January 11, 2011, 3:34 am
![Image]( "Presenter proud after BBC age stand")
Axed presenter Miriam O'Reilly says she has done the "right thing" by "standing up" to the BBC after she won an age discrimination case against the corporation.
Ms O'Reilly, 53, who lost her Countryfile job in advance of it moving to a prime-time Sunday evening slot, also said she would like to return to work at the corporation.
Fighting back tears at times, she told a news conference in London she was "overwhelmed" after winning her case.
She also said she was "really impressed" by the BBC's decision to apologise to her following the judgment and the corporation's announcement that it would like to talk about working with her again in the future.
"It was hard to take on the BBC because I love the BBC and I loved working there," she said.
"I think it is one of the best broadcast organisations in the world but I felt that I was treated badly because of my age.
"Standing up to the BBC was the right thing to do, however hurtful, however stressful it has been. I would like to go back to work for the BBC.
"I took this action because I wanted to work for the BBC."
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January 11, 2011, 3:34 am
![Image]( "'Mini rebellion' over postal plans")
Opponents of the Government's controversial plans to privatise the Royal Mail have claimed there are signs of a "mini-rebellion" by coalition MPs before the Bill reaches its final stages in the Commons on Wednesday.
Postal affairs minister Ed Davey said the Royal Mail and the Post Office were at a "crossroads", adding that the sell-off plans promised the service a "brighter future".
Westminster sources said there was growing support for amendments being put forward to the Postal Services Bill, including moves to make sure there was an inter-service agreement between the Royal Mail and the Post Office.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has warned that selling off the Royal Mail arm of the business will hit post offices and could lead to a fresh wave of branch closures.
Mr Davey said: "We won't repeat the previous government's post office closure programmes. The Post Office is not for sale. Instead we are providing £1.34 billion of new funding and developing new reasons for customers to keep coming through the door.
"Royal Mail has a multibillion-pound pension deficit, is faced with rapidly declining letter volumes, needs much greater efficiency and has an urgent need for capital at a time when there are huge constraints on the public purse.
"A visit to a sorting centre just before Christmas brought home to me once again the huge task that faces Royal Mail. Staff were working incredibly hard to ensure that endless rows of presents and parcels bought online were ready for delivery. The digital age is presenting the company with a different set of challenges, and only with fresh ideas, modernisation and more investment can Royal Mail really adapt and thrive in this new market.
"The Post Office also has to rise to these challenges and make the network even more attractive and convenient for shoppers - expanding new services for customers and small businesses using their local post office to drop off and collect parcels. I know how much people up and down the country value these great institutions and the vital services they provide - the Government is determined to secure the future of both."
CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: "There are genuine concerns from the public, small businesses and mail users about the Government's Bill. Whilst we and opposition MPs are opposing the sale, there is also an opportunity for Government MPs to address the genuine concerns of mail users. Amendments to protect post offices and the universal service have been tabled.
"We want to see robust protection for post offices in the form of an inter-business agreement which is currently missing from the legislation. Without protection, the Post Office stands to lose a third of its income, putting offices across the country at risk of closure. Many MPs have tabled important and sensible amendments aimed at protecting postal services. We hope that the Government takes these on board and doesn't see it as a political game of saving face."
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January 11, 2011, 4:48 am
![Image]( "Asylum seekers win damages rights")
Failed asylum seekers have won the right to claim damages which could run into thousands of pounds after the High Court ruled three young children were held at an immigration detention centre unlawfully.
The ruling was a legal victory for the mothers - Reetha Suppiah, 37, a Malaysian nurse, and Sakinat Bello, 25, a Nigerian national - who brought the legal challenge.
Both said a lack of safeguards at Yarl's Wood in Bedfordshire, the UK's main removal centre for women and minors, led to their children suffering distress and trauma.
Mr Justice Wyn Williams, sitting in London, ruled the Government's current policy on detaining families with children pending deportation was not unlawful, but - in Tuesday's cases - it had not been applied by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) "with the rigour it deserves".
As a result "the claimants were detained unlawfully from the time they were taken into custody until their release" and they were entitled to claim damages.
The judge said: "The cases of the two families involved in this litigation provide good examples of the failure by UKBA to apply important aspects of the policy, both when the decisions were taken to detain each family and when decisions were taken to maintain detention after removal directions had been cancelled."
The judge declared the families' rights to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached, along with their Article 5 right to liberty.
But he rejected claims that their right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment had been infringed.
The mothers' application for judicial review was heard last October but judgment was not given until Tuesday.
In December, following a lengthy review, the Government announced the immediate closure of the family section at Yarl's Wood.
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January 11, 2011, 4:48 am
![Image]( "Miriam 'right' to stand up to BBC")
Axed presenter Miriam O'Reilly says she has done the "right thing" by "standing up" to the BBC after she won an age discrimination case against the corporation.
Ms O'Reilly, 53, who lost her Countryfile job in advance of it moving to a prime-time Sunday evening slot, also said she would like to return to work at the corporation.
Fighting back tears at times, she told a news conference in London she was "overwhelmed" after winning her case.
She also said she was "really impressed" by the BBC's decision to apologise to her following the judgment and the corporation's announcement that it would like to talk about working with her again in the future.
"It was hard to take on the BBC because I love the BBC and I loved working there," she said.
"I think it is one of the best broadcast organisations in the world but I felt that I was treated badly because of my age.
"Standing up to the BBC was the right thing to do, however hurtful, however stressful it has been. I would like to go back to work for the BBC.
"I took this action because I wanted to work for the BBC."
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January 11, 2011, 4:48 am
![Image]( "450,000 face tax shortfall demand")
A further 450,000 people will collectively face demands for £180 million from HM Revenue & Customs after underpaying tax through the pay as you earn system, a minister has said.
The latest batch of underpayments relates to the 2007-08 tax year, and comes on top of the six million people who underpaid or overpaid tax because of errors in their tax code during 2008-09 and 2009-10.
HMRC will write off tax owed when the sum is less than £300, while it will allow other taxpayers to have the money deducted from their salary during the coming year where possible.
It has also emerged that 250,000 retired people had underpaid tax on their state pension after a tax adjustment code was not applied during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 tax years. But Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said that the outstanding tax these people owed would be written off.
In a written ministerial statement, he said the pensioners, who have not yet been issued with a notice of underpayment, would not have to claim the concession individually, but would instead have the money written off automatically.
