Reception Children Face Compulsory Tests

Four-year-old children will have to sit tests when they start primary school under new Government plans.

The compulsory tests, designed to measure each child's level of development at the start of their formal schooling, will come into force by 2016 under the new proposals.

It comes after a Department for Education (DfE) consultation last year which proposed a "baseline assessment" in primary schools in order to measure how children have progressed by age 11.

The tests are to be carefully crafted to estimate a child's academic abilities in very basic literacy, reasoning and cognition, rather than testing their knowledge as in a traditional exam.

As a result, it is believed the current key stage one tests that take place at the end of year two, when most pupils are aged seven, will be scrapped.

The Government is soon expected to shortly announce the results of the consultation and reveal the new reception class test, which was first reported in The Times newspaper.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We have consulted on our proposed primary school assessment and accountability measures and we are considering our response."

Some educational campaigners fear the tests for the younger age group will place children under undue stress.

Deborah Lawson, general secretary of Voice The Union - a union representing education professionals, told Sky News: "I want to know what is the purpose? Why should we be putting children at a younger and younger age through a testing regime.

"I think also we have to remember that developmentally is this the right thing for young children?"

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Flooding: PM's 'Enormous Sympathy' For Victims

David Cameron has admitted a "long-term" action plan is needed to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on communities.

With heavy rain, large waves and strong winds expected to create a "significant risk to life" in parts of south and west England this weekend, the Prime Minister said he had "enormous sympathy" for people whose homes had been swamped.

He insisted the Government was doing "everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible".

However, he admitted there was work to do, especially in Somerset, where some residents remain cut off after the wettest January on record.

In a letter to the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "Like everybody across the country I feel enormous sympathy for the people who live on the Somerset Levels and are suffering from the devastating impact of the flooding."

He added: "We need long-term action to reduce the risk of this happening again. That is why (Environment Secretary) Owen Paterson is working with the Environment Agency (EA) and local agencies in Somerset to deliver a robust plan for the next 20 years.

"Flooding wreaks havoc in communities and businesses. And the impact on people's lives cannot be underestimated.

"I want to reassure people in Somerset that I am making sure everything that can be done is being done - every resource is being made available to keep Somerset moving and make it a prosperous place for those that live and work there."

The Somerset Levels have seen weeks of flooding this winter

The Prime Minister said plans to dredge rivers will begin "as soon it is safe to do so" and the EA will spend "the coming months improving river flows" across the south west, dredging and weed clearance.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has claimed a lack of river dredging for the past 40 years has worsened the impact of the flooding in Somerset.

"The EA decided to abandon the dredging for the sake of the river bank and they sold the wonderful dredging machines for scrap," said the dairy farmer.

"Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago. This (flooding) is the result of that decision."

He said it only used to be that the area flooded every 20 years. "There is flooding every year now; it's a serious disaster, a serious problem. It's impossible to live there and run the whole dairy industry.

"We've been campaigning for years to get this sorted out. Finally, I think the Prime Minister is going to deal with it and get the money to do the job, but it's taken a long time to get there.".

Mr Eavis, who farms at Pilton, on the edge of the Somerset Levels, spoke out after its was announced that Prince Charles will visit flood-stricken communities in the South West.

The visit, on Tuesday, had been planned in advance of the floods for Charles to learn how communities coped with similar problems in 2012.

He is likely to receive a warmer reception than Environment Secretary Owen Paterson who received a hostile reaction from locals when he visited on Monday.

Residents said they were living in "Third World" conditions - with "overflowing" septic tanks and water in their homes.

Emergency workers help people leave the cut-off village of Muchelney

Military personnel are currently on standby to move in to flood-hit Somerset, with further heavy rain and high tides due to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours.

An amber severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for southwest England, parts of which have been flooded for more than a month.

The public has been warned of significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, said: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain... falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend.

"And with that, ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent its 7.5-ton Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater.

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Baby Boy's Death: Mother Arrested In Oldham

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police are questioning a mother on suspicion of murdering her seven-week-old baby in Oldham.

The 23-year-old mother's partner, a man aged 35, and the couple's lodger, a 26-year-old man, have also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries last Saturday.

Hospital staff contacted police and the child's mother and her partner were originally arrested on suspicion of assault.

Following the baby's death and the results of a postmortem examination they were re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

Along with their lodger they are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All three remain in police custody.

The infant died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Detectives are searching the house where the child lived in the Clarksfield area of Oldham.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the child's father.

Detective Inspector Andy Cunliffe from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This is a tragic case in which a very young baby has lost his life.

"We are determined to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to him suffering such injuries.

"News of the death of such a little boy will no doubt come as a great shock to people.

"And I would like to try to reassure the community as much as I can that we have a team of detectives dedicated to working on this investigation, and they will today be interviewing the three people in our custody.

"If anyone has any information at all that they believe may assist us with our enquiries, then please get in touch and tell us what you know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP's Major Incident Team on 0161 856 1722 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Cameron and Hollande To Hold EU 'Pub Summit'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

David Cameron will try to persuade Francois Hollande to back his plans for EU reform later when he takes the French president for a pub lunch in his Oxfordshire constituency.

The Prime Minister needs support if he wants to secure his promise to roll back EU red tape by renegotiating Britain's relationship with Europe.

He plans to hold a referendum on EU membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election. He has been under intense pressure from Eurosceptic backbenchers.

But sources close to the French president have said it is "very, very unlikely" he would agree to treaty changes under that timetable.

Mr Hollande knows that he will be under electoral pressure in 2017 as he faces French elections.

