Hospitals Told To End 'Unfair' Parking Charges

Hospitals have been told to give free or cheap parking to the relatives of chronically ill patients.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said new guidelines for English hospitals have been created in order to end the stress of "unfair" charges.

Patients with disabilities, those who have frequent appointments and members of staff working shifts will also benefit from the changes, Mr Hunt said.

The guidelines state hospital trusts should waive fines when an overstay is beyond the control of the driver, for instance if treatment takes longer than planned.

Jeremy Hunt has come under pressure from Tory backbenchers on the issue

Mr Hunt last month admitted he was concerned about parking fees being charged at some hospitals after being pressed by backbenchers to end "rip-off" costs.

The guidance sets out for the first time that hospital trusts are responsible for the actions of any private firms they use to run parking facilities.

It also calls on hospitals to look at introducing pay on exit systems so those visiting only pay for the time they have used.

Mr Hunt said: "Patients and families shouldn't have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges.

"These clear ground rules set out our expectations, and will help the public hold the NHS to account for unfair charges or practices."

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'Asbos For Extremists' To Tackle UK Jihadists

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Home Secretary Theresa May is planning to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists - including "anti-social behaviour orders" for extremists.

Mrs May will announce a three-point plan to counter British Muslim extremists, warning that the security threat to the UK will continue for decades.

The measures would target the activities of radical preachers, such as Anjem Choudary, whose extreme rhetoric currently does not constitute a crime.

Full details are yet to emerge, but the new power will be designed to restrict extremists' behaviour and language.

As with an Asbo, it could result in a criminal conviction carrying a jail term if breached.

Mrs May has unveiled her crackdown in an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Theresa May's warning echoes recent comments from David Cameron

She discloses that she will make it illegal to join extremist groups that preach violent views, but are not directly involved in terrorism.

Currently, the threshold for banning membership of organisations, such as the Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIL), requires the Home Secretary to prove that the group is directly involved in terrorist acts.

The new power could target Islamist political organisations and other Muslim groups that tacitly support extremism.

In addition, state-funded organisations such as councils and schools will be given a new legal obligation to combat extremists.

Mrs May uses the Telegraph article to echo a warning about extremism made by the Prime Minister in a newspaper report last weekend.

The Home Secretary writes: "We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a deadly extremist ideology.

Cardiff students Khan (L) and Muthana (C) appeared in an IS video

"We will be engaged in this struggle for many years, probably decades. We must give ourselves all the legal powers we need to prevail.

"I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others."

The measures proposed by Mrs May are similar to recommendations for legislation made by the Government's Extremism Task Force last December.

Those recommendations were surprisingly omitted from the Queen's Speech this year.

But there is no suggestion yet that the Home Secretary plans to introduce emergency legislation when MPs return to the Commons on September 1.

David Cameron said during his brief return to Downing Street from his holiday after the murder of journalist James Foley that there would be "no knee-jerk reaction".

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary

The problem of radicalisation was highlighted in June when two Cardiff students - Reyaad Khan, 20, Nasser Muthana, also 20, - were identified in a propaganda video for IS posted on YouTube.

The two men along with Muthana's younger brother Aseel, 17, were lured to join extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

And a jihadi fighter in Syria told Sky News in July that he was training British teenagers as young as 16 to fight in the war.

Yvette Cooper, Labour's shadow home secretary, said: "More action is needed to respond to the serious problem of people travelling to fight with ISIL.

"The Home Secretary's confirmation that she is continuing to look at the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Taskforce, announced last December, is welcome.

"Though there remains no detail on things like civil powers to tackle extremists or extremist groups for people to consider.

"However I remain concerned that the Government is not addressing the gaps in the Prevent programme - especially the lack of support for community led approaches to preventing radicalisation.

"And the Home Secretary also needs to respond to the concerns raised by the current and previous Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation about the decision to weaken control orders, where they have advised that stronger measures should be put in place."

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Two Men Charged Over Tilbury Docks Death

Two men from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland have been charged with people smuggling after an immigrant was found dead in a shipping container at Tilbury Docks.