An HMRC spokeswoman said: "HMRC has committed to closing off old tax cases as quickly and accurately as possible. This means most people will get repayment cheques, but a minority will have some tax to pay. This is only fair and will enable us to move forward to a more accurate and responsive tax system."
HMRC came in for heavy criticism in September last year when it emerged that six million people had paid the wrong amount of tax due to errors in their tax code for the previous two tax years. Around 1.4 million people will be required to pay an average of £1,500 each to make up the shortfall, while a further 4.3 million will receive rebates of around £418.
The high number of discrepancies was thrown up due to the use of a new IT system, which holds all the information on an employee in one place, rather than having it spread over several different systems. Mr Gauke said that HMRC had been working hard to clear the long-standing backlog of unreconciled cases, and since September it had made rapid progress in working through them.
He said by the end of last year people had received either a refund notice or a calculation of how much tax they owed in 90% of cases where HMRC had received all the information it needed. In cases where tax is due, HMRC has taken a "flexible and sympathetic approach" to collecting it, he said.
Mr Gauke added that HMRC was also working to clear the backlog of unreconciled tax cases from earlier years, but would not be chasing people for unpaid tax for periods before the 2007-08 tax year, although it would offer refunds to people who had overpaid.
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January 11, 2011, 11:31 am
![Image]( "Jackson doctor must stand trial")
A judge has ordered the personal physician of Michael Jackson to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar.
The ruling against Dr Conrad Murray came after a six-day preliminary hearing in Los Angeles.
Authorities contend Dr Murray, 57, gave Jackson a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol mixed with other sedatives then failed to provide proper care.
Prosecutors concluded the hearing with testimony from two doctors who said Dr Murray acted outside the standard of medical care.
Both witnesses said that even if Jackson had self-administered the last dose of the anesthetic, his death would be a homicide because of Dr Murray's actions.
The doctor has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have said he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed him.
Dr Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
Jackson's family and fans have contended the doctor should be tried for murder. During the hearing, a plane flew over the courthouse trailing a banner with Jackson's image that read, "Change the Charge to Murder".
Jackson's mother, Katherine, seated in the courtroom, dabbed at her eyes during testimony. The famous Jackson siblings - Janet, Jackie, LaToya, Randy and Rebbie - were present every day along with their parents.
Meanwhile, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor granted a request by the California Medical Board to suspend Dr Murray's license to practice in the state. The judge said he took the action involving the license in the interest of public safety.
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January 11, 2011, 11:31 am
![Image]( "Bond set to return to big screen")
James Bond fans will be shaken and stirred to learn that the 23rd film featuring 007 is to be made this year.
There were doubts over the future of the spy franchise when the film, set to be the third starring Daniel Craig, was put on hold last year.
EON Productions blamed the financial difficulties of MGM Studios for the hiatus.
The new owners of MGM and Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the films, confirmed that Bond will be back on November 9 2012.
Filming is set to start later this year with Sam Mendes, known for previous works American Beauty and Road to Perdition, as director.
The last Bond film Quantum of Solace was released in 2008.
Fans had feared the long delay could lead Craig, who debuted as Bond in Casino Royale, to walk away from the role.
MGM filed for bankruptcy protection last November, seven months after the next Bond film was put on hold, and has since been restructured.
Craig said last year that he had "every confidence" in the films' producers, and that he was looking forward to production resuming "as quickly as possible".
He has been credited with giving Bond a gritty new image as he became the sixth incarnation of the spy, taking over from dapper Pierce Brosnan.
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "Haiti 'requires long-term help'")
A year after Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, aid workers report the need to step up long-term rebuilding efforts as they continue to combat disease and poverty.
Some 220,000 people died as a result of the quake that struck on January 12, 2010 with an estimated 1.5 million left homeless as homes crumbled in the tremors.
Responders on the ground have faced numerous setbacks in the months since, with endemic poverty and an outbreak of cholera just two factors holding back recovery.
But a year on from the disaster aid workers hold out the hope that the battle against the disease is finally being won.
They said that efforts in 2011 must increasingly turn towards long-term reconstruction as well as short-term relief.
Andy Powell is one of the people tasked with helping rebuild the Caribbean island.
As Save the Children's safer construction programme manager, the 32-year-old Briton oversees a number of projects giving Haitians better access to schools, medical facilities and shelters.
Having arrived in the country in May last year, he has seen first hand the devastation caused by the earthquake and subsequent waterborne disease.
The nature of the challenge has changed as the year has progressed. Speaking from his base in Jacmel in southern Haiti, Mr Powell said at first the main concern was delivering aid and food to survivors.
Haiti's recent history is scared by violence and poverty and administering aid in such conditions led to angry scenes at some collection points.
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "Pubs open longer for royal wedding")
All pubs are expected to be allowed to stay open until 1am for two nights of celebrations for the royal wedding.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry at Westminster Abbey on Friday April 29.
The move would give landlords the power to extend their opening hours on the night of the wedding without having to seek permission from local licensing authorities.
The party would also be able to continue to 1am on the Saturday night, it is understood.
Ministers are to outline the plans to MPs.
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "Shop price inflation rate increases")
Consumers have been warned that more price hikes are on the way after the rate of inflation of goods sold in shops increased in December.
Shop prices were 2.1% more expensive in December than a year ago, as the rate crept up from 2% in November, driven by the rising cost of non-food items, according to figures released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen.
Food price inflation remained at 4% in December, but non-food inflation increased to 1.1% from 0.9% the previous month, pushed upwards by toiletries, cosmetics, DIY and home furnishing products.
January's rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20% and further hikes in the price of commodities, such as oil, wheat and corn, are expected to lead to more pain for consumers in 2011.
BRC director general Stephen Robertson said: "Retailers are protecting British consumers from the full force of global commodity cost increases, with unprecedented levels of discounting taking the sting out of grocery shopping.
"Retailers know that consumers are worried about their jobs and personal finances and stores will go on doing all they can to limit price rises."
He pointed out that shop price inflation was below the Government's official consumer price index (CPI) figure of 3.3% in November.
But while food is generally exempt from VAT, the report said "it would not be surprising to see food inflation creep higher over the coming months as there is no sign of commodity prices easing in the near term".
The price of footwear and clothes continued to decrease despite the cost of cotton having nearly doubled in the past year, while retailer Next warned it expects to put up its prices by 8% this year.
Electrical goods also dropped in price as retailers put on promotions to entice shoppers to buy before the VAT rise, although the annual deflation slowed from 2.7% in November to 1.9% in December. But furniture and floor coverings inflation accelerated to 1.9%, its highest rate since May, and the cost of books and home entertainment also continued to rise.
