Child Abuse Inquiry Controversy At-A-Glance

The resignation of the head of the inquiry into historical child sex abuse allegations is the latest in a string of controversies that have dogged the investigation before it has even started.

Here is an at-a-glance background to the most recent development in the saga:

:: City lawyer Fiona Woolf was appointed in September to chair the panel inquiring into UK institutions' handling of historical child sex abuse allegations.

:: The original nominee, Lady Butler-Sloss, stepped down because her late brother, Lord Havers, was attorney general during much of the period in question.

:: Then came the criticism of Mrs Woolf's appointment because of her social links with former home secretary Lord Brittan and his wife.

Video: 'Most Extraordinary' Situation

:: Her connection with Lord Brittan was under the spotlight because he is likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry about his handling of child abuse allegations.

:: He denies failing to act on a dossier of paedophilia allegations he received while in office in the 1980s.

:: Mrs Woolf has lived in the same street as the Brittans for the last decade, and not only has she invited the couple to dinner at her house three times, she has also dined at their home twice, met Lady Brittan for coffee, sat on a prize-giving panel with her, and sponsored her £50 for a fun run.

Video: Victims Have No Confidence In Woolf

:: With doubts about whether Mrs Woolf could have the confidence of victims, a photograph surfaced showing her chatting to Lady Brittan at a prize-giving event last October - after she told Home Secretary Theresa May that she had had "no social contact with Lord and Lady Brittan since April 23 2013".

:: Mrs Woolf faced intensified calls to quit after documents were published showing a letter setting out Mrs Woolf's contacts with Lord Brittan and his wife was redrafted seven times, with guidance from Home Office officials, before being sent to Mrs May.

:: Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz said Mrs Woolf's appointment had been "chaotic" and that she should decide whether she wishes to remain as chair of the inquiry.

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1. Gallery: The Redrafted Letter At Centre Of Woolf Row

   A letter from Fiona Woolf to the Home Secretary referring to her links to Leon Brittan went through several drafts.

2. Chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz criticised Mrs Woolf, saying the final version showed a more "detached" relationship with the Brittans than the first one. For example, it stressed there were a number of other people present at dinner parties.

3. Mr Vaz had said Mrs Woolf's appointment had been "chaotic" and she should decide whether she wishes to remain as chair of the inquiry. It was confirmed on Friday afternoon that she would be stepping down

:: A solicitor for victims told Sky News they had no confidence in Mrs Woolf, and called for the inquiry "to start again".

:: The Home Office had given its backing to Mrs Woolf and her panel, expressing confidence they could carry out their duties "to the highest standards of impartiality and integrity."

:: She has now quit after mounting pressure over her role. As she stepped down, Mrs Woolf said it was concerns expressed by victims that had "turned the tide" and prompted her to give up the post.

Video: Abuse Inquiry Head 'Not Suitable'

Video: 'An Ordinary Citizen'

Video: July: Sex Abuse Inquiry Judge Quits

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Theresa May Accused Of Bungling Over Inquiry

In an interview explaining why she has become the second child abuse inquiry head to quit before starting work, Fiona Woolf blamed "negative comment and innuendo".

Yet in her resignation letter to Theresa May, the lawyer and Lord Mayor of London said she was standing aside because she wouldn't have "widespread victim support".

Both are true. And it's probably also true she never wanted the job in the first place. She obviously wouldn't have been appointed if Baroness Butler-Sloss - the Home Secretary's first choice - hadn't quit.

Baroness Butler-Sloss withdrew because her late brother, Michael Havers, was Attorney General at the time of the original abuse allegations in the 80s.

Groups representing victims said they could not support Mrs Woolf

Now Mrs Woolf has gone because she's pally with Leon Brittan, the home secretary at the time, and his wife Diana.

The seven drafts of correspondence published by Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee of MPs, revealed five dinner parties, three at her house and two at the Brittans' (who live in the same street), coffee mornings, sitting on a panel with Lady Brittan and sponsoring her for a fun run.

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1. Gallery: The Redrafted Letter At Centre Of Woolf Row

   A letter from Fiona Woolf to the Home Secretary referring to her links to Leon Brittan went through several drafts.

2. Chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz criticised Mrs Woolf, saying the final version showed a more "detached" relationship with the Brittans than the first one. For example, it stressed there were a number of other people present at dinner parties.

3. Mr Vaz had said Mrs Woolf's appointment had been "chaotic" and she should decide whether she wishes to remain as chair of the inquiry. It was confirmed on Friday afternoon that she would be stepping down

Very cosy. No wonder Mr Vaz - who can congratulate himself on another high-profile scalp - said the appointments process was "chaotic" and the Labour MP and anti-child abuse campaigner Simon Danczuk has accused the Home Office of "colluding in a cover-up".

All of which means the Home Secretary will have some tough questions to answer when she makes her statement to MPs on this fiasco on Monday.

Mr Vaz, for a start, says Mrs Woolf's friendship with the Brittans should have been checked out before, not after, she was appointed.

Mrs May says she plans to meet survivors' groups. They would say - and did say after their meeting with relatively junior civil servants at Westminster - that she should have done that much earlier.

Video: Survivors To 'Fight Tooth And Nail'

Labour's Yvette Cooper made the same criticism of the Home Secretary.

Mrs May also says she is going to consult with "relevant parliamentarians". I assume she means Yvette Cooper and MPs like Mr Danczuk, as well as the all-powerful Mr Vaz.