Essex Police said Stephen McLaughlin, 34, from Limavady, and Timothy Murphy, 34, from Derry, have been charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the UK.

A police statement said: "The men, who are both lorry drivers, have been detained in police custody to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court today."

It follows the discovery of 34 people in a container at the Port of Tilbury, south Essex, on August 16.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, was found dead inside the airtight container on a ship that had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

A post-mortem examination on Mr Kapoor had failed to establish the cause of his death and inquiries are continuing.

The rest of the group of Afghan Sikhs from Kabul, which included 13 children, survived the ordeal.

They are believed to have fled Afghanistan after suffering persecution and are in the process of claiming asylum in the UK.

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Failing Doctors Could Be Forced To Say Sorry

Doctors could be forced to say sorry to patients or their relatives if they have been found to have made a mistake.

The proposed move is part of the General Medical Council (GMC) consultation which will help "improve patient protection and public confidence in doctors".

Whether or not they have apologised may also be taken into account when a fitness to practice panel is deciding on what sanctions the medic faces, the document said.

And those who fail to blow the whistle on a failing colleague could face stricter sanctions under the plans.

"In the vast majority of cases one-off clinical errors do not merit any action by the GMC," said GMC chief executive Niall Dickson.

"But if we are to maintain that trust, in the small number of serious cases where doctors fail to listen to concerns and take action sooner to protect patients, they should be held to account for their actions.

"We want patients, doctors and other professionals to give us their views - this consultation is a chance to make sure the action we take is fair to doctors while never losing our focus on protecting the public."

The consultation was launched today and will close on November 14.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, honorary treasurer of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Patient safety is always of paramount importance and GPs work really hard to ensure that all patients receive the best possible care.

"All GP practices have a system to review instances where things could have gone better and GPs are required to reflect on 'significant events' during their annual appraisal and through the revalidation process.

"Anything that further improves the care that we deliver to our patients - and the trust that they have in us should be welcomed.

"But it is essential that any action resulting from these proposals is taken in the best interests of patient safety and care and not used as an excuse to criticise doctors who are doing a very difficult job in increasingly difficult circumstances."

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First-Time Buyers 'Getting A Shot At Long Last'

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

The number of first-time buyer sales has hit a seven-year high, according to new figures from LSL Property Services.

There were 30,000 first-time buyer sales in July, up by 25% on a year before and the highest number of monthly first-time buyers since August 2007.

At the same time, the data reveal average first-time buyer deposits are 10% lower than this time last year.

Down payments averaged £26,642 in June, a decrease from £29,609 12 months ago.

David Newnes, from LSL Property Services, said: "A whole generation of young buyers were trapped on the sidelines of the property market as the economy recovered from the recession, struggling to save for a deposit whilst inflation remained stubbornly high, savings rates were stuck at a historic low, and real wages fell.

"But the recent increase in high LTV (loan to value) lending options - enabled by Help to Buy - has allowed them a shot at getting on the ladder at long last."

Yet purchase prices are on the rise, and mortgage rates are climbing, meaning buyers could still struggle with debt and repayments.

First-time buyers paid 8% more over the last year, with the average price paid for a new home now £155,844, according to LSL Property Services.

Simultaneously, average mortgage rates climbed for the fourth consecutive month in July to 4.19%.

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Middle Lane Hogging Rife Despite Fine Threat

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

A year since laws were brought in to stop motorists hogging the middle lane, more than half of drivers admit they still do it.

New research has found 52% of motorists know that middle lane hogging is illegal.

Yet despite this, 59% owned up to staying in the central lane, rather than just using it for overtaking, with those aged 65 and over being the worst offenders.

The South East of England was also found to be the country's middle lane hot spot, with the M4 near Slough having the highest incidence of hogging.

The analysis came from traffic flow data from nearly 6,500 sites on the Highways Agency motorway network and the insurance firm Direct Line.

The most common reason for why people drove in the middle lane was because it is an easier way to drive on motorways because it saves changing lanes.