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "Residents flee as flood hits city")
The deadly flood that has cut a swath across northeast Australia has seeped onto the streets of the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee both suburbs and skyscrapers.
City Mayor Campbell Newman said almost 20,000 homes in low-lying areas of the city of about two million were expected to be swamped by the time the river system it is built on reaches its expected peak on Thursday.
The figures were constantly being revised as the threat became clearer - and it was getting consistently worse.
Meanwhile, Queensland state Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the confirmed death toll from Monday's flash flooding west of Brisbane - described as "an inland instant tsunami" - remained at 10, with the number of people missing dropping to 67 from more than 90.
Helicopters and other emergency vehicles were moving into the worst-hit towns, and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh warned that the death toll would likely rise.
The Brisbane River broke its banks on Tuesday and is continuing its rise - partly controlled by a huge dam upstream that has had its floodgates opened because it is brimming after weeks of rain across the state.
Boats torn from their moorings were floating down the swollen river, and a popular waterside restaurant was expected to sink, Ms Bligh told reporters. Some streets and riverside parks were covered with water, though no major flooding was reported early on Wednesday.
Two evacuation centres have been established in the city and Mr Newman said up to 6,500 were expected to use them in coming days. Officials have urged anyone in a growing list of low-lying suburbs to prepare their homes, then get out to stay with friends and family and keep off the streets.
"This incident is not a tourist event - this is a deeply serious natural disaster," Ms Bligh said. "Stay in your homes. Do not travel unless it is absolutely necessary."
Relentless rains that have been pounding the region cleared on Wednesday, but Ms Bligh said while the break in the weather would help rescue officials, it would have no impact on the flood threat to Brisbane. "We can take no comfort from that blue sky," she said. "The water and the rain have already done their damage - they are in the catchment, and they are on their way down the river system."
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "£37m to help poor pay energy bills")
British Gas has announced a £37 million investment to help "vulnerable" customers, including a £50 payment for around 340,000 people to help with their winter bills.
The firm said it was investing £20 million of the money in the British Gas Energy Trust, which helps people struggling with household debts.
Ian Peters, chief operating officer at British Gas, said: "We know that money is very tight for many people in Britain right now, particularly our elderly, poor and disabled customers."
Customers on the British Gas essentials social tariff will receive £50 as a credit on their winter bill, it was announced.
Audrey Gallacher, head of energy at Consumer Focus, said: "British Gas customers on the lowest incomes will benefit from this move to put money back in their pockets and we welcome this substantial investment.
"However, the wider issue is making sure all customers are paying a fair price for their energy and unfortunately consumers simply don't believe that is the case."
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January 11, 2011, 1:57 pm
![Image]( "Stroke care 'a postcode lottery'")
Stroke survivors in England receive patchy care depending on where they live, according to a new report.
And despite the Government's desire for more people to be treated in the community rather than in hospital, the right services do not always exist to support them.
The study, from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), found some people have no access at all to specialist rehabilitation stroke services, which have been shown to reduce disability.
In almost half (48%) of areas, people had to wait an average of two weeks before receiving community-based speech and language therapy.
Proper support to enable people to be discharged from hospital earlier was only available in 37% of areas.
Some 32% of primary care trusts (PCTs) did not commission stroke physiotherapy in the community, while in 44% of areas occupational therapy was not always given by staff trained in strokes.
Other issues noted in the report included people given poor information packs when they leave hospital and only around a quarter of helplines being offered out of hours.
Some 68% of areas offered patients a named contact to support them when they left hospital but only around half worked across all services, including health, social and community services.
The study also found that a third of PCTs do not offer specialist stroke physiotherapy and less than 40% of areas have good access to psychological therapy or stroke counsellors.
More than 80,000 people in England are admitted to hospital following a stroke every year.
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January 12, 2011, 12:15 am
![Image]( "Weather costs airport operator £24m")
Last month's heavy snowfall meant that airport operator BAA handled almost 11% fewer passengers at its six UK airports than in December 2009.
The company said the cost of the weather disruption was approximately £24 million.
A total of 7.2 million passengers passed through the six airports in December 2010 - a 10.9% drop on the December 2009 figure.
BAA handled 4.8 million passengers at Heathrow last month - a 9.5% reduction on December 2009.
The biggest dip last month was at Southampton Airport where there were 22% fewer passengers. Edinburgh was down 18.4%, Glasgow fell 15.3%, Stansted was down 10.9% and Aberdeen fell 8.3%.
BAA was heavily criticised for its handling of the snow crisis at Heathrow where thousands of Christmas getaway passengers had to camp overnight in the terminals as flights - at one stage - almost ground to a halt. The company has set up an inquiry into its December 2010 Heathrow operation, with a report due in March.
BAA reckoned that the £24 million weather-related loss last month included a £19 million loss at Heathrow, a £1 million loss at Stansted and a £4 million loss at its four other UK airports.
Chief executive Colin Matthews announced last month that he would not be taking his 2010 annual bonus. He said: "The coldest December on record closed airports around the world but we must carefully examine the snow plan agreed with airlines earlier in the year and strengthen it to protect against such unprecedented weather.
"We are sorry for the flights that had to be cancelled as a result of the snow. The cost of any disruption to BAA's airports is significant and a strong financial incentive for us to continue to make Heathrow more resilient."
Overall, BAA handled 103.9 million passengers in 2010 - a drop of 2.8% on 2009. The company was hit not only by the December snow but also by two British Airways strikes and the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud crisis last spring and it said that these various events caused the loss of around 3.6 million passengers.
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Trio remanded over honeymoon murder")
Three hotel workers have been remanded in custody in Mauritius charged in connection with the murder of honeymooner Michaela McAreavey.
The men, all employed at the luxury Legends Hotel where the newlywed teacher, the daughter of GAA manager Mickey Harte, was found strangled, appeared in court in Mapou Court on the north of the island. Two were charged with murder and one with conspiracy to murder.
Mauritius police said the two men charged with the 27-year-old's murder were Abinash Treeboowoon, 29, a room attendant from Plaine des Roches, and Sandip Moneea, 41, a floor supervisor from Petit Raffray.
Room attendant Raj Theekoy, 33, faced the conspiracy charge.
During a brief hearing they spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth, police said.
Magistrate Bono Mally remanded them in police custody for a week and they will return to court next Wednesday, when they are expected either to be formally charged or released.
Meanwhile, police commissioner Tishur Ranpersad reassured the public that a large number of experienced officers were working on the case.