But her critics will say it's all a bit late now. The Home Secretary stands accused of bungle after bungle in this whole messy affair.

And while the politicians bicker and argue, the inquiry still hasn't started and the continuing delay is adding to the distress of the victims.

Video: Victims 'Relieved' As Woolf Quits

If it takes as long to find the next inquiry head as it took to find Mrs Woolf - six weeks - that will take us almost to the end of the year and probably means the inquiry won't start until 2015.

As for Mr Vaz, he obviously can't call the late Geoffrey Dickens, who's said to have handed Leon Brittan a dossier of allegations in 1983, or the deceased Michael Havers.

But why haven't he and his Home Affairs Select Committee called Lord Brittan to give evidence?

Surely he could clear up the "negative comment and innuendo" referred to by Fiona Woolf.

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Search Begins For New Child Abuse Inquiry Chair

The search is under way for a new head of the inquiry into historical child sex abuse after Fiona Woolf became the second chairwoman to quit.

Mrs Woolf stepped down on Friday after victims' groups told Home Office officials they were "unanimous" in the view that she should go.

They had raised concerns over Mrs Woolf's social links with former Home Secretary Lord Brittan, who is likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry.

Mrs May is expected to brief the House of Commons on Monday

Her predecessor, Lady Butler-Sloss, resigned in July after similar questions were raised over her ties to prominent figures associated with the investigation.

The race is now on to find a suitable replacement as Home Secretary Theresa May faces criticism over the two failed appointments.

Video: Woolf Quits Child Abuse Inquiry

Chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, told Sky News: "This has been a chaotic process.

"One would have expected the Government to have learnt from the first resignation of Lady Butler-Sloss, (and) to have consulted widely, to have done their due diligence and then to have presented to parliament and the public the name of the new chair.

"All they've succeeded in doing is delay the start of this inquiry, and frankly embarrass Fiona Woolf, who has had to resign because of the whole process that has been involved in her appointment."

Mrs May is expected to face some tough questions from MPs when she makes a statement to Parliament on Monday outlining the next steps in the process.

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1. Gallery: The Redrafted Letter At Centre Of Woolf Row

   A letter from Fiona Woolf to the Home Secretary referring to her links to Leon Brittan went through several drafts.

2. Chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz criticised Mrs Woolf, saying the final version showed a more "detached" relationship with the Brittans than the first one. For example, it stressed there were a number of other people present at dinner parties.

3. Mr Vaz had said Mrs Woolf's appointment had been "chaotic" and she should decide whether she wishes to remain as chair of the inquiry. It was confirmed on Friday afternoon that she would be stepping down

Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mrs May needs to explain why simple background checks were not done ahead of Mrs Woolf's appointment.

"It seems inexplicable, given what happened to the first head of the inquiry, that some basic questions were not asked of Fiona Woolf, before she was appointed, about her connections," he said.

"Theresa May has some explaining to do. To lose one chair is a misfortune but to lose two is total carelessness on her part."

Mrs Woolf came under increasing criticism following claims a letter setting out her contacts with the Lord and Lady Britton was redrafted seven times, with guidance from Home Office officials, before being sent to the Home Secretary.

Video: Woolf Resignation: 'Very Damaging'

Announcing her resignation she said: "Ever since the issues first arose, I've been worrying about the negative perceptions and there's been a lot of negative comment and innuendo and that has been getting in the way as well.

"I was determined that the inquiry got to the bottom of the issues for them and if I don't command their confidence to run the panel fairly and impartially then I need to get out of the way."

Mrs Woolf was appointed last month to chair the inquiry, which was launched earlier this year to examine whether alleged abuse by politicians and other powerful figures between the 1970s and 1990s was swept under the carpet.

She replaced Lady Butler-Sloss, who stepped down after her suitability was called into question, due to the fact her late brother, Lord Havers, was attorney general during the period when many of the alleged offences are said to have taken place.

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Sex Abuse Inquiry Head Under Pressure To Quit

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

A lawyer representing 50 victims of child abuse has said the Home Office must "start again" if it wants its inquiry into historical allegations to win public confidence.

Alison Millar, a partner at Leigh Day solicitors, has told Sky News she will make the argument at a meeting with officials in Westminster later this morning.

Lord Brittan denies failing to act on a dossier of paedophilia allegations

It comes after Fiona Woolf, the second chair appointed to lead the investigation, was engulfed in controversy about her social links to Lord and Lady Brittan.

Leon Brittan was Home Secretary in the 1980s and was handed evidence about sex abuse cases, which victims accuse him of failing to act upon.

Video: July: Sex Abuse Inquiry Judge Quits

Ms Millar told Sky News: "It will take quite a lot to convince survivors of abuse that this inquiry is for them rather than a damage limitation exercise by the Home Office."

She said none of her clients had confidence in Mrs Woolf, particularly following revelations on Thursday about how a letter outlining her social interactions with the Brittans was redrafted seven times.

Chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz criticised Mrs Woolf, saying the final version showed a more "detached" relationship with the Brittans than the first one.

For example, it stressed there were a number of other people present at dinner parties.

Mrs Woolf also said the last time she saw Lady Brittan was in April last year, but a picture has since emerged of them speaking at an event last Autumn.

Video: July: May Announces Abuse Review

Ms Millar added: "It is not just the personnel, although none of my clients have said that Fiona Woolf has their confidence.

"But it is also the way the whole thing is being conducted.

"Look at how it has been structured - it is not clear how or even, if, survivors of abuse are being invited to participate.

