September 25, 2010, 8:54 pm
![Image]( "Sugababe faces drink-driving charge")
Sugababe Amelle Berrabah has been charged with drink-driving, police said.
The 26-year-old singer was at the wheel of her Mercedes when she was pulled over by officers in Camden Street, north London, at 5.23am on Thursday.
She was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to a Camden police station where she was questioned and released on bail.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "Amelle Berrabah, 26, will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on October 8 charged with driving with excess alcohol."
Berrabah, Heidi Range and Jade Ewen form girl group Sugababes.
The pop band has had a string of number one singles and survived several line-up changes since forming in 1998.
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September 25, 2010, 8:54 pm
![Image]( "May to pay tribute to fallen police")
The Home Secretary is expected to join hundreds of people to honour police officers killed in the line of duty.
Theresa May will join police chiefs and families, friends and colleagues of the fallen officers at the National Police Memorial Day service in Belfast.
Seven officers were added to the roll of honour in the past 12 months, including Pc Bill Barker, who was swept to his death in the Cumbrian floods, and Pc Daniel Cooper, whose patrol car crashed into a tree while he was responding to an urgent call for assistance from other officers in Wiltshire.
Pc Barker, 44, of Egremont, was swept off a bridge to his death by floods in Workington, Cumbria, last November, while he was directing motorists to safety.
Speaking at the time, his widow Hazel said: "I have the comfort of knowing that Bill died doing the job he loved, and the fact that he was helping others is just typical Bill."
The traffic officer's body was found on a beach in Allonby several hours after he disappeared from the road bridge over the River Derwent. Mr Barker served with Cumbria Constabulary for 25 years and left four children.
Mr Cooper, 22, of Wiltshire Police, died when his patrol car hit a tree near Bradford-on-Avon on February 1. His mother Heather Cooper paid tribute, saying he was "just somebody who wanted to give to the community, was just so good around people and always willing to do things for others".
The other five officers added to the roll of honour in the last 12 months died following collisions on their way to or from work.
The National Police Memorial Day was founded by Police Sergeant Joe Holness in 2004 after his colleague at Kent Police was killed while carrying out road safety checks.
It has brought together more than 20 years of research to create a national Roll of Honour for fallen police officers.
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September 25, 2010, 8:54 pm
![Image]( "Police chief broke air miles policy")
One of Britain's top police officers used air miles collected during official trips to help buy flights for his family.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates broke his own force's policy by using the perk for private flights.
He agreed to pay back any outstanding tax owed on the trips, which are viewed by HM Revenue & Customs as a benefit in kind.
Mr Yates, 51, has led a number of high-profile investigations and is heading the reopened inquiry into allegations of phone hacking by News of the World journalists. He has said he plans to interview the paper's former editor Andy Coulson, who is now Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications.
The Mail on Sunday reported that the police chief used air miles from his work journeys to cut the cost of up to 10 flights taken by family members.
Under Scotland Yard rules, points amassed by officers as a result of official flights must be used to reduce the cost of future work trips.
Mr Yates, who was tipped as a future Metropolitan Police Commissioner, took nine official flights costing £32,000 to the United States, Canada, Australia, India and Kenya between February 2009 and February this year, according to expenses records seen by the newspaper.
As a senior Metropolitan Police officer, Mr Yates is entitled to travel business class when he goes abroad for work.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "All airline tickets are purchased by our travel section and use the cheapest and most appropriate flight for officers' travel needs. AC John Yates had booked a small number of private flights using a combination of his own money and some of the air miles accumulated through business travel.
"He was unaware this is not in line with MPS policy and is clearly concerned. Should there be any tax implications arising from this then he will deal with these immediately. This is a timely reminder of a policy that may not be obvious and we will be taking steps to reinforce it to all of our staff."
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September 25, 2010, 8:54 pm
![Image]( "Call to include calories on menus")
The Government has called for more restaurants to print calorie information on their menus.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley urged businesses to set a target date by which they will set out the nutritional value of products to their customers.
Mr Lansley said: "Our aim is to give people the help and advice they need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and I want to make it as easy as possible for them to do that.
"That's why we're working with industry to bring in calorie information on menus.
"As a nation we are too unhealthy. We cost the NHS billions of pounds a year through bad diet, lack of exercise and poor lifestyle choices. We can and we must improve this."
He suggested the voluntary move as he introduced plans for a network of businesses, health charities and public health experts to help people live "longer, healthier lives". The group will address the issue of calorie labelling as part of its work.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that the first companies to introduce calorie labelling, which included Burger King, Pizza Hut and Pret a Manger, did so with few problems.
The call for calorie information to be more easily available comes as the FSA announces that some of the UK's largest companies have made their menus healthier.
The agency will release details on Monday of 33 companies which decreased their portion sizes and changed the ingredients in some of their products.
They include Pizza Hut, which reduced the salt in its pizzas by 5% to comply with FSA guidelines, and coffee outlet Costa, which now offers lower fat sandwiches and muffins.