Mrs Cameron will not meet Mr Hollande, who split from Valerie Trierweiler

The discussion could overshadow the Anglo-French summit in which the two countries will sign up to deeper cooperation between their defence, civil nuclear and space industries.

Among the agreements will be a £120m feasibility study into a joint programme to build a fleet of unarmed combat drones.

But the discussions are likely to turn to Europe after the formal meetings at Brize Norton end.

Tensions may be high after sources close to the president chose the eve of the summit to attack Britain's hopes to repatriate powers from the EU. They warned UK demands were unreasonable and could be damaging.

British officials played down the rift, insisting it was positive the French were now talking about when reform took place, and not if.

A source said he was expecting an "entente tres cordiale" - with deepening ties in a number of industries.

He said the fact the summit was taking place on the centenary of the first world war would be a reminder of the UK and France's historic ties.

The Prime Minister would use the lunch discussion to argue for a "flexibility and the importance of competitiveness" in Europe.

He insisted that Mr Cameron was "optimistic", saying questions were once around whether there was a need for treaty change.

There was now a growing acceptance that would be required, he added.

"Each country will bring to the table it's own perspectives and we will bring ours."

Other agreements will include the £500m joint purchase of anti-ship missiles.

There will also be discussions about the possibility of a joint expeditionary force, a chance to look at a mock-up of a combat drone and discussions about civil nuclear after a deal in which French giant EDF will build a new power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

Mr Cameron will also be meeting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later

Mr Cameron wants British SME's to be involved in the industry's supply chain.

Despite holding the summit close to his Oxfordshire home, Mr Cameron has not invited his wife, Samantha.

It was perhaps considered best after Mr Hollande ended a seven-year relationship with Valerie Trierweiler following reports of an affair with actress Julie Gayet.

The former First Lady of France said learning of the affair made her feel like she had "fallen from a skyscraper".

After the lunch, Mr Cameron will return to Brize Norton for a second bilateral with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is in Britain as part of a concerted effort to get European leaders to take action to end the crisis in neighbouring Ukraine.

But Mr Tusk could also air anger about comments by the Prime Minister about banning Polish immigrants from claiming child benefit that they send back home.

The comments were part of a drive by Mr Cameron to deliver a tougher message on Eastern European immigration.

But Mr Tusk hit back saying he would block any attempts to overhaul access to benefits for migrants that "stigmatise any particular national minority".

"Nobody has the right to single out Poles as a particular group that abuses or exploits something," he said.

Mr Cameron called his Polish counterpart to insist his call for reforms were meant for all European countries.

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Madeleine McCann Cops Hunt Resort Workers

British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance have asked their Portuguese counterparts to search the homes and bank accounts of three suspects.

A Scotland Yard team led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood made the request during meetings about new leads in the case with senior members of Portugal's Policia Judiciaria earlier this week.

Investigators believe the trio were workers at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, where the McCann family were staying in 2007 and were behind a string of burglaries in the weeks before Madeleine, then three, went missing.

Former Ocean Club worker Nelson Rodrigues, told Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt that employees at the complex would have had the perfect opportunity to snatch a child.

Nelson Rodrigues speaks to Sky's Martin Brunt

He said: "Yes, you could suspect (them). The workers there know the shifts and the hours when people are at home or not at home.

"It's waiters, barmen, people from maintenance, reception, the cleaners - it's a lot of staff."

In May 2007, when the McCanns were holidaying in the Algarve, there were some 160 people working at the family resort.

There were around 160 workers at the Ocean Club when Madeleine vanished

One expat apartment owner told Sky News that he had property stolen about a month before Madeleine disappeared and that others had been targeted.

He said there was no sign of forced entry at his property and he suspected that the thieves might have had access to a key.

The man spoke to British police 18 months ago - suggesting that their renewed probe has been focused on Ocean Club employees almost since it began.

British Police visited Faro, near Praia da Luz where the McCanns stayed

Paul Luckman, editor of the expat Portugal News, has been following the latest developments in  the case.

He told Sky News: "It's alleged that they could be employees of Ocean Club, which puts a whole new light on it and that they're not, as we've supposed until now, a little group of opportunist burglars going round stealing passports and wallets whenever there was a window open.

"There are suggestions that this is slightly different."

Kate and Gerry McCann have been 'buoyed' by progress in the investigation

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that police were hunting the three men whose phones were "red hot" after Madeleine vanished.

Mobile phone records show that the men made numerous calls to each other in the hours after Kate and Gerry McCann discovered their daughter had disappeared from her room.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry are said to be "buoyed" by signs of progress in the effort to find out what happened to their daughter.

But it is unclear whether Portuguese authorities will respond positively to the latest request for help from the British investigation team.

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Sellafield Nuclear Workers Told To Stay Home

Non-essential staff at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria have been asked to stay at home due to elevated radiation levels.

The cause of the higher reading is being investigated.

A statement said: "As a result of a conservative and prudent decision, the Sellafield site is operating normally but with reduced manning levels today.

"This follows the detection of elevated levels of radioactivity at one of the on-site radiation monitors at the north end of the site.

"Essential workers only are being asked to report for work.

"Levels of radioactivity detected are above naturally occurring radiation but well below that which would call for any actions to be taken by the workforce on or off the site."

A 2012 report by the National Audit Office said some facilities at the 68-year-old site had "deteriorated so much that their contents pose significant risks to people and the environment".

Sellafield, the UK's largest and most hazardous nuclear site, stores enough high and intermediate level radioactive waste to fill 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The cost of cleaning up the waste at Sellafield has been put at £67.5bn.

In 1957, the UK's worst nuclear disaster also occurred at the site when one of the nuclear reactors caught fire, releasing radioactive material that spread across the UK and Europe.

More follows...