"If they really want this inquiry to engage survivors of abuse they are going to have to start again."

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UK Begins Paying Back First World War Debt

The Government has announced it will pay off part of the UK's First World War debt - the first such payment for 67 years.

The Treasury will repay £218m of the £2bn still owed from the 1914 to 1918 war, as part of a redemption of bonds stretching as far back as the 18th century.

The payment, to be made on 1 February next year, will be the first repayment of National War Bonds by a Chancellor since 1947.

The 4% consolidated loans were first issued by Chancellor Winston Churchill in 1927, partly to refinance National War Bonds from the Great War.

Britain has paid £1.26bn in interest on them since then, according to the Debt Management Office.

Video: First World War Records Released

Chancellor George Osborne said he had decided to redeem some of them now because interest rates are lower than the 4% it is currently paying.

He said he could save taxpayers money by refinancing the debts at a lower rate.

"We are only able to take this action today thanks to the difficult decisions that this Government has taken to get a grip on the public finances," he said.

"The fact that we will no longer have to pay the high rate of interest on these gilts means that most important of all, today's decision represents great value for money for the taxpayer."

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1. Gallery: Ghost Images Put WW1 Back In Focus

   Ahead of the centenary of the First World War, a series of digital composite images have been created by the picture agency Getty Images, comparing scenes from the time and how the locations look today. Here, Serbian soldiers march in the Lord Mayor's show in 1918 with the Royal Courts of Justice in the background

2. Wounded soldiers play football outside Blenheim Palace around 1916 in Woodstock, England, blended with a modern day photo of the area

3. Australian soldiers outside Egypt House in New Broad Street, London, where The Australian Bank is located, in June 1917, and how the street looks today

4. Injured Indian soldiers from the British Army at the Brighton Pavilion in 1915, which was converted into a military hospital, combined with an image of the building today

5. Wounded soldiers and cadets at the Albert Hall on Empire Day in May 1918, with a modern day shot of the London landmark seen behind them

6. German prisoners of war on their way to Southend Pier in 1914 accompanied by guards and watched by locals, combined with a picture of the seafront taken this month

7. A 'male' MKIV tank at the Lord Mayor's show in November 1917, blended with a modern day photo of the street outside the Bank of England

8. British soldiers inspecting a captured German plane in the Horseguards' Parade, the modern day skyline now includes the London Eye

The Government first issued National War Bonds in 1917 to help finance the crippling cost of the First World War, which saw the deaths of more than 700,000 British soldiers.

They paid out an attractive rate of 5% interest, with huge publicity campaigns urging the public to make a patriotic investment.

The bonds are held by 11,200 registered holders, with 92% owning less than £10,000 each.

Some of the repayment relates to bonds dating back more than 300 years.

Video: First World War Anniversary Held

In 1853, the Government consolidated the capital stock of the South Sea Company, which collapsed in the South Sea Bubble financial crisis of 1720.

And in 1888, Chancellor George Goschen converted bonds first issued in 1752 to finance the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars, the Slavery Abolition Act (1835) and the Irish Distress Loan (1847).

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One Missing After Blaze At Fireworks Factory

One person remains missing after an explosion sparked a large blaze at a fireworks factory in Staffordshire.

A specialist team will search the SP Fireworks premises today in the wake of the fire, which also saw two people taken to the major trauma centre at University Hospital North Staffordshire.

Search and rescue workers will begin their operation after the premises is deemed to be safe to enter, a spokesman for the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

"The search and rescue team will make an assessment as to the safety of the building, and a search of the premises will take place in daylight hours," the spokesman said.

Worried residents reported hearing a loud bang and seeing smoke coming from the premises in Tilcon Avenue, Stafford, on Thursday evening.

Video: Witness Tells Of Fireworks Blast

The fire service said the blaze "escalated" at one point, before later being brought under control.

Some 50 firefighters, eight engines and four specialist appliances were called to the scene. There was "significant damage" to the building caused by the fire.

One man aged in his 40s was treated for serious burns, while another in his 60s had a back injury and suffered smoke inhalation.

Two women - one in her 40s, the other in her 50s - were assessed for smoke inhalation.

Police said a cordon was put in place around the factory to protect the public, and residents in the Baswich area were urged to remain indoors.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "On Friday we will continue to investigate this incident and work to ensure everyone is accounted for.

"Sadly at this stage we believe there is a person unaccounted for and our focus remains tracing those at the factory shortly before the explosion.

"A joint investigation into the incident is already under way, which will work to establish the cause and circumstances immediately before the fire."

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Child Grooming 'Normal' In Parts Of Manchester

By Nick Martin, North of England Correspondent

Child sexual exploitation is a "real and ongoing problem" that has become "normal" in some parts of Greater Manchester, according to a new report.

It suggests that youngsters are exposed to an increasing amount of explicit music and pornography which it is claimed is fuelling the problem. 

The independent report by Ann Coffey, Labour MP for Stockport, was commissioned by Tony Lloyd, the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner, in response to a number of high-profile child exploitation cases.

Home Secretary Theresa May described its findings as "shocking".

In 2012, nine Asian men were jailed for grooming girls with alcohol, drugs and gifts before forcing them to have sex with multiple men.

Video: Dec 2013: MP Criticises Police

The case led to claims the authorities had ignored the problem for reasons of "political correctness".

Ms Coffey said: "My observations will make painful reading for those who hoped that Rochdale was an isolated case. This is a real and ongoing problem.