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September 26, 2010, 6:18 am
![Image]( "Mideast peace talks under threat")
Israel's 10-month slowdown in West Bank settlement construction is set to end at midnight, threatening to upend the fragile new round of Mideast peace talks.
Attempts to find a compromise between the sides have failed so far. The Palestinians have said they will leave the month-old talks if construction resumes in full on land they want for an independent state.
Israeli settlers and their supporters have pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the restrictions on new construction. Some are planning to hold a rally to count down to the official end of the slowdown.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Israel "must choose between peace and the continuation of settlements".
Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stalled only three weeks after starting in Washington in early September over the impending end of the 10-month freeze on new Israeli settlement construction on land claimed by the Palestinians.
Mr Abbas reaffirmed the Palestinian commitment to try to reach a peace deal.
"We have decided to enter into final status negotiations. We will continue to exert every effort to reach an agreement for Palestinian-Israeli peace within one year in accordance with resolutions of international legitimacy ... and the vision of the two-state solution," Mr Abbas told ministers and diplomats.
But with the deadline looming for Israel to resume the contested building, the Palestinians are waiting for US efforts to break the impasse.
President Barack Obama has increasingly placed efforts to resolve the conflict at the centre of his foreign policy, but both Israeli and Palestinian officials said a deal was far from certain.
State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said US special Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell met with Mr Abbas for about half an hour on Saturday. "We remain engaged with both sides," he said.
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September 26, 2010, 6:18 am
![Image]( "Lib Dem MP in 'seduction' probe")
A senior Liberal Democrat MP is being investigated by police following allegations he tried to seduce a vulnerable female constituent, it has been disclosed.
Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South, was reportedly approached by the 36-year-old single mother with problems about noisy neighbours and inadequacies in her healthcare.
Over a number of months, the married politician took the woman to dinner, bought her gifts, including perfume, clothes and a teddy bear, and sent her intimate text messages, the Sunday Times said.
In a number of letters Mr Hancock wrote on behalf of his constituent, her mental health problems were freely acknowledged, the newspaper added.
Detectives were said to be alerted by the unnamed woman's family support worker. Mr Hancock was unavailable for immediate comment.
He told the newspaper that "under no circumstances" had any sexual activity taken place between them but he had taken her out to dinner and bought her gifts "to cheer her up".
"It would be a very sad day indeed where MPs cannot act in a holistic and friendly way that helps their constituents," he added.
A Hampshire Police spokeswoman confirmed an investigation had been launched by officers after they received a complaint.
She said: "Information regarding the welfare of a female from the Portsmouth area was passed to us by a third party on August 5 this year. No offences were disclosed at the time but the information remained on file. On Friday, September 24 we received contact from a female in relation to the matter and inquiries are now in hand."
A Lib Dem spokesman said: "The police are investigating. It's a private matter. The party is unable to comment."
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Green activists in oil ship protest")
Environmental activists have swum in front of an oil drill ship in a fresh attempt to halt its operations.
Greenpeace said campaigners wearing drysuits dived into the North Sea one day after legal threats put an end to earlier action at the Stenna Carron.
The group of four left Greenpeace's Esperanza ship at 1.30pm on Sunday by inflatable speedboat and got into the water about 100 miles north of Shetland, "halting" their target's journey.
The protest organisation released a statement from one of the swimmers, Ben Stewart, who said: "That oil drill ship is the size of a sky-scraper on its side and as it cut through the water towards us I felt really scared, it's like nothing I've ever done, but we are determined to stop it reaching its deepwater drilling site.
"It stopped for a few minutes but then changed course and now it's heading for the oil field. We need to go beyond oil, we need our politicians to stop ships like this from threatening our pristine coastlines and the global climate.
"It shouldn't be down to people bobbing in the water in front of ships to stop the insane rush for the last drops of oil in ever more dangerous and difficult to reach places."
The group threatened to send "waves of swimmers" and campaigners in kayaks in front of the ship until Monday to force it back. Greenpeace activists had spent four days in a "survival pod" dangling off the vessel's anchor to stop it drilling a well.
They used boats to reach the 748ft drill ship and then climbed up the giant links of a chain on Monday. Greenpeace claims that the ship was about to sail for a site in the Lagavulin oil field before drilling an exploratory well in 1,640ft of water.
The ship's operator, US energy giant Chevron, was granted an injunction at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday night ordering the campaigners to move on safety grounds. Activists were told they must either come down or face fines or custodial sentences, eventually leaving at about 5pm on Saturday.
Chevron argued that it needs to be able to move the ship away from the coast in rough seas for safety reasons.
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Tributes paid to fallen police")
Society must never forget the selfless sacrifice of police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, a memorial service on Sunday heard.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford told guests at the annual National Police Memorial Service in Belfast officers who serve the community must not be taken for granted.
Home Secretary Theresa May joined police chiefs and friends and family of fallen officers from around the UK at the remembrance event in the city's Waterfront Hall.