Rob Miles, director of car insurance at Direct Line said: "Lane hogging causes congestion, reduces the capacity of the roads, and most crucially, can be dangerous. 

"It is also illegal which means drivers could face a £100 on-the-spot fine and three points on their licence if caught.

"Motorists are risking their own safety and the safety of other road users through their actions so we'd urge them to be aware of the other lanes and drivers around them when on the road.

"If the inside lane has space, you should move into it."

Benjamin Heydecker, Professor of Transport Studies at University College London, fears that as well as adding to congestion and accidents, middle lane hogging is also a sign that people are driving around in a dream.

Prof Heydecker said: "Annoying other drivers is a bad idea, it doesn't add to road safety, but also I'm concerned that the drivers that are holding the middle lane aren't engaged in the driving task and that's bad for safety."

In August 2013 the Government introduced new careless driving laws to curb lane hogging and tailgating; those caught by police now face a £100 fine and points on their licence.

There are currently no nationwide figures for the number of people pulled over for lane hogging, but the Department for Transport told Sky News they intend to undertake research to examine how effective the introduction of careless driving as a fixed penalty offence has been.

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International Manhunt For 'John' The IS Killer

Counter-terrorism police in the UK say they are investigating the English-accented Islamic State fighter who beheaded journalist James Foley.

In a video posted by the militant group to social media sites, the man speaks English and blames US airstrikes for the killing of the 40-year-old American.

The killer, who is clad in black and covers his face during the video, speaks with a southeastern English accent, appears to be left-handed and is of average height.

The man has reportedly been identified as one of a group of Britons holding foreign hostages in Syria.

Speaking to Sky News, the Guardian's Martin Chulov said the man called himself "John", and was the leader of several Britons who guard prisoners in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.

James Foley was made to read out a statement before he was killed

"We spoke to a hostage today who was released several months ago and he clearly identified to us this man in the video," Mr Chulov said.

"He identified him as a British national, one of three British nationals who were responsible for guarding foreign prisoners in Raqqa.

"He was the leader of the pack, someone who was very assertive and was responsible for negotiations with hostage families and certainly had spoken to many mums, dads, (and) wives on Skype."

Mr Chulov said the man is likely to have been fighting with IS for at least a year.

"These are not newcomers. These guys have been around for quite some time - at least a year, and potentially 18 months.

"Throughout that time they had a leadership role in terms of guarding the foreign prisoners in Raqqa, all of whom had become very valuable to the Islamic State organisation.

Abdullah Deghayes was killed while fighting in Syria in May

"The fact that this British national speaks such fluent English, he writes fluent English as well, he has been given a lot of trust and authority within the jihadist structure in Raqqa."

The Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command said it is investigating the video.

It added: "We would like to remind the public that viewing, downloading or disseminating extremist material within the UK may constitute an offence under Terrorism legislation."

At least 400 people are known to have travelled from the UK to Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State (IS) - formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Concerns have been raised that radicalised young men from Western countries will return to their home nations and could be used to carry out attacks.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said: "We know that around 400 British nationals have joined IS, probably more than that in the last few months as their recruitment has gone into overdrive.

"Now they are being used in these more serious videos to try to pressure foreign governments - and also people in these countries - to try to pressure their governments not to intervene."

Nasser Muthana, centre, has been disowned by his father

Security agencies, including the FBI and MI5, will be tracking those who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the militant organisation.

A Home Office spokesperson added: "The police and security services are actively working to detect and disrupt terrorist threats.

"People seeking to travel to engage in terrorist activity in Syria or Iraq should be in no doubt we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security, including prosecuting those who break the law.

"We also have a wide range of powers at our disposal to disrupt travel and manage the risk posed by returnees."

Radicalisation expert Shiraz Maher told Sky News that Britons were at the "forefront" of the IS conflict and were "not taking a back seat" in the violence.

Crawley father-of-three Abdul Waheed Majeed, 41, became the first Briton suspected of staging a suicide bomb attack when he attacked a jail in Aleppo in February.

In May, 18-year-old Abdullah Deghayes, from Brighton, was killed while fighting in Syria alongside his two brothers Jafar and Amer.