"I have been concerned about the number of people who have told me that in some neighbourhoods child sexual exploitation had become the new social norm.

"This social norm has perhaps been fuelled by the increased sexualisation of children and young people and an explosion of explicit music videos and the normalisation of quasi-pornographic images.

"Sexting, selfies, Instagram and the like have given rise to new social norms and changed expectations of sexual entitlement, and with it a confused understanding of what constitutes consent."

Some schoolgirls told her they were regularly approached by older men in the street and urged to get into cars on their way home from school.

The problem will not be tackled unless there is a "sea change" in public attitudes away from a culture of blaming children and young people for bringing about their own sexual exploitation, the report claimed.

Nicola Pomfrey first became the victim of exploitation from the age of 14. She said the man she was with controlled every aspect of her life. 

She told Sky News: "It felt like we were friends at first, he kept buying me food and cigarettes. Then it turned into a relationship.

"But as time went on I felt like I was trapped, there was no-one I could turn to and I became isolated from friends and family.

Video: Sep 2012: Handling Of Abuse Slammed

"I was vulnerable, I needed the attention and I got it from the wrong place.

"At the time I didn't feel like telling the police, or a social worker or a teacher would do any good. I suppose I didn't think they would believe that I was a victim."

Home Secretary Theresa May said a public consultation would be held on whether teachers, doctors and other officials should have a duty to report any suspicions - or face the law.

"This is yet another disturbing report which highlights unacceptable failings by authorities at a local level to ensure the protection of children," said Mrs May.

"The report's findings about the scale of child sexual exploitation and attitudes towards it are particularly alarming."

Hayley Harewood, chief executive of Oldham-based charity Keep Our Girls Safe, which helps around 200 young girls at risk of sexual exploitation, agreed with the report's findings.

"It is true that in some areas child sexual exploitation is normal. It is often the first experience many girls have in terms of a relationship," she said.

"On most occasions the girls don't realise what's happening to them until it is too late and they are trapped."

The 148-page report, titled Real Voices - Child Sexual Exploitation In Greater Manchester, recommends a radical new approach to tackling the problem led by young people, which recognises that the police, justice system and children's services alone cannot succeed in protecting children.

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Father Of Murdered Schoolgirl Sarah Payne Dies

Tributes have been paid to Michael Payne, father of the murdered schoolgirl Sarah, after he died at the age of 45.

Mr Payne, who developed a drinking problem after his daughter was abducted and killed near her grandparents' home in West Sussex, was found dead at his home in Maidstone, Kent, on Monday.

His daughter, Charlotte, posted a picture of her father on Facebook alongside a message saying she was "heartbroken".

"No matter what happened and how many mistakes we all made. You will always be my daddy," she wrote.

She later added: "I'm sorry I couldn't save you dad. I hope you have finally found your peace and happiness."

Sarah Payne was eight when she was abducted and murdered

Her brother, Lee, wrote: "Dad, you had your demons and troubles but you had a good heart and was a decent man!

"I hope now you have found peace at last! RIP, you will be missed. We are all heartbroken."

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Police attended an address in Brishing Lane in Maidstone on the evening of 27 October and found the occupant, a 45 year-old man, had died at the property.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner."

Mr Payne split from his wife Sara in 2003 after 18 years together, blaming the difficulties of coping with the loss of their daughter in 2000.

Roy Whiting was convicted of Sarah's murder

Speaking at the time, Mrs Payne told the News of the World: "We know we're not the same people we once were - and everyone knows the awful reason why."

Mr Payne told the newspaper he felt guilty for being unable to protect his daughter and this had put strain on his marriage.

Mrs Payne became a child protection campaigner after her daughter's death.

Sarah's Law, which allows parents to check whether people with access to their children are sex offenders, was introduced in 2011.

That same year Mr Payne was jailed after pleading guilty to glassing his brother Stephen following a heavy drinking session during which both men drank around three litres of cider each and a bottle of vodka.

Sentencing him, Judge Jeremy Carey said he had the "deepest sympathy" for his loss, but the offence warranted a jail sentence.

Convicted paedophile Roy Whiting is serving a life sentence for the eight-year-old's murder.

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Tough Drug Laws Have No Impact On Use - Report

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Correspondent

Severe criminal penalties on drug taking makes no difference to the level of substance use in a country, a Government report has indicated.

The first Home Office study of the issue based on international evidence has caused a split within the coalition, with Lib Dems supporting its proposed reforms and the Conservatives opposing them.

It found "no apparent correlation between the 'toughness' of a country's approach and the prevalence of adult drugs use".

"There is evidence from Portugal of improved health prospects for users, though these cannot be attributed to decriminalisation alone," the report said.

"There are indications that decriminalisation can reduce the burden on criminal justice systems."

Video: August 2014: Libs Dems Drug Policy

It also found worse health outcomes in the Czech Republic after possession was criminalised, and no evidence of lower use.

Danny Kushlick, founder of Transform Drug Policy Foundation, called the report a "historic moment" in drugs policy.

"For the first time in over 40 years the Home Office has admitted that enforcing tough drug laws doesn't necessarily reduce levels of drug use," he said.

Although it was completed several months ago, the report has been kept under wraps to be released alongside another study which recommends so-called legal highs be criminalised.

Video: Inside A UK Cannabis Factory

The Lib Dems have long supported a review of Britain's drugs policy and the party's minister in the Home Office, Norman Baker MP, told Sky News he backs its findings.