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McLaren Pair Killed In Crash Near F1 Base

Two McLaren workers have been killed after the sports car they were travelling in crashed near the Formula One team's headquarters.

The members of staff, who have not yet been named, were in a blue Subaru Impreza when it collided with a Ford Transit van on the A320 in Ottershaw near Woking, Surrey.

They were based at the nearby McLaren Production Centre, next to where the company's F1 cars are built, and worked for the firm's sports car division.

Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive, said: "We have been informed that we have sadly lost two hard working and extremely well-liked employees.

"They will be sorely missed by their friends and colleagues and our heartfelt condolences go out to their families."

The crash, which happened between the McLaren and Otter roundabouts, closed the A320 Guildford Road for several hours.

Surrey Police appealed for witnesses to the crash to contact them on 101.

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Rachael Slack Murder 'Could Not Be Predicted'

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A serious case review has found that the murders of a mother and her young son could not have been "reasonably predicted", even though she told police about threats to kill them days before they were stabbed to death.

Rachael Slack, 38, and her 23-month-old son Auden were found with 48 stab wounds at their home in the picturesque village of Holbrook, Derbyshire, on June 2, 2010.

They were killed by Ms Slack's former partner and Auden's father, 44-year-old Andrew Cairns, who had a history of mental illness, and was angry that she was in a new relationship, and pregnant.

He then took his own life.

Police deemed Ms Slack to be at "high risk" of being murdered - but did not tell her.

Ms Slack's partner at the time said she was frightened - but was not convinced Cairns would hurt her.

"Both Rachael and I were very alert, very wary in the evening," Robert Barlow told Sky News.

"We made sure everything was locked, we had plenty of communication in the day - texts, phone calls, but it still comes down to, if some professional body had told myself or Rachael that she was at high risk of homicide, we would definitely have done things differently."

The report makes no mention of an inquest finding that officers failed Ms Slack and Auden.

Derbyshire Constabulary say they now deal with domestic abuse differently.

"What we've now done is to ensure that every victim assessed by us as high risk, we're absolutely explicit, so they understand exactly where our risk assessment takes us," said ACC Karl Smethem.

"Then we can talk through written down protective measures we might suggest and they might be able to agree to in order to protect them better."

Other recommendations have featured in serious case reviews both locally and nationally for years.

The review found that agencies had focussed on the needs of Cairns, who had depression and possibly a personality disorder, rather than the needs of Auden and Ms Slack.

Christine Cassell, independent chair of the Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: "A strong priority for DSCB is making sure that agencies understand that they must think about the entire family, that regardless of the person they're working with primarily they must think about the implications for other vulnerable people in the family, whether it's a vulnerable adult or a child or children."

It also found that police and health professionals had been acting in isolation, not recording events properly, and not sharing information.

While agencies say they have already put their learning from this case into action, Ms Slack's family say they will pursue a civil claim.

Domestic violence charity Refuge released a statement responding to the Serious Case Review.

Chief executive Sandra Horley, CBE, said: "I am concerned that the review describes incidents of murder/suicide involving a family with a child as 'incredibly rare'.

"The truth is that domestic homicide is alarmingly common. Every week two women are killed by current or former partners in England and Wales.

"Analysis of serious case reviews has also found that domestic violence was a factor in the lives of 63% children who were seriously harmed or killed between 2009-2011.

"All too often, victims of domestic violence do not get the support and protection they deserve.

"That's why Refuge is calling on the Government to open a public inquiry into the police and state response to victims of domestic violence.

"We need the Government to take a coordinated approach to understand why so many women and children experiencing domestic violence continue to be badly let down."

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Immigration Bill: Govt Braced For Rebellion

By Darren McCaffrey, Political Reporter

The Home Secretary has announced a last-minute change to the Immigration Bill so British terror suspects can be stripped of their citizenship, even if it leaves them stateless.

It comes as the Government faces a significant backbench rebellion later as Conservative MPs call for tougher measures in the new legislation.

Theresa May has tabled an amendment which will allow the removal of a UK passport from any person whose conduct is deemed "seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the UK".

The Home Secretary already has the power to take away British citizenship from those with dual nationality.

But this change would allow her to make people stateless if they have been naturalised as a British citizen.

The Home Office insisted powers to make British citizens stateless will be used sparingly and in strict accordance with the UK's international obligations.

Theresa May tabled an amendment which could face a Conservative rebellion

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: "Those who threaten this country's security put us all at risk. This Government will take all necessary steps to protect the public.

"Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. These proposals will strengthen the Home Secretary's powers to ensure that very dangerous individuals can be excluded if it is in the public interest to do so."

Up to 70 Conservative backbenchers have signed a tweaked amendment to the legislation, originally tabled by Nigel Mills MP, calling on the Government to reinstate restrictions on migrants from Romania and Bulgaria working in Britain until the end of 2018.

Meanwhile a further 100 MPs have come out in support of a move by Tory MP Dominic Raab to completely block foreign criminals appealing deportation by claiming a right to a "family life" in the UK.

David Cameron is seeking to minimise a rebellion by reassuring backbenchers he shares their concerns, but has appealed for them to allow legislation to proceed uninhibited.

He told MPs yesterday at Prime Minister's Questions: "The Immigration Bill makes all of those important changes and many more besides, including making it possible for us to deport people who don't face arrest back in their own country before they have appealed and they can appeal from overseas.

"These are all very good changes and I hope that we won't delay too much before passing this important Bill."

While the Government has refused repeated calls to publish estimates of the number of Bulgarians and Romanians expected to arrive this year, the Prime Minister said early signs seemed to be acceptable.