At a press conference earlier, he said detectives were doing their best to solve it.
Police sergeant Lindsay Mirthil described it as a "very unusual" case.
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Leaders clash over bankers' bonuses")
David Cameron and Ed Miliband have clashed over bankers' bonuses in the House of Commons as the Labour leader accused the Prime Minister of applying "one rule for the banks and another for everybody else".
The Government is coming under intense pressure as the City bonus season approaches, with Labour demanding action to rein in payouts expected to total as much as £7 billion. Mr Miliband has called for the 50% tax on bonuses over £25,000 imposed by former chancellor Alistair Darling to be extended for a second year.
Chancellor George Osborne confirmed on Tuesday the Treasury was in talks with the banks on a settlement designed to deliver smaller bonuses, increased lending and greater transparency on pay. He warned banks of possible penalties if they fail to reach agreement within the next few weeks, insisting that "nothing is off the table".
Mr Cameron told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions that the Government wants a settlement with banks where "their taxes go up, their lending goes up and their bonuses come down".
But Mr Miliband accused him of failing to deliver on a pre-election promise to restrict bonuses in largely state-owned banks such as RBS to £2,000 and failing to implement Labour legislation which would force financial institutions to declare any bonuses over £1 million.
The Labour leader said Mr Cameron was effectively giving banks a tax cut by implementing a levy expected to raise £1.25 billion this year while refusing to extend the bonus tax, which brought in £3.5 billion in 2010.
"The country is getting fed up with the Prime Minister's pathetic excuses on the banks," said Mr Miliband. "Can he explain to the British people why he thinks it is fair and reasonable, at a time when he is raising taxes on everyone else, to be cutting taxes this year on the banks. On the banks, the Prime Minister has had eight months to hold them to account, when is he going to start?"
But Mr Cameron said he would not "take lectures" from Mr Miliband, who he said had done nothing to improve regulation of the banks when an adviser in the Treasury.
Mr Cameron insisted that the net yield from last year's bonus tax had been £2.3 billion, while the Conservatives' banking levy would raise £2.5 billion annually once it was fully up and running and £9 billion over the coming years.
And he said that the overall tax take from banks would be bigger this year than last year.
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Lloyds chief 'set for £2m bonus'")
The outgoing chief executive of taxpayer-backed Lloyds Banking Group is poised to receive a bonus of around £2 million, it has been reported.
Eric Daniels is set to be awarded the windfall by the Lloyds board in this year's controversial bank bonus round, according to the BBC.
The bank boss, who leaves Lloyds in March, is entitled to a £2.3 million maximum bonus, set at 225% of salary.
He has waived his bonuses for two years in a row, but any payout is likely to fuel mounting anger over bank handouts as reports suggest the industry is preparing to fork out a bumper £7 billion in bonuses.
The BBC said sources close to Lloyds, which is 41% owned by the taxpayer, believe Mr Daniels will not turn down this year's bonus after returning the bank to profit in 2010. Lloyds declined to comment.
However, the Government is under pressure to enforce restraint on lavish banker bonuses this year - particularly within state-owned Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland.
Barclays boss Bob Diamond fanned the flames over bonuses on Tuesday when he told MPs on the Treasury Select Committee that the time for "apologies and remorse" was over and refused to be drawn on his bonus or payouts to staff.
The Prime Minister is facing claims that the Government has surrendered to the City after failing in its efforts to see banks commit to smaller bonuses and pledge higher levels of business lending.
It has been locked in talks with the industry to reach agreement on "acceptable" bonus levels since before Christmas. But there are concerns that the industry is planning a return to mammoth bonuses after two years of limited handouts and last year's bonus tax.
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Government cancer strategy unveiled")
The Government has launched an updated strategy for cancer in England with the aim of saving 5,000 lives a year.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the drive will be backed by more than £750 million of Government investment over the next four years.
Mr Lansley said his aim was to deliver survival rates "among the best in Europe" through earlier diagnosis, increased access to radiotherapy, more screening and promoting awareness of how to spot the signs of cancer.
The bulk of the additional money - some £450 million - will fund measures to ensure cancers are diagnosed earlier in their development.
GPs will be given the power to send patients directly for diagnostic tests without referral first to a consultant.
Some GPs currently have access to tests in primary care, including chest X-rays, but other scans have to be ordered by a specialist in hospital. Under the new plans, GPs will be able to order tests themselves, which might include ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, MRI scans for brain tumours and colonoscopies for bowel cancer.
Doctors will still have the option to send patients through the rapid referral system to see a specialist within two weeks.
A £10 million awareness campaign will encourage people to see a doctor if they show any sign of developing cancer symptoms, while funding will be provided for 1,200 additional cancer specialists by 2012.
The strategy also confirms commitments to provide £50 million for additional cancer drugs, a £200 million cancer drugs fund each year until 2013, an expansion of radiotherapy services and the introduction of bowel cancer screening technology.
Mr Lansley said: "Cancer affects us all. Everyone will have a story of someone they love battling the disease. In those instances we all need to know that the NHS will be there for us."
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Jo's friend 'desperate for justice'")
The best friend of murdered Joanna Yeates is "desperate to see justice done".
Rebecca Scott was the last person known to have spoken to Miss Yeates as she walked home on the night she disappeared.
Miss Scott, 25, said they were "inseparable" after meeting in Winchester, Hampshire, more than 10 years ago and remained close friends despite going to different universities.
In a heartfelt appeal, the PhD student said: "We are now all desperate to see justice done, so if anyone has information I urge you to call the police. You may not have seen or heard anything but think back - has a friend or family member been acting strangely or suspiciously? If so please call the police and think about how you'd never want your best friend found murdered on Christmas Day."
She added: "Every memory I have of her is a fond one, from those first nights out we had together to those holidays in Cornwall where we'd spend time camping."
The Clifton Suspension Bridge has become a key part of the investigation into Miss Yeates's murder, linking her flat in Clifton to where her body was found in Failand, north Somerset, but Miss Scott said it was a special place to Miss Yeates, 25, while she was alive.
"When I came to Bristol to visit, we'd often sit by the Clifton Suspension Bridge - this was one of her favourite places - and talk about everything best friends do," she said in a statement issued by Avon and Somerset Police. She was a great friend and I have many fond memories of her, everyone did."
Landscape architect Miss Yeates shared her flat in Canynge Road, Clifton, with boyfriend, Greg Reardon, 27, whom she had been seeing for more than two years. He had been away for the weekend, visiting family in Sheffield, and raised the alarm when he returned to Bristol two days after Miss Yeates was last seen.