"We're very clear that what we need to do is move towards a health based approach - to stop criminalising people unfairly and to make sure that we don't lock people up, but rather deal with it as a health issue," he said.

But a Home Office spokesperson said: "This Government has absolutely no intention of decriminalising drugs.

"Our drugs strategy is working and there is a long-term downward trend in drug misuse in the UK."

Video: Mourning Mum In Legalise Drugs Call

But the Home Office is giving strong consideration to the report backing the criminalisation of so-called legal highs, which are sold online and in high street "head" shops.

Both coalition parties back a blanket ban on their sale, which has been welcomed by campaigners including Maryon Stewart, whose daughter, Hester, died in 2009 after taking a lethal cocktail of alcohol and the legal substance GBL.

She told Sky News: "In that time, there've been as many crime prevention ministers as there have years, and it's been a really difficult journey.

"I think everyone agrees that there needs to be change, what's happening right now isn't working."

Video: 2012: Brand Speaks Out Over Drugs

An opinion poll in The Sun suggests for the first time, most Britons believe the war on drugs can never be won.

A total of 71% of those surveyed said the war had failed, while 51% said it will always be doomed. The survey found 65% supported a review of drugs policy.

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Asylum: 29,000 Cases Unresolved Since 2007

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Failings in the UK's asylum system have led to an "extremely concerning" backlog of cases - with the Home Office accused of being in chaos over immigration.

Some 11,000 asylum seekers have been waiting since 2007 to be told whether they can stay in the country.

In total there are 29,000 cases waiting to be resolved, according to a damning report.

Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: "To make matters worse, the department is also failing to meet its targets for dealing with newer claims, so it is now creating another backlog for itself.

"The number of claims awaiting an initial decision was up 70% to 16,273 in the first three months of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

Video: Asylum Process System In Chaos

"It is deeply worrying that the Home Office is not tracking those people whose applications have been rejected to ensure that they are removed from the UK."

The report said there are 175,000 people whose applications to stay in the UK have been rejected and are still awaiting removal.

The Government scrapped the UK Border Agency last year as part of major reforms. 

One asylum seeker has told Sky News she feels mentally "tortured" after being left in limbo.

Her case has been repeatedly delayed and nine months after applying for asylum the Ugandan woman still has not been given a proper interview about her request.

Fearing further delays to her claim, she asked only to be known as "Namusoke" and explained to Sky News: "I feel tortured here in the UK, I feel depressed, stressed and traumatised, so I really feel bad because I can't help nothing for myself.

"I'm a beggar, which I was not born to do."

The woman is fleeing persecution in her homeland due to the fact she is a lesbian - homosexuality is deemed illegal in Uganda.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "The immigration system we inherited was totally dysfunctional.

"Turning around years of mismanagement has taken time, but it is now well under way.

"We have reformed visa routes to make them more resistant to fraud and cancelled failing contracts; and we are addressing the backlogs we inherited."

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This report lays bare how Theresa May and David Cameron are presiding over one failure after another in our immigration system."

The Refugee Council's head of advocacy, Lisa Doyle, said: "It's extremely concerning that so many people are still waiting for a decision on their asylum claim, years after first applying."

On Tuesday the mayor of Calais said Britain's benefits system had become a magnet for asylum seekers making their way across the English Channel from France - and that many are "prepared to die" to make the journey.

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'Devastating Impact' Of NHS Mistakes Revealed

NHS hospitals are making mistakes which cause patients to suffer needless harm or die prematurely, according to a damning report.

Dame Julie Mellor, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, has uncovered dozens of cases with several complaints regarding incorrect discharges and cancer being misdiagnosed.

Some of the worst cases included: 

:: A one-day-old baby suffered permanent brain damage after "serious mistakes" were made during a blood transfusion at Barts Health NHS Trust.

:: A man died following a liver biopsy that was performed without his consent. Further investigation revealed he was on the wrong medication, and that Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust had lost his clinical records.

:: Another patient who went to A&E complaining of prolonged constipation and vomiting was inappropriately discharged, even though he had suffered complete loss of blood supply to his small intestine. The mistake, at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, was only discovered when he was re-admitted the following day for surgery.

:: Errors were also made with a woman who had been told she was suffering from stomach and bowel cancer. No tests were arranged, and a surgical consultant insisted she did not have the disease. Five weeks later, the same consultant at Wirral University Hospital NHS Trust broke the news that she did have cancer after all.

:: A man suffered a fatal heart attack and stroke while on holiday abroad. Before he travelled, he had visited Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to report chest pains, but staff failed to tell him that he was at risk of death if he flew.

Dame Julie Mellor said hospital re-admissions are costing the NHS

Dame Julie said: "We are increasingly concerned about patients being discharged unsafely from hospital.

"Unplanned admissions and re-admissions are a massive cost to the NHS."

She added that the investigations showed the "devastating impact" failures in the NHS could have on the lives of patients and their families.

The government body investigated 161 complaints between April and June - and is urging other Britons who have had poor service within the NHS to come forward.

Jamie Reed, shadow health minister, said: "This catalogue of poor care shows an NHS heading in the wrong direction.

"Hospitals are full to bursting - struggling to admit or discharge patients - and these reports make clear there isn't enough staff to cope."

But in a statement, the Department of Health said: "The NHS is the most transparent it has ever been, and we're focusing on confronting poor care like never before." 

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is the final step for complaints about unfair treatment or poor service for the NHS in England.