Though the Prime Minister rushed through new measures to ensure EU migrants are unable to claim out-of-work benefits for their first three months in the UK, this was not enough to satisfy Mr Mills and his backers.

However, Mr Mills has lost the significant support of influential backbencher Douglas Carswell MP, who despite having signed the amendment announced he would no longer vote for it.

He said: "If we want to restrict the free movement of people into Britain from the European Union, then there is only one thing we can do - leave."

Meanwhile, Mr Raab's amendment would see the Home Secretary - rather than the courts - have the final say on whether an offender's family links are strong enough to allow them to avoid deportation.

Foreign criminals who can prove they face torture, ill-treatment or death in their home country will still be able to overturn deportation orders under separate human rights measures.

Other measures the Government has already announced include migrants having to pay for primary care services such as minor surgery carried out by GPs, while prescription charges will be extended.

The Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary unveiled proposals that would see jobless migrants from within the European Union denied access to housing benefit from April this year.

When asked, Downing Street said the Government was considering all amendments.

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IVF Risks 'May Be Too High For Some Couples'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

IVF is now being used so widely that the risks could outweigh the benefits for some couples, researchers have warned.

Doctors say the evidence underpinning the use of IVF in younger couples with unexplained infertility is weak.

Because the technique has risks for the mother and child, clinics should be more cautious about using it, they argue.

Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, of the Evidence Based IVF Group at the University of Aberdeen, told Sky News that couples would be better off giving nature more time rather than rushing into a medical solutions.

He said: "There are situations where IVF is probably being used too soon by some couples who would have conceived on their own.

"In couples where the woman is young, or where the duration of infertility is short, awaiting spontaneous conception by doing nothing for two to three years is a reasonable option."

Susan Seenan said couples do not undertake IVF lightly

IVF was originally developed for women with fallopian tube disorders and severe male infertility.

But in the UK the proportion of IVF cycles for tubal problems fell from 19% in 2000 to 12% in 2011.

Over the same period the number of cycles for unexplained fertility problems more than trebled from 6,202 to 19,552.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers also warn that IVF has risks, increasing the chances of a premature birth and congenital malformations.

Mums are also at higher risk of pre-eclampsia from multiple pregnancies.

But Susan Seenan, chief executive of the support group Infertility Network UK, who had a son through IVF, said: "It's not something that anyone would undertake lightly.

"The last thing anyone thinks about when they're trying to conceive and deciding to have a family is that they will have to do it through fertility treatment.

"But unfortunately around one in six couples struggle to conceive and some of them will have to go through IVF treatment.

"Couples are not turning more readily to it, I think it is becoming slightly more easily available to some couples and unfortunately with the society we live in today some couples are leaving it a little bit later before they start trying for a family.

"The older you are, particularly with the female, the more difficult it can be to conceive and the more likely you are to have some fertility problems."

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said it regularly reviews the latest research on IVF success rates.

A spokeswoman said: "IVF has enabled thousands of women to have a much-wanted family.

"Fertility clinics in the UK are required by law to provide patients with information about the risks involved before treatment."

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Report: Average House Price Up 8.8% In 2013

UK house prices climbed by an annual rate of 8.8% in January, extending the fastest pace of increase since 2010.

According to the Nationwide, values were up in January by 0.7% month-on-month, making the average home worth £176,491.

The high street lender said it was the 13th continuous monthly rise as confidence in the economy returns.

But it said prices are still around 4% beneath the peak levels of 2007.

The results come just a day after the Office for National Statistics revealed UK economic growth in 2013 reached 1.9%, with four quarters of growth.

Nationwide's chief economist Robert Gardner said: "The housing market is continuing to gather momentum on the back of further solid gains in employment, record low mortgage rates and rising confidence."

Mr Gardner said indications were that the sector is approaching pre-recession "normal levels".

HM Revenue and Customs revealed that last month a total of 103,000 house sales occurred across the country.

That figure was a rise of 30% on the same month in 2012.

The British Bankers' Association recently said that mortgage approvals hit 46,000 in December and the figure was the highest number for six years.

Mr Gardner added: "The pick-up in activity appears to be fairly broad-based, and it is encouraging that first-time buyers are a key driving factor behind the upturn."

On Tuesday, the Government said that nearly 13,000 Help To Buy scheme new build loans occurred since its launch nine months ago.

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Smoking In Cars With Children Ban Bid

By Ashish Joshi, Sky Correspondent

Smoking in cars when children are present could soon become illegal.

Peers are set to vote on the issue and Labour wants to see the creation of a specific offence claiming the move will help save to lives.

A ban is already in place in parts of the world including some states in America, Australia, Canada and a few countries in Europe.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham says it is time Britain followed suit.

He said: "When it comes to improving the health of children, we are duty bound to consider any measure that might make a difference.

"Adults are free to make their own choices but that often does not apply to children and that's why society has an obligation to protect them from preventable harm.

"Evidence from other countries shows that stopping smoking in the confined space of a car carrying children can prevent damage to their health and has strong public support."

But pro-smoking groups think a ban is disproportionate.

They insist most adult smokers choose not to smoke when they are in a car with children.

Labour's Andy Burnham says society has an obligation to protect children

They are also angry at what they see as a stealth ban, after smoking in enclosed public spaces was made illegal.

They fear the prohibition will eventually be extended into people's homes.

Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: "I think this legislation is very heavy-handed, totally unnecessary and according to surveys 84% of adults wouldn't dream of lighting a cigarette in a car, in a small enclosed space with a child present.

"So adults already know how to behave, they don't need the state interfering in their lives like this. If there are still some people who smoke in a car with children, then lets educate them, but lets not legislate.

"It's almost going to be impossible to enforce anyway and the danger is that the police will have to ban smoking in all cars.