Miss Yeates's snow-covered body was discovered by a couple walking their dogs on Christmas morning in Longwood Lane, Failand. She had been strangled.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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January 12, 2011, 1:07 am
![Image]( "Second Iraq Inquiry date for Blair")
Tony Blair is to make his second appearance before the Iraq Inquiry on Friday January 21.
The former prime minister is one of several witnesses to be recalled to give evidence to the inquiry headed by former Whitehall mandarin Sir John Chilcot.
The inquiry said the 60 public seats in the hearing room in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre had been allocated through public ballot, with a third going to family members who lost loved ones in the conflict.
Mr Blair's hearing will start at 9.30am and is scheduled to last around four-and-a-half hours.
Other witnesses who have been recalled include former foreign secretary Jack Straw and former chief of the defence staff Admiral Lord Boyce.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell is one of a number of witnesses who have been called to give evidence for the first time in the final round of public hearings.
The sessions start on Tuesday January 18, when former chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy will give evidence.
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Axed presenter Miriam O'Reilly says she has done the "right thing" by "standing up" to the BBC after she won an age discrimination case against the corporation.
Ms O'Reilly, 53, who lost her Countryfile job in advance of it moving to a prime-time Sunday evening slot, also said she would like to return to work at the corporation.
Fighting back tears at times, she told a news conference in London she was "overwhelmed" after winning her case.
She also said she was "really impressed" by the BBC's decision to apologise to her following the judgment and the corporation's announcement that it would like to talk about working with her again in the future.
"It was hard to take on the BBC because I love the BBC and I loved working there," she said.
"I think it is one of the best broadcast organisations in the world but I felt that I was treated badly because of my age.
"Standing up to the BBC was the right thing to do, however hurtful, however stressful it has been. I would like to go back to work for the BBC.
"I took this action because I wanted to work for the BBC."
Opponents of the Government's controversial plans to privatise the Royal Mail have claimed there are signs of a "mini-rebellion" by coalition MPs before the Bill reaches its final stages in the Commons on Wednesday.
Postal affairs minister Ed Davey said the Royal Mail and the Post Office were at a "crossroads", adding that the sell-off plans promised the service a "brighter future".
Westminster sources said there was growing support for amendments being put forward to the Postal Services Bill, including moves to make sure there was an inter-service agreement between the Royal Mail and the Post Office.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has warned that selling off the Royal Mail arm of the business will hit post offices and could lead to a fresh wave of branch closures.
Mr Davey said: "We won't repeat the previous government's post office closure programmes. The Post Office is not for sale. Instead we are providing £1.34 billion of new funding and developing new reasons for customers to keep coming through the door.
"Royal Mail has a multibillion-pound pension deficit, is faced with rapidly declining letter volumes, needs much greater efficiency and has an urgent need for capital at a time when there are huge constraints on the public purse.
"A visit to a sorting centre just before Christmas brought home to me once again the huge task that faces Royal Mail. Staff were working incredibly hard to ensure that endless rows of presents and parcels bought online were ready for delivery. The digital age is presenting the company with a different set of challenges, and only with fresh ideas, modernisation and more investment can Royal Mail really adapt and thrive in this new market.
"The Post Office also has to rise to these challenges and make the network even more attractive and convenient for shoppers - expanding new services for customers and small businesses using their local post office to drop off and collect parcels. I know how much people up and down the country value these great institutions and the vital services they provide - the Government is determined to secure the future of both."
CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: "There are genuine concerns from the public, small businesses and mail users about the Government's Bill. Whilst we and opposition MPs are opposing the sale, there is also an opportunity for Government MPs to address the genuine concerns of mail users. Amendments to protect post offices and the universal service have been tabled.
"We want to see robust protection for post offices in the form of an inter-business agreement which is currently missing from the legislation. Without protection, the Post Office stands to lose a third of its income, putting offices across the country at risk of closure. Many MPs have tabled important and sensible amendments aimed at protecting postal services. We hope that the Government takes these on board and doesn't see it as a political game of saving face."
Failed asylum seekers have won the right to claim damages which could run into thousands of pounds after the High Court ruled three young children were held at an immigration detention centre unlawfully.
The ruling was a legal victory for the mothers - Reetha Suppiah, 37, a Malaysian nurse, and Sakinat Bello, 25, a Nigerian national - who brought the legal challenge.
Both said a lack of safeguards at Yarl's Wood in Bedfordshire, the UK's main removal centre for women and minors, led to their children suffering distress and trauma.
Mr Justice Wyn Williams, sitting in London, ruled the Government's current policy on detaining families with children pending deportation was not unlawful, but - in Tuesday's cases - it had not been applied by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) "with the rigour it deserves".
As a result "the claimants were detained unlawfully from the time they were taken into custody until their release" and they were entitled to claim damages.
The judge said: "The cases of the two families involved in this litigation provide good examples of the failure by UKBA to apply important aspects of the policy, both when the decisions were taken to detain each family and when decisions were taken to maintain detention after removal directions had been cancelled."
The judge declared the families' rights to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been breached, along with their Article 5 right to liberty.
But he rejected claims that their right not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment had been infringed.
The mothers' application for judicial review was heard last October but judgment was not given until Tuesday.
In December, following a lengthy review, the Government announced the immediate closure of the family section at Yarl's Wood.
A further 450,000 people will collectively face demands for £180 million from HM Revenue & Customs after underpaying tax through the pay as you earn system, a minister has said.
The latest batch of underpayments relates to the 2007-08 tax year, and comes on top of the six million people who underpaid or overpaid tax because of errors in their tax code during 2008-09 and 2009-10.
HMRC will write off tax owed when the sum is less than £300, while it will allow other taxpayers to have the money deducted from their salary during the coming year where possible.
It has also emerged that 250,000 retired people had underpaid tax on their state pension after a tax adjustment code was not applied during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 tax years. But Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said that the outstanding tax these people owed would be written off.
In a written ministerial statement, he said the pensioners, who have not yet been issued with a notice of underpayment, would not have to claim the concession individually, but would instead have the money written off automatically.
An HMRC spokeswoman said: "HMRC has committed to closing off old tax cases as quickly and accurately as possible. This means most people will get repayment cheques, but a minority will have some tax to pay. This is only fair and will enable us to move forward to a more accurate and responsive tax system."