Mr Ford, Northern Ireland's first locally-appointed law and order minister in almost 40 years, paid tribute to police who paid the ultimate price while on duty.
"It is an immense privilege to attend this service today and an honour to be the first locally-elected Justice Minister to participate in this dignified and sensitive occasion," he said.
"Police officers regularly put their lives on the line serving all sections of the community and we should never take what they do for granted. The people of Northern Ireland are served by some of the best police officers in the world, who are working in very difficult, challenging and dangerous circumstances.
"Today I want to express my sincere gratitude to all officers who give so much to the community on a daily basis and today, in particular, to the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
"My thoughts are with the families of those who mourn their loved ones. Society must never be allowed to forget their selfless service."
The memorial day service rotates around the UK each year. The last time it was held in Belfast was in 2006.
Seven officers were added to the roll of honour in the past 12 months, including Pc Bill Barker who was swept to his death in the Cumbrian floods, and Pc Daniel Cooper, whose patrol car crashed into a tree while he was responding to an urgent call for assistance from other officers in Wiltshire.
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Briton 'missing in Afghanistan'")
The Foreign Office is investigating the disappearance of a British national in Afghanistan, a spokeswoman said.
It is not known which area of the country the Briton was in when they went missing.
The spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a British national is missing in Afghanistan. We are working with other international agencies to urgently investigate these reports."
The missing person is a woman who was working for an American company in Afghanistan, according to reports on Sky News.
She is said to have been travelling in a convoy of two vehicles, with others working for the US civilian contractors, when they were attacked by insurgents in the Kunar Province and taken hostage.
The woman is an aid worker and was kidnapped alongside three Afghan nationals, according to the BBC.
They were taken away by foot and a major search operation is now under way with the assistance of local tribal elders, BBC News 24 reported.
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Ed Miliband vows 'no lurch left'")
Ed Miliband on Sunday declared the New Labour era over, but insisted the party would not embark on a "lurch to the left" under his leadership.
Mr Miliband was cheered on to the stage as he made his first appearance at Labour's annual conference in Manchester since defeating brother David by the narrowest of margins on Saturday in the race to succeed Gordon Brown.
In his first interview as leader, he sought to quash Conservative claims that he was the creature of the unions, whose votes were crucial in propelling him to victory, insisting: "I am my own man."
He dismissed the "red Ed" tag applied to him by critics as "tiresome rubbish", and reached out to former rivals for the top job by saying he wanted to use "all the talents from across our party" in forming his shadow cabinet.
But he gave no clues over whether he would offer the key role of shadow chancellor to David or to former Treasury minister Ed Balls, who came third behind the brothers.
Speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Miliband said David - who kept a low profile on Sunday - had shown "extraordinary generosity and graciousness" towards him after the result was announced. But asked what future role he envisaged for his brother, he replied only: "He needs time to think about the contribution he can make. I think he can make a very big contribution to British politics."
Mr Miliband denied his election represented a "lurch to the left", saying: "I am for the centre-ground of politics, but it is about defining where the centre ground is."
But he insisted he would not be tied to the orthodoxies of the Blair/Brown period, declaring: "The era of New Labour has passed. A new generation has taken over."
Labour had to show "humility" in recognising and understanding why it had been rejected by voters in the general election and being ready to change, he said.
The new leader also played down union bosses' post-result claims that their man had been elected. "I am nobody's man, I am my own man. I am very clear about that," he said.
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Waitrose vows to match Tesco prices")
Supermarket Waitrose has announced plans to take on rival Tesco by matching its prices on 1,000 branded products.
It is the first time the upmarket chain has adopted price-matching tactics associated with budget rivals such as Asda and Morrisons.
The supermarket said the move, which starts on Monday, follows strong growth in its own-branded goods, which were launched in March 2009 and now make up 17% of sales.
Waitrose said products in the price match range included staples such as Heinz Baked Beans to household basics like Persil.
Jonathan Pritchard, retail analyst at broker Oriel Securities, said Waitrose's margins would have to take a hit to roll out the plans.
He told the Sunday Times: "You can see from Waitrose's figures a month ago that the margins came under pressure. They are obviously taking the view that it's worth taking a hit on the margins in order to grow the top line."
Price match items will be monitored twice a week to ensure they are kept in line with the commitment to match prices at Tesco, Waitrose added.
The move comes at a competitive time in the food retail sector, with products such as bread and milk being discounted despite rising commodity prices.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons cut the price of a sliced white loaf last month to about 30p from 47p, despite wheat prices being up to 60% more expensive than three months ago.
Waitrose posted group sales of £4.5 billion in the year to the end of January, a 25% increase over the past two years. Operating profits for the year were £268 million, while sales in the first half of this year rose by 12%.
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September 26, 2010, 6:58 am
![Image]( "Barclays offering prisoner accounts")
Barclays is to become the first major bank to offer basic accounts to prisoners reaching the end of their sentence, an ex-offenders association has said.
The bank is working with Unlock, the National Association of Reformed Offenders, to give basic financial training and help with application forms. The service will begin next month in prisons in the east of England.
