fire after she had died from stab wounds to the head and face, a post-mortem examination has found.

Herr friend, Stephanie Kyle, told Sky News of a threat received by Sasha, which she said police had been told about.

"She got an email saying her time was going to come very soon," she said.

"Obviously this happened, and she's gone and ... we don't know why."

Police released this image of Sasha

Police cordoned off the area in South Shore, Blackpool, after her body was discovered at 9pm on Thursday.

A 22-year-old man was arrested nearby and police have been granted more time to question him.

A woman aged 20 was also held but later released without charge.

A police spokesman said: "Following the death of Sasha Marsden, a Home Office post-mortem examination has been carried out and has found that Sasha died as a result of receiving significant stab wounds to the head and face.

"It also showed that attempts were made to set the body on fire and this was after Sasha had died.

The teenager was on a childcare course at college

"The results have been shared with the family, and specially trained officers are continuing to support them."

On Friday, crime scene investigators carried out forensic searches of the alley behind Kirby Road and at the Grafton House bed-and-breakfast hotel on the same road, which is a few streets off the Promenade.

Carl Evans, owner of the nearby Kimber Guest House, told Sky News he spotted the fire when he walked out into his back garden on Thursday evening.

"I heard the alarms going and saw the smoke, but I thought it was just someone burning rubbish," he said.

The crime scene in Blackpool has been cordoned off by police

He added that some residents had attempted to put out the flames before realising it was a body on fire.

"The lass two doors up said someone seemed to have put something out - like a mannequin - but it turned out to be the body of a 16-year-old girl."

Sasha was in the first year of a childcare course at Blackpool and The Fylde College and lived with her parents in nearby Staining.

Paying tribute, Mandy Pritchard, head of the college's school for society, health and childhood, said she was "a friendly, considerate individual who cared about her fellow students".

Numerous tributes were paid to the youngster on a Facebook page set up in her memory.

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