HMRC came in for heavy criticism in September last year when it emerged that six million people had paid the wrong amount of tax due to errors in their tax code for the previous two tax years. Around 1.4 million people will be required to pay an average of £1,500 each to make up the shortfall, while a further 4.3 million will receive rebates of around £418.
The high number of discrepancies was thrown up due to the use of a new IT system, which holds all the information on an employee in one place, rather than having it spread over several different systems. Mr Gauke said that HMRC had been working hard to clear the long-standing backlog of unreconciled cases, and since September it had made rapid progress in working through them.
He said by the end of last year people had received either a refund notice or a calculation of how much tax they owed in 90% of cases where HMRC had received all the information it needed. In cases where tax is due, HMRC has taken a "flexible and sympathetic approach" to collecting it, he said.
Mr Gauke added that HMRC was also working to clear the backlog of unreconciled tax cases from earlier years, but would not be chasing people for unpaid tax for periods before the 2007-08 tax year, although it would offer refunds to people who had overpaid.
A judge has ordered the personal physician of Michael Jackson to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar.
The ruling against Dr Conrad Murray came after a six-day preliminary hearing in Los Angeles.
Authorities contend Dr Murray, 57, gave Jackson a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol mixed with other sedatives then failed to provide proper care.
Prosecutors concluded the hearing with testimony from two doctors who said Dr Murray acted outside the standard of medical care.
Both witnesses said that even if Jackson had self-administered the last dose of the anesthetic, his death would be a homicide because of Dr Murray's actions.
The doctor has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have said he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed him.
Dr Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
Jackson's family and fans have contended the doctor should be tried for murder. During the hearing, a plane flew over the courthouse trailing a banner with Jackson's image that read, "Change the Charge to Murder".
Jackson's mother, Katherine, seated in the courtroom, dabbed at her eyes during testimony. The famous Jackson siblings - Janet, Jackie, LaToya, Randy and Rebbie - were present every day along with their parents.
Meanwhile, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor granted a request by the California Medical Board to suspend Dr Murray's license to practice in the state. The judge said he took the action involving the license in the interest of public safety.
James Bond fans will be shaken and stirred to learn that the 23rd film featuring 007 is to be made this year.
There were doubts over the future of the spy franchise when the film, set to be the third starring Daniel Craig, was put on hold last year.
EON Productions blamed the financial difficulties of MGM Studios for the hiatus.
The new owners of MGM and Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the films, confirmed that Bond will be back on November 9 2012.
Filming is set to start later this year with Sam Mendes, known for previous works American Beauty and Road to Perdition, as director.
The last Bond film Quantum of Solace was released in 2008.
Fans had feared the long delay could lead Craig, who debuted as Bond in Casino Royale, to walk away from the role.
MGM filed for bankruptcy protection last November, seven months after the next Bond film was put on hold, and has since been restructured.
Craig said last year that he had "every confidence" in the films' producers, and that he was looking forward to production resuming "as quickly as possible".
He has been credited with giving Bond a gritty new image as he became the sixth incarnation of the spy, taking over from dapper Pierce Brosnan.
A year after Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, aid workers report the need to step up long-term rebuilding efforts as they continue to combat disease and poverty.
Some 220,000 people died as a result of the quake that struck on January 12, 2010 with an estimated 1.5 million left homeless as homes crumbled in the tremors.
Responders on the ground have faced numerous setbacks in the months since, with endemic poverty and an outbreak of cholera just two factors holding back recovery.
But a year on from the disaster aid workers hold out the hope that the battle against the disease is finally being won.
They said that efforts in 2011 must increasingly turn towards long-term reconstruction as well as short-term relief.
Andy Powell is one of the people tasked with helping rebuild the Caribbean island.
As Save the Children's safer construction programme manager, the 32-year-old Briton oversees a number of projects giving Haitians better access to schools, medical facilities and shelters.
Having arrived in the country in May last year, he has seen first hand the devastation caused by the earthquake and subsequent waterborne disease.
The nature of the challenge has changed as the year has progressed. Speaking from his base in Jacmel in southern Haiti, Mr Powell said at first the main concern was delivering aid and food to survivors.
Haiti's recent history is scared by violence and poverty and administering aid in such conditions led to angry scenes at some collection points.
All pubs are expected to be allowed to stay open until 1am for two nights of celebrations for the royal wedding.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry at Westminster Abbey on Friday April 29.
The move would give landlords the power to extend their opening hours on the night of the wedding without having to seek permission from local licensing authorities.
The party would also be able to continue to 1am on the Saturday night, it is understood.
Ministers are to outline the plans to MPs.
Consumers have been warned that more price hikes are on the way after the rate of inflation of goods sold in shops increased in December.
Shop prices were 2.1% more expensive in December than a year ago, as the rate crept up from 2% in November, driven by the rising cost of non-food items, according to figures released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen.
Food price inflation remained at 4% in December, but non-food inflation increased to 1.1% from 0.9% the previous month, pushed upwards by toiletries, cosmetics, DIY and home furnishing products.
January's rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20% and further hikes in the price of commodities, such as oil, wheat and corn, are expected to lead to more pain for consumers in 2011.
BRC director general Stephen Robertson said: "Retailers are protecting British consumers from the full force of global commodity cost increases, with unprecedented levels of discounting taking the sting out of grocery shopping.
"Retailers know that consumers are worried about their jobs and personal finances and stores will go on doing all they can to limit price rises."
He pointed out that shop price inflation was below the Government's official consumer price index (CPI) figure of 3.3% in November.
But while food is generally exempt from VAT, the report said "it would not be surprising to see food inflation creep higher over the coming months as there is no sign of commodity prices easing in the near term".
The price of footwear and clothes continued to decrease despite the cost of cotton having nearly doubled in the past year, while retailer Next warned it expects to put up its prices by 8% this year.
Electrical goods also dropped in price as retailers put on promotions to entice shoppers to buy before the VAT rise, although the annual deflation slowed from 2.7% in November to 1.9% in December. But furniture and floor coverings inflation accelerated to 1.9%, its highest rate since May, and the cost of books and home entertainment also continued to rise.
The deadly flood that has cut a swath across northeast Australia has seeped onto the streets of the nation's third-largest city, forcing people to flee both suburbs and skyscrapers.
City Mayor Campbell Newman said almost 20,000 homes in low-lying areas of the city of about two million were expected to be swamped by the time the river system it is built on reaches its expected peak on Thursday.
The figures were constantly being revised as the threat became clearer - and it was getting consistently worse.