Chris Bath, director of projects at Unlock, said: "Having a bank account is not a luxury, it's a necessity for modern life. A bank account provides a crucial foundation on which people leaving prison can rebuild their lives."
Barclays is the first major bank to sign up to the campaign set up by Unlock to encourage banks to partner with a prison region in tackling crime.
Explaining how the scheme works, Mark Parsons, managing director of current accounts at Barclays, told the Mail on Sunday: "Quite often they (prisoners) have poor financial literacy skills and don't have the confidence to walk into a bank.
"Partnering with charitable organisations will make it easier for prisoners to rebuild their lives."
Unlock said research due to be published next month will show people in prison find it difficult to open even a basic account.
Unlock added that is working closely with the British Bankers' Association to encourage other banks to follow Barclays' lead.
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September 26, 2010, 11:39 am
![Image]( "Ex-rugby league star found dead")
Former Great Britain Rugby League star Terry Newton was found hanged after worried friends alerted police.
Newton, 31, was sacked by Wakefield earlier this year after being handed a two-year suspension from the game for using a performance enhancing drug.
It is thought he took his own life after becoming depressed over both his career and private life.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Police were called to a house on Harswell Close in Orrell, Wigan, following a report of concern for his welfare.
"Officers went to the address and found the body of a 31-year-old man. Inquiries have been launched, but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death."
Rugby League declared itself in mourning as tributes flooded in. Newton, a father of two young girls, was known as one of the more colourful characters in the game.
Rugby Football League chairman Richard Lewis said: "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Terry's untimely death. This is a personal tragedy and our thoughts are with Terry's partner, his children and his family at this terrible time."
Wakefield coach John Kear was too upset to comment but the club issued a statement saying: "Wakefield Trinity Wildcats would like to pass on their heartfelt condolences to Terry's family."
Newton, a hooker who also played for Leeds, Wigan and Bradford, represented Great Britain 15 times, scoring three tries and also won five England caps.
His career crumbled when he tested positive for a banned substance in November last year during pre-season training with Wakefield.
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September 26, 2010, 11:39 am
![Image]( "Man on NI terror-related charges")
A man has been charged with a series of terrorism related offences linked to dissident republicanism after police uncovered a major haul of guns in Northern Ireland.
The 54-year-old was arrested in the Newry area of Co Down on Friday.
He is due to appear in court in the city on Monday.
The charges he faces include possession of articles likely to be of use of terrorists, preparation of terrorist acts and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
The development comes after police uncovered what they described as a "significant" firearms find linked to current dissident republican activity.
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September 26, 2010, 11:39 am
![Image]( "Lib Dem MP denies 'seduction' claim")
A senior Liberal Democrat MP has denied allegations he tried to seduce a vulnerable female constituent.
A spokesman for Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South, said all he did was "offer help and support" to the 36-year-old woman - who is reported to have mental health problems.
Mr Hancock is being investigated by police after it was reported he took the single mother to dinner, bought her gifts, including perfume, clothes and a teddy bear, and sent her intimate text messages.
The Sunday Times said the married politician met the woman when she approached him with problems about noisy neighbours and inadequacies in her healthcare.
In a number of letters Mr Hancock wrote on behalf of his constituent, her mental health problems were freely acknowledged, the newspaper added.
However, a spokesman for Mr Hancock said: "The Sunday Times story is exaggerated and taken completely out of context. Mike Hancock denies any allegations of any inappropriate behaviour and in no circumstances did any take place.
"All Mike Hancock did was offer help and support to this woman. Mike Hancock has not been contacted by Hampshire Police or been informed of any formal allegations or investigation. He will of course cooperate with the police if they ever contact him."
Mr Hancock told the newspaper "under no circumstances" had any sexual activity taken place between them but he had taken her out to dinner and bought her gifts "to cheer her up".
Detectives were said to be alerted by the unnamed woman's family support worker. A Hampshire Police spokeswoman confirmed an investigation had been launched by officers after the complaint was received.
She said today: "Information regarding the welfare of a female from the Portsmouth area was passed to us by a third party on August 5 this year. No offences were disclosed at the time but the information remained on file. On Friday September 24 we received contact from a female in relation to the matter and inquiries are now in hand."
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September 26, 2010, 11:39 am
![Image]( "Hague presses Israel on settlements")
Britain has renewed calls on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank amid fears the expiry of the 10-month ban could scupper Middle East peace efforts.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said there was "widespread international concern" that the issue could derail the latest direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Intense US-led efforts to rescue the dialogue were continuing on Sunday and Mr Hague will press the case on Monday in meetings at the United Nations with his American and Israeli counterparts.
Some settlers plan a rally on Sunday night to mark the end of the halt to construction and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN Israel "must choose between peace and the continuation of settlements".
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appealed to settlers to "display restraint and responsibility".
Mr Hague, who is attending the UN's General Assembly in New York, said: "Britain has consistently called on the Israeli government to extend the moratorium on settlement construction, and I renew that call today.