The service investigated 2,199 cases in 2013-2014, compared to 384 for the previous year.

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Murder Inquiry After Body Parts Found On Island

A murder investigation has been launched after the remains of a woman were found on marshland by a group of ramblers.

The remains of 33-year-old Angela Millington, from Southend, were discovered on 21 June on Foulness Island in Essex.

Ramblers walking in a salt marsh area on the island initially found a collection of bones.

Police were called in and more remains were found.

Ms Millington was identified after forensic and DNA tests and, while it is not known how long the bones had been there, police believe she was murdered.

Ms Millington was last seen alive in Southend on 21 November

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Werrett, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "We have launched a murder investigation as we don't know what happened to Angela.

"We are keeping all lines of enquiry open. Anyone with any information, no matter how small, could help us to discover how Angela died and bring her justice."

Ms Millington had no fixed address and was last seen alive when she visited a housing officer in Westcliff on 21 November last year.

She took money out of her bank account on that same day and her mobile phone has not been used since the end of that month.

Mr Werrett added: "We have not found any of her clothing or belongings.

"Angela was known to associate with street drinkers and local homeless people.

"There was a sighting of her by a police officer in the Porters Grange area of Southend on 6 January but we have no definite details of her movements since 21 November.

"The expert reports indicate that she did not die on Foulness but was either taken there or the body was carried there in the tide."

:: Anybody with information is asked to contact police on 01702 470173. Twitter users can make contact through #answers4angela.

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Huge Supercomputer To Boost Weather Forecasts

A 140-ton supercomputer that can perform more than 16,000 trillion calculations per second is set to give the UK its most accurate weather forecasts ever.

The £97m machine will be fired up at the Met Office next year and will crunch data at a blistering rate using the memory equivalent to 120,000 top-end smartphones.

It will be 13 times more powerful than the current system, making it one of the world's fastest high performance computers (HPCs).

Met Office's chief executive Rob Varley said the machine would be a "step change", allowing hourly updates and highly detailed forecasts for areas as small as 300m.

Supercomputers can handle trillions of calculations per second

For example, it will allow airports to pinpoint the timing and extent of fog disruption far more effectively.

The Cray XC40 system will weigh the same as 11 double decker buses and is expected to be split between Met Office Headquarters in Exeter and a new purpose-built building at the city's Science Park.

Some £2bn of benefits are expected, according to forecasters, because it will allow the public and businesses to better plan for extreme weather, such as this year's floods in the south of England.

"The new supercomputer, together with improved observations, science and modelling, will deliver better forecasts and advice to support UK business, the public and government, " said Mr Varley.

The system should help people prepare better for extreme weather

"It will help to make the UK more resilient to high impact weather and other environmental risks."

The boss of supercomputer company Cray, Peter Ungaro, said he was "truly honoured" to get the contract - the biggest international deal in its history.

The first phase of the system will be operational in September 2015 and it will reach full capacity in 2017.

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Lloyds Cuts 9,000 Jobs And 200 Branches

Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed 9,000 job losses and 200 branch closures as it moves to bolster its digital banking offering.

The bank - part-owned by the taxpayer - said the cuts would take place over the next three years as customers' habits continued to shift towards online banking services.

Sources at Lloyds told Sky News it had previously shed 45,000 jobs since its bailout at the height of the banking crisis.

The news was contained in its latest results which showed a nine-month profit before tax of £1.61bn - flat on the same period last year.

Lloyds said the figure included an extra £900m provision for the costs associated with the payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal.

Antonio Horta-Osorio wants to make Lloyds more efficient

Sky News reported on Monday night that Lloyds and other major banks were all planning to put aside extra funds, giving them a combined provision of more than £22bn.

Lloyds accounts for half the total.

Underlying profits for the business, which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland, rose 41% to £2.2bn in the third quarter.

The job cuts announced by Lloyds represent around 10% of its current workforce of 88,000 and form part of its plans to "digitise" the bank.

Earlier this year, the British Bankers' Association published research showing that UK-based customers conducted almost 40 million mobile and internet banking transactions each week in 2013, a huge increase on the previous year.

The branch closures will mainly affect urban areas where there are already high concentrations of Lloyds branches.

Chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio said: "Over the last three years the successful delivery of our strategy has ensured that we have become a safe, highly efficient, UK-focused retail and commercial bank.

"The next phase of our strategy will use these strong foundations as a basis for meeting the rapidly-changing needs of our customers, and sets out how we will grow the business in a way that will deliver increasing and sustainable returns for our shareholders."

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Bodies Of Four People Found In Bradford Home

West Yorkshire Police has said the bodies of four people were discovered at a house in Bradford, on Monday night.

Officers were called at around 8.30pm to the home in Clayton after the bodies of a man, a woman and two teenage girls were found.

A statement from the police force said: "Enquiries are at a very early stage, but police are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the enquiry.

"Police have sealed off the area while forensic investigation takes place and this is expected to take some time."

More follows...

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Senior Tory: Some Towns 'Swamped' By Migrants

A Tory cabinet minister has admitted he made a mistake by saying some British communities are being "swamped" by European Union migrants.

Speaking to Sky News' Murnaghan programme, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said some towns are "under siege" as he dismissed Germany opposition to changing free movement rules within the EU.

Later, he backtracked from his comments, with a Government source telling Sky: "He accepts he should have chosen his words better. He should have said 'under pressure'."

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to regain control over immigration and has vowed to make it a "red line" in renegotiating UK membership terms.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected the prospect of radical change.