"We could have a situation were a lone driver, in his own car will be committing an offence by lighting a cigarette and what's the next logical step after that? Are we going to ban smoking in the home as well if children are present."

According to supporters of the ban there is overwhelming public support.

Labour cites a YouGov poll from 2011 that found 78% of adults in Great Britain agreeing that smoking should be banned in cars carrying children younger than 18 years of age, while 44% agreed that smoking should be banned in all cars.

And to support its case further it quotes a Mumnsnet survey that found 86% of respondents supported a ban (including 83% of smokers).

Some smokers think leaving a window open will protect their younger passengers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, but that argument has been dismissed by experts.

Professor Robert West , from UCL, has extensively studied the potential dangers of second hand tobacco smoke: "We know that the smoke is toxic, we know that the smoke has carcinogens in it.

"If you imagine someone lighting up a cigarette in a club lets say, you would know about it within seconds the other side of the room. In a car it is a much more confined space.

"If you can smell smoke you are being exposed to carcinogens, so you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that even if you are trying to smoke out the window the child in the back is going to be exposed to carcinogens."

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Missing York Student Triggers Police Appeal

Police have said they are very concerned for the safety of a young female university student who has not been seen since a night out in York more than four days ago.

The mother of 20-year-old Megan Roberts reported her daughter's disappearance after a friend raised the alarm when she failed to hear from her.

Megan's mother contacted the police after a friend raised the alarm

Megan, who is originally from Wetherby and is studying at York St John University, was last seen in Popworld nightclub, on George Hudson Street, at around 2am on Thursday, January 23.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire police said: "Nobody has heard from Megan since, which is very out of character and officers are very concerned for her safety."

Megan is described as around 5ft 6in tall, of medium build with long dark brown hair.

When she was last seen she was wearing a cream knee-length dress which had large brown and orange flowers on it and black plimsoll-type shoes.

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen Megan since the early hours of Thursday or knows where she is to contact them urgently.

They are also appealing to Megan herself to contact her friends, family or the police to let them know she is safe.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.

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GDP Figures Expected To Show Strong UK Growth

Official figures are expected to show the best pace of growth since before the global financial crisis - indicating that Britain's economic fightback is continuing.

Economists predict that data from the Office for National Statistics will show a fourth consecutive quarter of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2013.

The rate of economic expansion may be shown to have slowed to 0.7% from 0.8% the previous quarter - but that would still mean overall growth of 1.9% in 2013, up from 0.3% the previous year.

The GDP update is expected to give a boost to Chancellor George Osborne - just a year after the UK was gripped by fears of a "triple dip" recession.

It comes after the International Monetary Fund set aside its warnings about Britain "playing with fire" with its austerity policies and again upgraded its forecast for UK growth.

GDP growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2013 was followed by 0.8% in the second and third quarters of the year.

Some experts believe the latest figures will come in just under the 0.9% forecast by the Bank of England for the fourth quarter.

A good Christmas for retailers is not predicted to boost growth by much as the festive 2.6% sales increase came after a weak October and November.

The manufacturing sector slowed in November, while construction slumped by 4%, despite Government schemes such as Help to Buy.

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said claims that the UK economy is surging ahead are "cloud cuckoo land".

Chancellor George Osborne is hoping for further vindication of his policies

He told BBC2's Newsnight that three years of economic "flatlining" on Mr Osborne's watch had left the UK lagging behind France, which has recovered to its pre-crisis peak.

He said: "Do you really think up and down the country at the moment when most people are seeing their living standards fall and in most parts of the country there isn't new business investment coming through, do you think that is an economy that is doing really, really well? That is cloud cuckoo land."  

The IMF predicts the UK economy will grow by 2.4% in 2014 - matching the independent Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast.

The Bank of England most recently estimated 2014 growth at 2.8%.

Investec economist Philip Shaw expects a 0.7% GDP growth figure for the fourth quarter of 2013, but said this should not be seen as a disappointment even though it would be a slight slowing from the third quarter.

He said: "There is no evidence whatsoever that the recovery is petering out."

He said a slightly lower figure could ease fears that policymakers may be persuaded to lift interest rates this year.

Experts at Capital Economics and Scotiabank both predicted growth of 0.8%.

That figure would amount to the fastest growth since 3.4% in 2007 - before the worldwide economy went into meltdown.

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Royal Estate: Overspend Leaves £50m Repair Bill

By Rachel Younger, Sky News Correspondent

Financial mismanagement within the Royal household is putting the future of some of our finest buildings at risk, according to the parliamentary watchdog responsible for scrutinising the Royal finances.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) believes over a third of the Royal estate, which includes both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, is in disrepair and has put the cost of fixing it at around £50m.

Margaret Hodge MP, who chairs the committee, told Sky News: "Forty per cent of it needs something doing to it.

"The boilers at Buckingham Palace haven't been replaced for 60 years. Windsor Castle has problems with the bedrooms and the Royal Picture Gallery has buckets to catch the water coming through."

It is the first time that Parliament has scrutinised the Sovereign Grant given to the Queen to support her public duties.

Since the Civil List was abolished in 2013, the Royal household has been given a percentage of revenue from the Crown Estate and is meant to be more accountable to the taxpayer.

But the committee has criticised the household for spending over its means.

According to the committee report, in 2012/13 it received £31m from the taxpayer, but spent £33.3m, raiding its reserves.

That has left a contingency of only £1m - a historic low - with no plan drawn up to pay for the backlog of repairs.

Windsor Castle needs repairs to its bedrooms

The report demands that the household "must get a much firmer grip on how it plans to address its maintenance backlog", adding "it has not even costed the repair work".