"It is clear from my many meetings with my colleagues at the UN General Assembly that there is widespread international concern at the impact of this issue on the direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
"The moratorium was a key theme of my meetings with President Abbas, Senator (George) Mitchell (the US special envoy to the peace process) and foreign ministers from the Arab world and beyond."
Mr Hague said he would use the meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman "as part of Britain's efforts to ensure that Britain provides all the support it can to the Middle East peace process at this crucial time".
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September 26, 2010, 11:39 am
![Image]( "Nearly 10% of Labour votes spoiled")
Nearly 10% of votes cast in the Labour leadership election did not count.
More than 36,500 of the 375,000 ballots were declared spoiled by officials.
The overwhelming majority of those came in the trade unions affiliates section - which was crucial in allowing Ed Miliband to defeat elder brother David by a margin of just 1.3%.
Some 36,105 of the 247,339 cast in that section did not count.
Many of the votes are believed to have been ruled out because trade union members omitted to tick a box confirming they were Labour supporters.
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September 26, 2010, 9:03 pm
![Image]( "David Miliband to face conference")
All eyes will be on David Miliband as he takes to the stage at the Labour Party conference amid intense speculation about his future.
The vanquished Labour leadership hopeful has been keeping a low profile and weighing his options since his younger brother Ed was crowned as Gordon Brown's successor on Saturday evening.
But he is set to appear on the conference platform in Manchester in his role as shadow foreign secretary.
Delegates will be hoping he signals his intention to serve as a shadow minister and help get Labour re-elected, but the subject for discussion is supposed to be foreign affairs and he may steer clear of his personal plans.
He joked with journalists on Sunday night that they would be "very focused" on the appearance, which will take the form of a question and answer session rather than a traditional keynote speech.
But he added: "This conference is not about jobs for me, this is about a new future for the Labour Party."
Mr Miliband has been considering his future, and whether to stand for election to the shadow cabinet, with his wife Louise.
He said during the leadership election campaign that he would be prepared to serve under his brother, who until Saturday had always been his junior in politics, but he has not confirmed that he will since Ed emerged victorious. He has until 5pm on Wednesday to put himself forward for the shadow cabinet.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper - who backed husband Ed Balls for the leadership and has herself been tipped as a possible candidate for shadow chancellor - said she hoped David Miliband would take a place in his brother's top team.
Ms Cooper said Labour would "hugely benefit" if the shadow foreign secretary decided to remain in frontline politics. I think he ran a really strong campaign and I think we would hugely benefit from him in Labour's senior team."
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September 26, 2010, 9:19 pm
![Image]( "Search for kidnapped UK aid worker")
British officials are in contact with the family of an aid worker, believed to be Scottish and in her 30s, who was abducted in Afghanistan and are urgently trying to resolve the matter.
Tim Waite, a spokesman for the British Embassy in Kabul, said officials were working closely with all relevant local authorities and said the unnamed worker's family had been contacted.
The British aid worker and three Afghan colleagues were ambushed as they travelled in two vehicles in north-eastern Kunar province. Police fought a gun battle with the kidnappers near the attack site before the assailants fled, Kunar police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi said.
The international development professional for Development Alternatives Inc (DAI) was travelling in a convoy of two vehicles when insurgents attacked their party.
Kunar police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi said officers chased after the kidnappers and were engaged in a brief firefight before the men escaped.
American aid contractor DAI also has a London office.
Local tribal elders are believed to be assisting in the search for the missing people.
An attack was launched on DAI offices in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, in July, in which a British private security guard was killed.
Shaun Sexton, a 29-year-old former member of the Parachute Regiment, worked for DAI's security sub-contractor, Edinburgh International. Three other security guards employed by the firm, two Afghans and one German, were also killed.
Last month, British aid worker Dr Karen Woo was shot dead with nine colleagues in Afghanistan. They were returning from delivering medical supplies to poor Afghans in remote mountain communities, in an expedition organised by Kabul-based Christian charity the International Assistance Mission.
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September 26, 2010, 9:19 pm
![Image]( "Call to scrap child vetting system")
The Government must scrap the vetting system for people working with children and vulnerable adults or risk creating a broader culture of fear that will "poison the relationship between the generations", a think-tank has said.
The atmosphere of suspicion created by the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) decimates the Government's Big Society concept and "actually increases the risks to children", Civitas said.
But charities warned that while it may be nicer to believe the scheme was not needed, and while it "might be unpleasant to stomach", in reality it is "necessary to protect our children".
Home Secretary Theresa May called a temporary halt to the "draconian" vetting scheme in June as she launched a review, saying it was time to return to a more "common sense" approach which did not risk alienating volunteers doing valuable work.
Civitas said it must be replaced with a "greater openness and more frequent contact between the generations".
"If the Government fails to halt the VBS, the scheme will continue to poison the relationship between the generations, intersecting a broader culture of fear, which creates a formal barrier between adults and children," a Civitas spokesman said.