David Cameron's plans have been rejected by Angela Merkel

Mr Fallon said: "The Germans haven't seen our proposal yet, and we haven't seen our proposal yet.

"That is still being worked on at the moment to see what we can do to prevent whole towns and communities being swamped by huge numbers of migrant workers.

Video: Farage Anger At Fallon Comments

"In some areas, particularly on the east coast, yes, towns do feel under siege from large numbers of migrant workers and people claiming benefits. It is quite right that we look at that.

"The original treaty when it was drawn up 50 years ago did not envisage these vast movements of people, and we are perfectly entitled to say this needs to be looked at again."

It is the latest escalation in clashes with European counterparts after Mr Cameron responded furiously to a surprise demand to contribute an extra £1.7bn to the Brussels budget.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage warned that it was too late to acknowledge the problem.

He told Sky News: "Mr Fallon and the Conservative Party were the most avid supporters of EU enlargement and the free movement of peoples, and in 2004 I warned if we did this there would be a huge migratory flow into Britain.

"It's a bit late now to agree with me - we have the problem already.

"The reason he is doing this is because Mrs Merkel, and Mr Juncker, and everybody in Brussels has made clear there is no renegotiation of the free movement of peoples, and so Mr Fallon is panicking along with his party leader Mr Cameron."

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Lifeguard Review After Surfers Die In Cornwall

Sea rescue services have said a risk assessment will be carried out to determine whether lifeguard cover should be extended at a beach in Cornwall where three surfers died.

Officers were called by the Coastguard after reports that four children and three adults were caught in a rip current off Mawgan Porth beach, Newquay, on Sunday.

Two surfers recovered from the sea were given CPR at the scene

A man in his 50s and a man and woman in their 40s were found unconscious in the sea.

The victims, who have not been named, were taken to Treliske for treatment but were pronounced dead in hospital.

A spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "The four children were all located safe and well on shore but the three adults were recovered from the water.

"Two of those recovered from the water were given CPR at the scene. The three casualties were transferred to hospital by the rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and both the Devon and Cornwall air ambulances."

The surfers were caught in a rip tide while surfing off Mawgan Porth beach

A spokeswoman for the South Western Ambulance Service said they took a call at 1.31pm about reports the surfers were caught in a rip current.

She said air ambulances, a search and rescue helicopter, police and rapid response vehicles were all deployed to the scene.

Air ambulances and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said lifeguards man Mawgan Porth beach from March to September and confirmed there would have been none patrolling there on Sunday.

But it explained that there would have been "clear signs" indicating the lack of lifeguard cover for beachgoers.

A RNLI spokeswoman said: "We position lifeguards at certain beaches during the summer months and at other times that we think will be busy during the year.

"A risk assessment is carried out and agreed with the local council and authorities, whoever is responsible for the beach.

"That risk assessment is decided by taking into account the number of users, the type of users, the topography of the area - how the waves fall there - and the proximity of other rescue services.

"Every season an assessment is carried out to see what lifeguards there should be on every beach.

"I am sure we will take into account visitor numbers at Mawgan Porth during half term and once we know what happened today it will form part of the review into whether we need to extend lifeguard cover there."

Gareth Horner, lifeboat operations manager, said: "Mawgan Porth is a dangerous beach. We don't know the exact circumstances or the ability of the people that were rescued today.

"My understanding is that they were in two groups and that one of the casualties actually entered the sea to assist other people who were in trouble."

Police said the woman and the man in his 40s were from Cornwall, while the third victim was from outside the force's area.

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'HS3' Northern Rail Link To Cut Journey Times

The Government has welcomed plans to give a multi-billion pound rail boost to northern England.

The project, dubbed High Speed 3 (HS3), could see journey times between Leeds and Manchester cut by up to half.

The plans, due to be unveiled later, would cover an east-west section of northern England - across the Pennines - and would be in addition to the north-of-Birmingham phase two of HS2 which will see a Y-shaped route going to Manchester and Leeds.

Train services running between Liverpool and Hull will also be upgraded.

Journeys between Leeds and Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall, York and Birmingham, and Nottingham to Birmingham could also be slashed by a half or more, and many more journeys substantially shortened.

HS2 Ltd chairman Sir David Higgins said the new northern connectivity plans would be "as important to the north of England as Crossrail is for London".

Sir David told Sky News that the plans were in the early stages and there was no estimate as to how much the new link would cost. The budget for HS2 has been set at £50bn.   

He said: "We have not put a figure on the east-west link because it's got to be part of a much broader transport strategy."

He added: "It isn't anything like the budget of HS2 because the link is some 40 miles long, (and) the link would be a combination of existing track and some new tunnels to speed up the journey time from one hour to half an hour and to double capacity."

Video: Early Days on HS3 Rail Link

Phase one of HS2 involves a new high-speed line from Euston in London passing through the Chilterns to Birmingham, with an expected completion date of 2026.

Phase two was originally due to be completed in 2032/33, although Sir David is keen for this date to be brought forward.

The project is strongly supported by the Government but is bitterly opposed by some councils and residents along the phase one route.

Sir David's four main proposals in his report are:

Video: Church Opposition To HS2 Route

::  Need to take forward both legs of the proposed HS2 Y-network - the alternatives will not bring the same capacity, connectivity and economic benefits.

:: Improve the rail services between east and west - sharply reducing journey times between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Hull will stimulate local economies.

:: Northern cities should speak with one voice - local authorities from five key cities should join together to form a new body.