It also calls on the Palace to do more with less.

In a financial climate where many public institutions have had to make dramatic cuts the Royal household has only managed to reduce its expenditure by 5% in the last six years.

The committee believes there is scope to generate more income and reduce costs - possibly by opening Buckingham Palace to the public for more than just one month a year.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The Royal household was charged by the PAC in 2009 to generate more income to supplement the funding it receives from Government.

"This has been done successfully. In 2012-13 the household generated £11.6m in comparison with £6.7m in 2007-8. Work on income generation continues.

"A significant financial priority for the Royal household is to reduce the backlog in essential maintenance across the occupied Royal palaces.

"Recent examples of work include the renewal of a lead roof over the royal library at Windsor and the removal of asbestos from the basement of Buckingham Palace."

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'Mini Tornado' Sweeps Through Parts Of Britain

A "mini tornado" has swept through parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, bringing down trees, knocking out power causing damage to outbuildings.

The funnel-shaped formation was spotted above several towns in Surrey including Chobham, Epsom and Knaphill, as well as in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and in Harlow, Essex.

Ferocious thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain and hail were reported in Birmingham, Nottingham and Milton Keynes, as well as parts of Kent and Essex.

Twitter and Facebook were flooded by messages and pictures from people caught up in the severe weather.

Pam Steadman said parts of an equestrian centre next to her house in Epsom were lifted over trees at the bottom of her garden.

Flashes of lightning lit up the sky in Birmingham. Pic: B1Bobs/Twitter

Heather Riley reported "lots of damage to houses and cars" in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Darran Jaques, who described the weather as "wild", said scaffolding had been ripped down and shop fronts damaged in northeast Surrey, while Jean Ramgoolam tweeted: "Looks like a mini tornado just went past!"

It is thought the intense weather may have been caused by a squall line - a band of thunderstorms that precedes a cold front.

Satellite pictures showed a clear line of heavy storms moving slowly across the country from the North West to the South East.

As well as damage to property, the severe weather caused widespread power cuts across the country.

The weather brought snow to other places, including the Northern Pennines

UK Power Networks, which maintains electricity cables and lines across London, the South East and the East, said it received a "high number of calls" from customers as the storm swept through.

In the area around Tonbridge, Kent, more than 8,000 people were left without power, although supplies have since been restored for most.

The storms come as communities in the South and South West prepare for possible flooding, with further heavy rain forecast to fall on already saturated ground.

Sedgemoor District Council has declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels, where pumps are being used to keep floodwater away from homes.

Other parts of the country, including the Northern Pennines and parts of western Scotland, saw a sprinkling of snow.

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Business Bosses Slam Labour's 50p Tax Rate

A group of senior business leaders has written an open letter criticising Labour's plan to raise the top rate of tax.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls confirmed at the weekend his party would restore the 50p tax rate if it gets into power at the next general election.

Business figures have been quick to criticise the plan, and today the heads of 24 companies warned in a letter to The Daily Telegraph that the 50p tax rate would halt the economic recovery and cost jobs.

The letter's signatories include Ocado chairman Sir Stuart Rose, West Ham United vice chairman Karren Brady, billionaire businessman Richard Caring and Kingfisher chief executive Sir Ian Cheshire.

"We think that these higher taxes will have the effect of discouraging business investment in the UK," the letter said.

"This is a backwards step which would put the economic recovery at risk and would very quickly lead to the loss of jobs in Britain."

Sir Stuart Rose led Marks & Spencer for six years

The 50p - or 50% - "additional rate" tax, which is payable on income above £150,000, was cut to 45% on April 6 last year.

Another signatory, Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins, told the paper that raising the tax rate to 50p would be "suicidal".

He warned it could trigger an exodus of investors, pointing to the example of France under President Francois Hollande, who raised the top rate of tax to 75%.

"Business people aren't against paying tax, just not at such a punitive rate," he said.

It is not only business leaders slamming the plan. A former Labour trade and investment minister has also accused the party of choosing to "kick" Britain's wealth creators in the row over the 50p tax.

Lord Jones said he expected the shadow chancellor to increase the top rate of tax to 55p or even 60p in government - something Mr Balls has denied.

The ex-director general of the CBI, who is now a crossbench peer, told the BBC: "In the last few months we've got, oh, if it creates wealth let's kick it - really go for energy companies, really go for house-building, bankers, this time it's going to be the high-earners.

Karren Brady is also a signatory

"Are we talking politics or are we talking what's right to create wealth and jobs as a nation?"

The head of the London Stock Exchange Group, Xavier Rolet, also raised concerns at the weekend about its potential impact.

"The right tax rate for entrepreneurs is what motivates investments," he told Sky News on Sunday.

"There are worries and certainly concerns that we do share that increasing the taxation, reversing if you want, the measures that have been taken in the last few years, could impact not only foreign but also domestic investments."

And London Mayor Boris Johnson also added to the chorus of criticism, branding Mr Balls "stupid" for planning to increase the tax rate.

In his Telegraph column, Mr Johnson urged the Government to cut the rate to 40p to establish some "clear blue water".

But Mr Balls has the backing of Alistair Darling, who introduced the 50p rate when he was chancellor.

Boris Johnson called the shadow chancellor "stupid" over the plan

He told the Sky News Murnaghan programme: "It's part of the deficit reduction plan that he set out and I thought Ed Balls delivered a very good speech yesterday."

Mr Balls defended his proposal, insisting Labour was "a pro-business party".

"This is not an anti-business agenda but it's an anti-business as usual agenda," he told BBC 1's Andrew Marr Show.