Problems include more than 12,000 innocent people being labelled as paedophiles, violent thugs and thieves through an error, councils banning parents from playgrounds saying only vetted "play rangers" would be allowed in, and parents running into difficulties when trying to share the responsibilities of the school run, Civitas said.
Frank Furedi and Jennie Bristow, authors of Licensed To Hug which calls for the scheme to be scrapped, said: "The VBS has interfered with parents' ability to make private arrangements, subjected a quarter of the population to intensive scrutiny of their personal lives, discouraged volunteering, and institutionalised mistrust between the generations."
But children's charity Barnardo's warned that the scheme was needed to protect children, with chief executive Martin Narey saying: "There is a need for some adjustment in the margins to ensure the vetting and barring scheme does not interfere with informal arrangements between families.
"But, much as it might be unpleasant to stomach, this scheme is necessary to protect our children, as adults who seek to harm children can be uniquely manipulative in gaining positions of trust."
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Sugababe Amelle Berrabah has been charged with drink-driving, police said.
The 26-year-old singer was at the wheel of her Mercedes when she was pulled over by officers in Camden Street, north London, at 5.23am on Thursday.
She was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to a Camden police station where she was questioned and released on bail.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: "Amelle Berrabah, 26, will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on October 8 charged with driving with excess alcohol."
Berrabah, Heidi Range and Jade Ewen form girl group Sugababes.
The pop band has had a string of number one singles and survived several line-up changes since forming in 1998.
The Home Secretary is expected to join hundreds of people to honour police officers killed in the line of duty.
Theresa May will join police chiefs and families, friends and colleagues of the fallen officers at the National Police Memorial Day service in Belfast.
Seven officers were added to the roll of honour in the past 12 months, including Pc Bill Barker, who was swept to his death in the Cumbrian floods, and Pc Daniel Cooper, whose patrol car crashed into a tree while he was responding to an urgent call for assistance from other officers in Wiltshire.
Pc Barker, 44, of Egremont, was swept off a bridge to his death by floods in Workington, Cumbria, last November, while he was directing motorists to safety.
Speaking at the time, his widow Hazel said: "I have the comfort of knowing that Bill died doing the job he loved, and the fact that he was helping others is just typical Bill."
The traffic officer's body was found on a beach in Allonby several hours after he disappeared from the road bridge over the River Derwent. Mr Barker served with Cumbria Constabulary for 25 years and left four children.
Mr Cooper, 22, of Wiltshire Police, died when his patrol car hit a tree near Bradford-on-Avon on February 1. His mother Heather Cooper paid tribute, saying he was "just somebody who wanted to give to the community, was just so good around people and always willing to do things for others".
The other five officers added to the roll of honour in the last 12 months died following collisions on their way to or from work.
The National Police Memorial Day was founded by Police Sergeant Joe Holness in 2004 after his colleague at Kent Police was killed while carrying out road safety checks.
It has brought together more than 20 years of research to create a national Roll of Honour for fallen police officers.
One of Britain's top police officers used air miles collected during official trips to help buy flights for his family.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates broke his own force's policy by using the perk for private flights.
He agreed to pay back any outstanding tax owed on the trips, which are viewed by HM Revenue & Customs as a benefit in kind.
Mr Yates, 51, has led a number of high-profile investigations and is heading the reopened inquiry into allegations of phone hacking by News of the World journalists. He has said he plans to interview the paper's former editor Andy Coulson, who is now Prime Minister David Cameron's director of communications.
The Mail on Sunday reported that the police chief used air miles from his work journeys to cut the cost of up to 10 flights taken by family members.
Under Scotland Yard rules, points amassed by officers as a result of official flights must be used to reduce the cost of future work trips.
Mr Yates, who was tipped as a future Metropolitan Police Commissioner, took nine official flights costing £32,000 to the United States, Canada, Australia, India and Kenya between February 2009 and February this year, according to expenses records seen by the newspaper.
As a senior Metropolitan Police officer, Mr Yates is entitled to travel business class when he goes abroad for work.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "All airline tickets are purchased by our travel section and use the cheapest and most appropriate flight for officers' travel needs. AC John Yates had booked a small number of private flights using a combination of his own money and some of the air miles accumulated through business travel.
"He was unaware this is not in line with MPS policy and is clearly concerned. Should there be any tax implications arising from this then he will deal with these immediately. This is a timely reminder of a policy that may not be obvious and we will be taking steps to reinforce it to all of our staff."
The Government has called for more restaurants to print calorie information on their menus.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley urged businesses to set a target date by which they will set out the nutritional value of products to their customers.
Mr Lansley said: "Our aim is to give people the help and advice they need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and I want to make it as easy as possible for them to do that.
"That's why we're working with industry to bring in calorie information on menus.
"As a nation we are too unhealthy. We cost the NHS billions of pounds a year through bad diet, lack of exercise and poor lifestyle choices. We can and we must improve this."