:: Set out a timetable to develop a new transport strategy to decide on an approach for improving rail and road connectivity across and within the region north of Birmingham.

Video: China's High Speed Rail Revolution

Prime Minister David Cameron said he welcomed the report which will "create a northern powerhouse and ensure that HS2 delivers the maximum economic benefits".

Stop HS2 campaign manager Joe Rukin said Sir David's report "showed that the original plans for HS2 weren't thought through properly".

He added: "Changing the mess that is phase two doesn't change the fact that phase one is still a complete mess, as is the entire concept of HS2."

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Fourth Man From Portsmouth Dies In Syria

A 19-year-old has become the fourth man from the same British city to be killed after reportedly joining Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria.

Mehdi Hassan, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, travelled to the conflict-hit country with a group of four other men from the city in October last year.

A photo of his body emerged on Twitter on Friday.

Abdul Jalil, chairman of the Portsmouth Jami Mosque, told Sky News his family have confirmed his death.

Mehdi Hassan travelled to Syria with four other Portsmouth men

Sky's Ashish Joshi, in Portsmouth, said it is understood Hassan died in fighting in the Syrian town of Kobani, where Kurdish forces are battling IS militants.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Syria.

"The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria, where all UK consular services are suspended.

Muhammad Humidur Rahman also reportedly died while fighting with IS

"As we do not have any representation in Syria, it is extremely difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or injuries."

Hassan is reported to have attended an independent Catholic school and had a place reserved at Surrey University.

On Tuesday it emerged that Manunur Roshid, 24, from Portsmouth, died after reportedly joining up with IS.

Ifthekar Jaman, 23, and Muhammad Humidur Rahman, 25, were also killed, it is believed.

Rahman is believed to have worked in a Primark store in Portsmouth.

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Doctors Recruited In Battle To Keep Young Safe

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

Family doctors are being urged to look out for signs of radicalisation, child trafficking and cyber-bullying in their younger patients.

GPs are being sent a 'toolkit' of information by children's charity the NSPCC and the Royal College of General Practitioners to help them make informed and confident decisions about safeguarding youngsters.

"I would like to say we never see cases of abuse but we have seen cases in the surgery recently - some have involved cyber-bullying," said Dr Trish Wildbore, from the Hazelwood Surgery in Coleshill, north Warwickshire.

"What we've found over time is the way people insult or abuse others changes with technology.

"On a recent course of lectures I went on I was horrified to find there's a child trafficking hotspot just a couple of miles from the surgery. Obviously that's quite alarming."

Doctors are also being urged to be on the look out for child trafficking

Further north, in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, the scale of child sexual exploitation was missed or ignored by healthcare professionals and others.

A report found at least 1,400 youngsters had been abused over a 16-year period.

Video: 'Lawless Jungle' Of Online Abuse

While the search for victims and perpetrators has widened to other areas, so too has the definition of abuse to include forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The long list of ailments GPs deal with is being extended to reflect other problems in a changing society.

RCGP chair Maureen Baker said: "Children and young people, today, are facing unprecedented pressures from all angles at a younger and younger age.

"The arrival of the internet and social media has opened up so many opportunities but has also brought many threats, including cyber-bullying, sexting, and revenge porn.

Video: 'I Had No Idea I Was In England'

"Because of the anonymity offered by the internet, many children and young people run a higher risk of being harmed or exploited.

"A consultation with a GP may be the only time that young people can be alone with a trusted adult and we have a number of roles to play in providing understanding, compassion and support."

But patients have mixed views.

"I think doctors generally are already quite busy and it's already hard to try and get appointments," said Brian Griffiths, from Coleshill.

Video: Brits 'At Forefront' Of IS Conflict

"And I'm not sure they're the right people to do this. Cyber-bullying? I'm not sure how a doctor's going to pick that up really."

But Helen Brownsword disagreed. She said: "I think it's a good thing.

"Doctors have got a heavy workload anyway but in the society we live and the things, particularly at a young age, children are into - the internet, that sort of thing - I think the more awareness we make in schools, the doctors, the better."

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Lords Consider Drone Laws Over Privacy Fears

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

A House of Lords committee will hear from drone safety experts on Monday about whether legislation needs updating.

The committee is investigating the civil use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and is expected to report its findings in 2015.

The popularity of drones has surged as the technology has improved, leading to a consumer boom in cheaper, simpler models.

Among the questions the committee will seek answers to are the implications of drones for air traffic control, and whether drones will be affected by current data protection legislation.

Earlier this week, a report led by the former head of GCHQ and conducted by the University of Birmingham's Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security said that UAVs pose "significant safety, security and privacy concerns".

Video: Debate Over Paparazzi Tactics

It warned they could also be exploited by burglars, train robbers, poachers and the paparazzi.

But the report also said drones could bring "significant benefits". The commercial drone market is estimated to be worth £7.5bn over the next decade.

Jennifer Gibson, a legal expert on UAVs, told Sky News: "Parliament needs to step up. They need to make sure that outdated laws - which historically were used for things like CCTV cameras or manned aircraft - are updated to address this unmanned threat that is coming and can be used by the average person on the street, or by police forces.

Video: Dubai To Get Drone Deliveries

"There need to be codes of conduct, we need to have discussions about what privacy means in this new world where you can fly something up to someone's window.

"We need to have decisions around how to protect ourselves from the potential use of this in a threatening way."

This week also saw the first UAV conference held in London.

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