Meanwhile, Queensland state Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the confirmed death toll from Monday's flash flooding west of Brisbane - described as "an inland instant tsunami" - remained at 10, with the number of people missing dropping to 67 from more than 90.
Helicopters and other emergency vehicles were moving into the worst-hit towns, and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh warned that the death toll would likely rise.
The Brisbane River broke its banks on Tuesday and is continuing its rise - partly controlled by a huge dam upstream that has had its floodgates opened because it is brimming after weeks of rain across the state.
Boats torn from their moorings were floating down the swollen river, and a popular waterside restaurant was expected to sink, Ms Bligh told reporters. Some streets and riverside parks were covered with water, though no major flooding was reported early on Wednesday.
Two evacuation centres have been established in the city and Mr Newman said up to 6,500 were expected to use them in coming days. Officials have urged anyone in a growing list of low-lying suburbs to prepare their homes, then get out to stay with friends and family and keep off the streets.
"This incident is not a tourist event - this is a deeply serious natural disaster," Ms Bligh said. "Stay in your homes. Do not travel unless it is absolutely necessary."
Relentless rains that have been pounding the region cleared on Wednesday, but Ms Bligh said while the break in the weather would help rescue officials, it would have no impact on the flood threat to Brisbane. "We can take no comfort from that blue sky," she said. "The water and the rain have already done their damage - they are in the catchment, and they are on their way down the river system."
British Gas has announced a £37 million investment to help "vulnerable" customers, including a £50 payment for around 340,000 people to help with their winter bills.
The firm said it was investing £20 million of the money in the British Gas Energy Trust, which helps people struggling with household debts.
Ian Peters, chief operating officer at British Gas, said: "We know that money is very tight for many people in Britain right now, particularly our elderly, poor and disabled customers."
Customers on the British Gas essentials social tariff will receive £50 as a credit on their winter bill, it was announced.
Audrey Gallacher, head of energy at Consumer Focus, said: "British Gas customers on the lowest incomes will benefit from this move to put money back in their pockets and we welcome this substantial investment.
"However, the wider issue is making sure all customers are paying a fair price for their energy and unfortunately consumers simply don't believe that is the case."
Stroke survivors in England receive patchy care depending on where they live, according to a new report.
And despite the Government's desire for more people to be treated in the community rather than in hospital, the right services do not always exist to support them.
The study, from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), found some people have no access at all to specialist rehabilitation stroke services, which have been shown to reduce disability.
In almost half (48%) of areas, people had to wait an average of two weeks before receiving community-based speech and language therapy.
Proper support to enable people to be discharged from hospital earlier was only available in 37% of areas.
Some 32% of primary care trusts (PCTs) did not commission stroke physiotherapy in the community, while in 44% of areas occupational therapy was not always given by staff trained in strokes.
Other issues noted in the report included people given poor information packs when they leave hospital and only around a quarter of helplines being offered out of hours.
Some 68% of areas offered patients a named contact to support them when they left hospital but only around half worked across all services, including health, social and community services.
The study also found that a third of PCTs do not offer specialist stroke physiotherapy and less than 40% of areas have good access to psychological therapy or stroke counsellors.
More than 80,000 people in England are admitted to hospital following a stroke every year.
Last month's heavy snowfall meant that airport operator BAA handled almost 11% fewer passengers at its six UK airports than in December 2009.
The company said the cost of the weather disruption was approximately £24 million.
A total of 7.2 million passengers passed through the six airports in December 2010 - a 10.9% drop on the December 2009 figure.
BAA handled 4.8 million passengers at Heathrow last month - a 9.5% reduction on December 2009.
The biggest dip last month was at Southampton Airport where there were 22% fewer passengers. Edinburgh was down 18.4%, Glasgow fell 15.3%, Stansted was down 10.9% and Aberdeen fell 8.3%.
BAA was heavily criticised for its handling of the snow crisis at Heathrow where thousands of Christmas getaway passengers had to camp overnight in the terminals as flights - at one stage - almost ground to a halt. The company has set up an inquiry into its December 2010 Heathrow operation, with a report due in March.
BAA reckoned that the £24 million weather-related loss last month included a £19 million loss at Heathrow, a £1 million loss at Stansted and a £4 million loss at its four other UK airports.
Chief executive Colin Matthews announced last month that he would not be taking his 2010 annual bonus. He said: "The coldest December on record closed airports around the world but we must carefully examine the snow plan agreed with airlines earlier in the year and strengthen it to protect against such unprecedented weather.
"We are sorry for the flights that had to be cancelled as a result of the snow. The cost of any disruption to BAA's airports is significant and a strong financial incentive for us to continue to make Heathrow more resilient."
Overall, BAA handled 103.9 million passengers in 2010 - a drop of 2.8% on 2009. The company was hit not only by the December snow but also by two British Airways strikes and the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud crisis last spring and it said that these various events caused the loss of around 3.6 million passengers.
Three hotel workers have been remanded in custody in Mauritius charged in connection with the murder of honeymooner Michaela McAreavey.
The men, all employed at the luxury Legends Hotel where the newlywed teacher, the daughter of GAA manager Mickey Harte, was found strangled, appeared in court in Mapou Court on the north of the island. Two were charged with murder and one with conspiracy to murder.
Mauritius police said the two men charged with the 27-year-old's murder were Abinash Treeboowoon, 29, a room attendant from Plaine des Roches, and Sandip Moneea, 41, a floor supervisor from Petit Raffray.
Room attendant Raj Theekoy, 33, faced the conspiracy charge.
During a brief hearing they spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and dates of birth, police said.
Magistrate Bono Mally remanded them in police custody for a week and they will return to court next Wednesday, when they are expected either to be formally charged or released.
Meanwhile, police commissioner Tishur Ranpersad reassured the public that a large number of experienced officers were working on the case.
At a press conference earlier, he said detectives were doing their best to solve it.
Police sergeant Lindsay Mirthil described it as a "very unusual" case.
David Cameron and Ed Miliband have clashed over bankers' bonuses in the House of Commons as the Labour leader accused the Prime Minister of applying "one rule for the banks and another for everybody else".
The Government is coming under intense pressure as the City bonus season approaches, with Labour demanding action to rein in payouts expected to total as much as £7 billion. Mr Miliband has called for the 50% tax on bonuses over £25,000 imposed by former chancellor Alistair Darling to be extended for a second year.
Chancellor George Osborne confirmed on Tuesday the Treasury was in talks with the banks on a settlement designed to deliver smaller bonuses, increased lending and greater transparency on pay. He warned banks of possible penalties if they fail to reach agreement within the next few weeks, insisting that "nothing is off the table".