He suggested the voluntary move as he introduced plans for a network of businesses, health charities and public health experts to help people live "longer, healthier lives". The group will address the issue of calorie labelling as part of its work.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that the first companies to introduce calorie labelling, which included Burger King, Pizza Hut and Pret a Manger, did so with few problems.
The call for calorie information to be more easily available comes as the FSA announces that some of the UK's largest companies have made their menus healthier.
The agency will release details on Monday of 33 companies which decreased their portion sizes and changed the ingredients in some of their products.
They include Pizza Hut, which reduced the salt in its pizzas by 5% to comply with FSA guidelines, and coffee outlet Costa, which now offers lower fat sandwiches and muffins.
Israel's 10-month slowdown in West Bank settlement construction is set to end at midnight, threatening to upend the fragile new round of Mideast peace talks.
Attempts to find a compromise between the sides have failed so far. The Palestinians have said they will leave the month-old talks if construction resumes in full on land they want for an independent state.
Israeli settlers and their supporters have pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the restrictions on new construction. Some are planning to hold a rally to count down to the official end of the slowdown.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Israel "must choose between peace and the continuation of settlements".
Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stalled only three weeks after starting in Washington in early September over the impending end of the 10-month freeze on new Israeli settlement construction on land claimed by the Palestinians.
Mr Abbas reaffirmed the Palestinian commitment to try to reach a peace deal.
"We have decided to enter into final status negotiations. We will continue to exert every effort to reach an agreement for Palestinian-Israeli peace within one year in accordance with resolutions of international legitimacy ... and the vision of the two-state solution," Mr Abbas told ministers and diplomats.
But with the deadline looming for Israel to resume the contested building, the Palestinians are waiting for US efforts to break the impasse.
President Barack Obama has increasingly placed efforts to resolve the conflict at the centre of his foreign policy, but both Israeli and Palestinian officials said a deal was far from certain.
State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said US special Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell met with Mr Abbas for about half an hour on Saturday. "We remain engaged with both sides," he said.
A senior Liberal Democrat MP is being investigated by police following allegations he tried to seduce a vulnerable female constituent, it has been disclosed.
Mike Hancock, MP for Portsmouth South, was reportedly approached by the 36-year-old single mother with problems about noisy neighbours and inadequacies in her healthcare.
Over a number of months, the married politician took the woman to dinner, bought her gifts, including perfume, clothes and a teddy bear, and sent her intimate text messages, the Sunday Times said.
In a number of letters Mr Hancock wrote on behalf of his constituent, her mental health problems were freely acknowledged, the newspaper added.
Detectives were said to be alerted by the unnamed woman's family support worker. Mr Hancock was unavailable for immediate comment.
He told the newspaper that "under no circumstances" had any sexual activity taken place between them but he had taken her out to dinner and bought her gifts "to cheer her up".
"It would be a very sad day indeed where MPs cannot act in a holistic and friendly way that helps their constituents," he added.
A Hampshire Police spokeswoman confirmed an investigation had been launched by officers after they received a complaint.
She said: "Information regarding the welfare of a female from the Portsmouth area was passed to us by a third party on August 5 this year. No offences were disclosed at the time but the information remained on file. On Friday, September 24 we received contact from a female in relation to the matter and inquiries are now in hand."
A Lib Dem spokesman said: "The police are investigating. It's a private matter. The party is unable to comment."
Environmental activists have swum in front of an oil drill ship in a fresh attempt to halt its operations.
Greenpeace said campaigners wearing drysuits dived into the North Sea one day after legal threats put an end to earlier action at the Stenna Carron.
The group of four left Greenpeace's Esperanza ship at 1.30pm on Sunday by inflatable speedboat and got into the water about 100 miles north of Shetland, "halting" their target's journey.
The protest organisation released a statement from one of the swimmers, Ben Stewart, who said: "That oil drill ship is the size of a sky-scraper on its side and as it cut through the water towards us I felt really scared, it's like nothing I've ever done, but we are determined to stop it reaching its deepwater drilling site.
"It stopped for a few minutes but then changed course and now it's heading for the oil field. We need to go beyond oil, we need our politicians to stop ships like this from threatening our pristine coastlines and the global climate.
"It shouldn't be down to people bobbing in the water in front of ships to stop the insane rush for the last drops of oil in ever more dangerous and difficult to reach places."
The group threatened to send "waves of swimmers" and campaigners in kayaks in front of the ship until Monday to force it back. Greenpeace activists had spent four days in a "survival pod" dangling off the vessel's anchor to stop it drilling a well.
They used boats to reach the 748ft drill ship and then climbed up the giant links of a chain on Monday. Greenpeace claims that the ship was about to sail for a site in the Lagavulin oil field before drilling an exploratory well in 1,640ft of water.
The ship's operator, US energy giant Chevron, was granted an injunction at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday night ordering the campaigners to move on safety grounds. Activists were told they must either come down or face fines or custodial sentences, eventually leaving at about 5pm on Saturday.
Chevron argued that it needs to be able to move the ship away from the coast in rough seas for safety reasons.