"It's absolutely not back to the 1980s or the 1990s. I was part of a government which did very many things to open up markets, make the Bank of England independent, to work closely with business but the reality is we are in very difficult circumstances and because, if I'm honest with you, George Osborne's failure in the last few years, those difficult circumstances will now last well in to the next parliament."

Announcing the 50p plan on Saturday, Mr Balls described Labour as the "party of radical economic change" and said it was "speaking up ... for working people" facing a "cost of living crisis".

He said the country is "crying out for real and lasting change" and claimed the Prime Minister and the Chancellor are "out of touch" with voters.

And Mr Balls would appear to have public opinion on his side. A Mail on Sunday poll suggests some 60% supported the move, while just 17% were opposed.

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UK Set To Freeze Amid Fears Of More Floods

Motorists and commuters have been warned of ice, sleet and snow as well as hail and thundery showers, with temperatures expected to plummet to around freezing across the UK.

The Met Office's weather warning for UK

And with another day of heavy rain ahead, there will be more misery for flood-hit areas with some communities in Somerset - where the council has declared a "major incident" - facing a fourth week under water.

Several counties including Hampshire and Dorset also remain at risk of flooding, while further snowfall is expected across Wales, Scotland and northern England.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 150 flood warnings and alerts across England and Wales.

Temperatures are expected to fall to or just below freezing, according to the Met Office, which has warned of "blizzard conditions".

The Environment Agency's flood alerts and warnings

This will result in the risk of icy patches on roads and the potential for travel disruption.

Its chief forecaster said: "Rain or sleet is expected at lower levels however, above 250m, some wet snow is likely at times with perhaps 2-5 cm of snow accumulating, whilst above 400m a further 10 to 20cm is possible.

"Strong to gale force south to southeasterly winds will combine with heavy snow to result in blizzard conditions at times."

And with a band of rain across the country edging north-eastwards towards the far north-east of England and central and northern Scotland, the forecaster added: "With saturated ground and rivers already high in these areas there is the risk of some localised flooding."

A view of flood water surrounding the village of Muchelney in Somerset

Fourteen serious flood warnings are in place for parts of the South West, South East, Midlands and North East with the Environment Agency advising people in affected areas to take immediate action.

The Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, are particularly vulnerable, as further heavy rain falls on already saturated ground.

There is also potential for further river flooding across the South West and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

Snowfall over Middleton-in-Teesdale

The Environment Agency is running more than 60 pumps around the clock to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater from the Levels.

A temporary pontoon has been erected near the village of Langport to allow residents to get to their homes and a boat service is ferrying people to and from work and school.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is expected to visit Somerset today to hold crisis talks with community leaders including council chiefs and farmers whose crops have been devastated by the stormy weather and torrential downpours.

Twitter user Grant Kavanagh saw 'strange weather' in Knaphill, Surrey

As well as the flood alerts, parts of Scotland have been told to brace for strong winds gusting up to 80mph.

On Sunday, light snow flurries affected parts of northern England, including in Cumbria, where snow ploughs were used to clear sections of the A66.

A "mini tornado" was reported in parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, where trees were brought down, power supplies knocked out and outbuildings damaged.

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Terrorism Suspects Free Of Tough Controls

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A group of terror suspects, branded by officials as a genuine threat to national security, are now free of tough controls designed to prevent them engaging in terrorist activity.

From today, seven of the eight suspects on the UK Government's Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) are now no longer subject to any restrictions.

Terrorism experts have told Sky News that the police and security services would now have to implement costly contingency plans to ensure the suspects were still closely monitored.

The TPIMs programme was introduced by the current Government in late 2011 to replace the much criticised Control Orders regime which allowed the state to place tough restrictions on a small number of terrorist suspects who the authorities were unable to put before the courts.

The TPIMs measures include the wearing of GPS tags, tough controls on the use of phones and computers and restrictions on the people a suspect is allowed to associate with.

But in an attempt to address the widespread criticism and legal challenges the previous Control Orders regime received, the Government set a maximum two-year limit on TPIMs orders.

The measures included tough controls on the use of phones and computers

Seven of the eight TPIMs suspects have now reached that two-year mark and are now free to mix with whoever they want and travel freely without restrictions.

Raffaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said TPIMS were never a permanent fix for what is a complex issue.

"The problem with TPIMs is that they were always a temporary solution. The underlying problem of what to do with individuals who are clearly of concern to the security services but have not crossed the criminal threshold, how to address these sorts of people, was never really fundamentally addressed."

The former TPIMs suspects, now free of their restrictions, cannot be named for legal reasons, but some were described just months ago as being a genuine threat to the public.

They include 'CD' who the authorities have said is "determined to carry out a Mumbai-style attack in Britain".

He attended a terror training camp in Cumbria in 2004 with four of the five men who went on to launch a failed suicide-bombing attack on the London transport network two weeks after the 7/7 bombings.

Missing terror suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed absconded from his TPIM order

Security sources say he repeatedly tried to buy guns for a suspected plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack in the UK.

Another suspect, 'CF,' underwent terror training in Somalia and was caught in the Olympic Park five times in the months leading up to the 2012 games.

Although he never faced trial, 'AM' was described by the authorities as a key player in the foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid bombs.

Imposing restrictions on those who have never been convicted of a crime has always been controversial and both Control Orders and now TPIMs have been criticised by human-rights groups.

Cerie Bulivant was the subject of an anti-terrorism Control Order for two years. His movements were strictly monitored and his access to people and technology were severely restricted.

At one point he absconded before later turning himself in. After a long battle through the courts, he was eventually cleared of all involvement in terrorist activity.

He told Sky News: "Terror control measures do not work and risk further alienating people."