Mr Cameron told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions that the Government wants a settlement with banks where "their taxes go up, their lending goes up and their bonuses come down".
But Mr Miliband accused him of failing to deliver on a pre-election promise to restrict bonuses in largely state-owned banks such as RBS to £2,000 and failing to implement Labour legislation which would force financial institutions to declare any bonuses over £1 million.
The Labour leader said Mr Cameron was effectively giving banks a tax cut by implementing a levy expected to raise £1.25 billion this year while refusing to extend the bonus tax, which brought in £3.5 billion in 2010.
"The country is getting fed up with the Prime Minister's pathetic excuses on the banks," said Mr Miliband. "Can he explain to the British people why he thinks it is fair and reasonable, at a time when he is raising taxes on everyone else, to be cutting taxes this year on the banks. On the banks, the Prime Minister has had eight months to hold them to account, when is he going to start?"
But Mr Cameron said he would not "take lectures" from Mr Miliband, who he said had done nothing to improve regulation of the banks when an adviser in the Treasury.
Mr Cameron insisted that the net yield from last year's bonus tax had been £2.3 billion, while the Conservatives' banking levy would raise £2.5 billion annually once it was fully up and running and £9 billion over the coming years.
And he said that the overall tax take from banks would be bigger this year than last year.
The outgoing chief executive of taxpayer-backed Lloyds Banking Group is poised to receive a bonus of around £2 million, it has been reported.
Eric Daniels is set to be awarded the windfall by the Lloyds board in this year's controversial bank bonus round, according to the BBC.
The bank boss, who leaves Lloyds in March, is entitled to a £2.3 million maximum bonus, set at 225% of salary.
He has waived his bonuses for two years in a row, but any payout is likely to fuel mounting anger over bank handouts as reports suggest the industry is preparing to fork out a bumper £7 billion in bonuses.
The BBC said sources close to Lloyds, which is 41% owned by the taxpayer, believe Mr Daniels will not turn down this year's bonus after returning the bank to profit in 2010. Lloyds declined to comment.
However, the Government is under pressure to enforce restraint on lavish banker bonuses this year - particularly within state-owned Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland.
Barclays boss Bob Diamond fanned the flames over bonuses on Tuesday when he told MPs on the Treasury Select Committee that the time for "apologies and remorse" was over and refused to be drawn on his bonus or payouts to staff.
The Prime Minister is facing claims that the Government has surrendered to the City after failing in its efforts to see banks commit to smaller bonuses and pledge higher levels of business lending.
It has been locked in talks with the industry to reach agreement on "acceptable" bonus levels since before Christmas. But there are concerns that the industry is planning a return to mammoth bonuses after two years of limited handouts and last year's bonus tax.
The Government has launched an updated strategy for cancer in England with the aim of saving 5,000 lives a year.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the drive will be backed by more than £750 million of Government investment over the next four years.
Mr Lansley said his aim was to deliver survival rates "among the best in Europe" through earlier diagnosis, increased access to radiotherapy, more screening and promoting awareness of how to spot the signs of cancer.
The bulk of the additional money - some £450 million - will fund measures to ensure cancers are diagnosed earlier in their development.
GPs will be given the power to send patients directly for diagnostic tests without referral first to a consultant.
Some GPs currently have access to tests in primary care, including chest X-rays, but other scans have to be ordered by a specialist in hospital. Under the new plans, GPs will be able to order tests themselves, which might include ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, MRI scans for brain tumours and colonoscopies for bowel cancer.
Doctors will still have the option to send patients through the rapid referral system to see a specialist within two weeks.
A £10 million awareness campaign will encourage people to see a doctor if they show any sign of developing cancer symptoms, while funding will be provided for 1,200 additional cancer specialists by 2012.
The strategy also confirms commitments to provide £50 million for additional cancer drugs, a £200 million cancer drugs fund each year until 2013, an expansion of radiotherapy services and the introduction of bowel cancer screening technology.
Mr Lansley said: "Cancer affects us all. Everyone will have a story of someone they love battling the disease. In those instances we all need to know that the NHS will be there for us."
The best friend of murdered Joanna Yeates is "desperate to see justice done".
Rebecca Scott was the last person known to have spoken to Miss Yeates as she walked home on the night she disappeared.
Miss Scott, 25, said they were "inseparable" after meeting in Winchester, Hampshire, more than 10 years ago and remained close friends despite going to different universities.
In a heartfelt appeal, the PhD student said: "We are now all desperate to see justice done, so if anyone has information I urge you to call the police. You may not have seen or heard anything but think back - has a friend or family member been acting strangely or suspiciously? If so please call the police and think about how you'd never want your best friend found murdered on Christmas Day."
She added: "Every memory I have of her is a fond one, from those first nights out we had together to those holidays in Cornwall where we'd spend time camping."
The Clifton Suspension Bridge has become a key part of the investigation into Miss Yeates's murder, linking her flat in Clifton to where her body was found in Failand, north Somerset, but Miss Scott said it was a special place to Miss Yeates, 25, while she was alive.
"When I came to Bristol to visit, we'd often sit by the Clifton Suspension Bridge - this was one of her favourite places - and talk about everything best friends do," she said in a statement issued by Avon and Somerset Police. She was a great friend and I have many fond memories of her, everyone did."
Landscape architect Miss Yeates shared her flat in Canynge Road, Clifton, with boyfriend, Greg Reardon, 27, whom she had been seeing for more than two years. He had been away for the weekend, visiting family in Sheffield, and raised the alarm when he returned to Bristol two days after Miss Yeates was last seen.
Miss Yeates's snow-covered body was discovered by a couple walking their dogs on Christmas morning in Longwood Lane, Failand. She had been strangled.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the police on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Tony Blair is to make his second appearance before the Iraq Inquiry on Friday January 21.
The former prime minister is one of several witnesses to be recalled to give evidence to the inquiry headed by former Whitehall mandarin Sir John Chilcot.
The inquiry said the 60 public seats in the hearing room in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre had been allocated through public ballot, with a third going to family members who lost loved ones in the conflict.
Mr Blair's hearing will start at 9.30am and is scheduled to last around four-and-a-half hours.
Other witnesses who have been recalled include former foreign secretary Jack Straw and former chief of the defence staff Admiral Lord Boyce.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell is one of a number of witnesses who have been called to give evidence for the first time in the final round of public hearings.
The sessions start on Tuesday January 18, when former chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy will give evidence.