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Sexual Crimes On Britain's Trains Increase

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

The number of sexual crimes committed on trains in England, Wales and Scotland has gone up in the past year.

The latest figures released by British Transport Police (BTP) show a 20% increase, with 1,117 sexual offences in 2013/14 compared to 925 in 2012/13.

Most were against women but men were also victims.

BTP said the increase was slightly higher than that experienced by police forces nationally, but believed it was partly down to people being more willing to report incidents in the wake of high-profile prosecutions of celebrities for historical sexual offences.

Overall, for the 10th year in a row, there has been a drop in the number of the most serious crimes committed on Britain's railways, falling from 53,885 to 50,840 in 2012/13 - more than 3,000 fewer offences.

It includes a reduction of 18% in recorded robberies, a 17% drop in theft of passenger property and a 37% fall in theft of cable from the railway.

Speaking about the rise in sexual offences, BTP Chief Constable Paul Crowther said the force's Project Guardian had had a significant impact.

He said the scheme "focuses on increasing awareness and confidence among the public to report unwanted sexual behaviour to the police or members of staff".

"We are particularly interested in those offences which are often unreported, such as sexual assault, exposure, outraging public decency, lewd comments and harassment," he said.

"For the coming months and years we will have one simple goal - to make sure everyone who travels or works on the railway can get home every day, safe, secure and on time."

Figures show that 15% of women who have used the underground or trains in London have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour on the network, but 90% did not report it because they did not think it was serious enough.

Jodie Mcleay told Sky News that she did not tell police what happened to her on a train at midday from the capital to Luton.

She said: "It was a reasonably packed train and I heard a man behind me and realised he was acting quite inappropriately for that time of day.

"I think I was shocked more than anything, a bit disgusted and then didn't know how to react, whether to make a scene."

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GCSE Pass Rate Falls For Second Year Running

The overall GCSE pass rate has fallen for the second year running amid concerns changes to the exam system would hit results.

But the proportion of GCSE exams awarded at least a C grade has risen, official figures show.

Just over two thirds (68.8%) of entries scored A*-C, up 0.7 percentage points on last summer, according to statistics published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

The A*-G pass rate is down 0.3 percentage points to 98.5% from 98.8% in 2013.

The proportion of entries awarded the highest grade has also fallen slightly, with 6.7% gaining an A*, down from 6.8% last year.

It is the third year in a row that this has dropped.

The statistics also show the gender gap has widened at grade C and above this year, with 73.1% of girls' entries scoring A*-C compared with 64.3% of boys'.

But boys are closing the gap at A*, with 5.2% of entries scoring the top grade compared with 8.1% of girls', a difference of 2.9 percentage points, down from three percentage points last summer.

Michael Turner, director general of the JCQ, said: "There has been a significant amount of change to the system this year and although UK level figures are relatively stable we expect more schools and colleges to see volatility in their results.

"Entry patterns are very different this year. We have seen a dramatic decline in the number of entries from 15-year-olds, which is largely due to a change in the school accountability measure, where a candidate's first entry counts in performance tables, and the move to end-of-year exams in England.

"As we would expect, where the change in entry patterns is greatest, such as the sciences, English and maths, we have seen some impact on results."

More follows...

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Worker Dies After Eastbourne Pier Plunge

A worker has died after plummeting from the fire-damaged Eastbourne Pier.

Emergency services were called just after 4pm on Tuesday to reports that a man had fallen from the pier, Sussex Police said.

An air ambulance landed on the beach, but the 44-year-old from Cumbria was declared dead at the scene and taken to Eastbourne mortuary.

His next of kin have been advised but he has not yet been formally named.

Sussex Police and the Health and Safety Executive will conduct an investigation into the incident.

Part of the 144-year-old pier was destroyed on July 30.

Up to 80 firefighters battled the blaze at the Grade II listed Victorian attraction, which left the dome-shaped amusement arcade near the entrance a charred shell.

The pier was evacuated quickly and no one was trapped by the fire.

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