Cerie Bulivant was subject to a two-year Control Order

Under his Control Order, he said: "I felt like you have a sword hanging over your throat. Any slip or misdemeanour on any number of conditions could lead to you being in prison for five years; all on the basis of what is fundamentally secret evidence and secret courts."

The Government believes the TPIMs programme has been "effective in reducing the national security risk posed by a number of individuals".

Security minister James Brokenshire said: "It is not possible to discuss individual cases, but the police and security services have been working for some time to put tailored plans in place to manage the risk posed by these individuals once their TPIM restrictions are removed.

"These plans, which are similar to those put in place for the release of prisoners who have served their sentences, are kept under constant review."

Some experts estimate it could cost up to £20m to keep the former TPIMs suspects under effective surveillance.

Baroness Neville-Jones says 'society has to be protected against threats'

Former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones said that whatever the cost, they would be monitored.

"Society does have to have protection against people who have represented and may continue to represent a real threat to the community.

"This is a very mild way of doing it because people are having their freedoms restored but on the basis that there is an ability on the part of society to continue to ensure for themselves that actually that freedom isn't being abused."

But the authorities acknowledge no surveillance system is full-proof. Even under the Control Order and TPIM regimes, several suspects managed to escape.

Late last year, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed absconded from his TPIM order after leaving a west London mosque wearing a Burkha. Three months on, he is still on the run.

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E-Cigarettes To Be Banned For Under-18s

Under-18s will be banned from buying electronic cigarettes under new Government plans aimed at cracking down on teenage smoking.

The announcement comes as e-cigarettes are enjoying a boom in sales, with an estimated 1.3 million people in the UK thought to use them.

The law, which will be introduced next week as an amendment to the Children and Families Bill, will also make it illegal for adults to buy cigarettes on behalf of someone under 18.

Adults caught flouting the law could be given a £50 a fixed penalty notice or fined up to £2,500.

The move comes as Department of Health figures reveal that 41% of 15-year-olds who smoke say they usually buy their cigarettes from other people rather than buying them from a shop.

And 95% of 11- to 15-year-olds who smoke have managed to get someone else to buy cigarettes for them in a shop at least once in the past year.

Public Health Minister and Conservative MP Jane Ellison said: "Two thirds of smokers say they smoked regularly before they were 18, showing that this is an addiction largely taken up in childhood.

"We must do all we can to help children lead a healthy life. That's why this measure is designed to help protect children from the dangers of being bought cigarettes by irresponsible adults - something that I hope concerned parents and responsible retailers will welcome."

While many people view the tobacco-free devices as a better alternative to traditional cigarettes, health experts remain concerned about the long-term effects they could have on users' health.

The long-term effects of e-cigarettes on people's health are unknown

E-cigarettes provide a hit of nicotine and some fear they reinforce the behaviour of smoking, making it harder to give up in the long term.

England's chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: "We do not yet know the harm that e-cigarettes can cause to adults let alone to children, but we do know they are not risk free.

"E-cigarettes can produce toxic chemicals and the amount of nicotine and other chemical constituents and contaminants, including vaporised flavourings, varies between products meaning they could be extremely damaging to young people's health."

Currently there is no restriction on people under the age of 18 buying e-cigarettes, and they are hugely popular among teenagers in Britain.

But it is feared that children are turning to the smokeless devices - designed to help users quit - before moving on to traditional cigarettes.

Many secondary schools across the UK have resorted to banning e-cigarettes over fears they are encouraging pupils to take up smoking.

Smoking rates have fallen to their lowest ever, in the wake of the ban on smoking in public and a series of shocking public health campaigns highlighting the dangers of cigarettes.

But more than 1,000 people end up in hospital every day as a result of smoking, and experts have warned that the growth in e-cigarettes could reverse some of the good work that has been done in tackling the habit.

Ministers hopes the new legislation will come into force by the autumn.

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Weather: Heavy Rain Could Add To Flood Misery

Communities across southern England have been told to prepare for possible flooding as further heavy rain is forecast for today through to Tuesday.

The Environment Agency (EA) has eight flood warnings in place for the South West, which mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

It highlighted the Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, as an area which should be prepared for further flooding.

An EA spokeswoman said: "With the ground already saturated, rivers and groundwater levels remain very responsive to rainfall, particularly on the Somerset Levels.

"Environment Agency teams continue to operate up to 62 pumps 24 hours a day to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater off an area of the Levels spanning 65 square kilometres."

There is also potential for further river flooding across the southwest and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

Somerset flood warnings (red) and alerts (orange). Pic: Environment Agency

The Met Office has issued an amber warning of severe weather for the South West from 6am to 2pm today.

It said rain across the UK would be accompanied by strong winds, and up to 20mm of rainfall is expected.

Many communities are still coming to terms with the flooding that hit Somerset at the beginning of January.

Somerset County Council has declared a "major incident" for all areas affected by flooding in the county.

The leader of the council, John Osman, told Sky News: "There's no let up in the rain coming down. The water levels on the moorlands are rising. We are getting towards breaking point."

A vital boat service operated by Somerset County Council, which is ferrying people to work and school, as well as taking in supplies, is continuing as the access roads are still flooded.

The Somerset village of Muchelney has been cut-off by floodwaters

Sedgemoor District Council has also declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels.

Strong winds on Saturday blew bricks and tiles off the roofs of houses and forced residents to be evacuated in a street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Several people dialled 999 as the storm swept through the town but nobody was hurt, Warwickshire Police said.

Elsewhere in the county the emergency services and the highways agency have been working with local councils to deal with a number of other storm related incidents including trees which had been brought down by the strong winds, and flooded roads as a result of the heavy rain.

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