Society must never forget the selfless sacrifice of police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, a memorial service on Sunday heard.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford told guests at the annual National Police Memorial Service in Belfast officers who serve the community must not be taken for granted.
Home Secretary Theresa May joined police chiefs and friends and family of fallen officers from around the UK at the remembrance event in the city's Waterfront Hall.
Mr Ford, Northern Ireland's first locally-appointed law and order minister in almost 40 years, paid tribute to police who paid the ultimate price while on duty.
"It is an immense privilege to attend this service today and an honour to be the first locally-elected Justice Minister to participate in this dignified and sensitive occasion," he said.
"Police officers regularly put their lives on the line serving all sections of the community and we should never take what they do for granted. The people of Northern Ireland are served by some of the best police officers in the world, who are working in very difficult, challenging and dangerous circumstances.
"Today I want to express my sincere gratitude to all officers who give so much to the community on a daily basis and today, in particular, to the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
"My thoughts are with the families of those who mourn their loved ones. Society must never be allowed to forget their selfless service."
The memorial day service rotates around the UK each year. The last time it was held in Belfast was in 2006.
Seven officers were added to the roll of honour in the past 12 months, including Pc Bill Barker who was swept to his death in the Cumbrian floods, and Pc Daniel Cooper, whose patrol car crashed into a tree while he was responding to an urgent call for assistance from other officers in Wiltshire.
The Foreign Office is investigating the disappearance of a British national in Afghanistan, a spokeswoman said.
It is not known which area of the country the Briton was in when they went missing.
The spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a British national is missing in Afghanistan. We are working with other international agencies to urgently investigate these reports."
The missing person is a woman who was working for an American company in Afghanistan, according to reports on Sky News.
She is said to have been travelling in a convoy of two vehicles, with others working for the US civilian contractors, when they were attacked by insurgents in the Kunar Province and taken hostage.
The woman is an aid worker and was kidnapped alongside three Afghan nationals, according to the BBC.
They were taken away by foot and a major search operation is now under way with the assistance of local tribal elders, BBC News 24 reported.
Ed Miliband on Sunday declared the New Labour era over, but insisted the party would not embark on a "lurch to the left" under his leadership.
Mr Miliband was cheered on to the stage as he made his first appearance at Labour's annual conference in Manchester since defeating brother David by the narrowest of margins on Saturday in the race to succeed Gordon Brown.
In his first interview as leader, he sought to quash Conservative claims that he was the creature of the unions, whose votes were crucial in propelling him to victory, insisting: "I am my own man."
He dismissed the "red Ed" tag applied to him by critics as "tiresome rubbish", and reached out to former rivals for the top job by saying he wanted to use "all the talents from across our party" in forming his shadow cabinet.
But he gave no clues over whether he would offer the key role of shadow chancellor to David or to former Treasury minister Ed Balls, who came third behind the brothers.
Speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Miliband said David - who kept a low profile on Sunday - had shown "extraordinary generosity and graciousness" towards him after the result was announced. But asked what future role he envisaged for his brother, he replied only: "He needs time to think about the contribution he can make. I think he can make a very big contribution to British politics."
Mr Miliband denied his election represented a "lurch to the left", saying: "I am for the centre-ground of politics, but it is about defining where the centre ground is."
But he insisted he would not be tied to the orthodoxies of the Blair/Brown period, declaring: "The era of New Labour has passed. A new generation has taken over."
Labour had to show "humility" in recognising and understanding why it had been rejected by voters in the general election and being ready to change, he said.
The new leader also played down union bosses' post-result claims that their man had been elected. "I am nobody's man, I am my own man. I am very clear about that," he said.
Supermarket Waitrose has announced plans to take on rival Tesco by matching its prices on 1,000 branded products.
It is the first time the upmarket chain has adopted price-matching tactics associated with budget rivals such as Asda and Morrisons.
The supermarket said the move, which starts on Monday, follows strong growth in its own-branded goods, which were launched in March 2009 and now make up 17% of sales.
Waitrose said products in the price match range included staples such as Heinz Baked Beans to household basics like Persil.
Jonathan Pritchard, retail analyst at broker Oriel Securities, said Waitrose's margins would have to take a hit to roll out the plans.
He told the Sunday Times: "You can see from Waitrose's figures a month ago that the margins came under pressure. They are obviously taking the view that it's worth taking a hit on the margins in order to grow the top line."
Price match items will be monitored twice a week to ensure they are kept in line with the commitment to match prices at Tesco, Waitrose added.
The move comes at a competitive time in the food retail sector, with products such as bread and milk being discounted despite rising commodity prices.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons cut the price of a sliced white loaf last month to about 30p from 47p, despite wheat prices being up to 60% more expensive than three months ago.
Waitrose posted group sales of £4.5 billion in the year to the end of January, a 25% increase over the past two years. Operating profits for the year were £268 million, while sales in the first half of this year rose by 12%.
Barclays is to become the first major bank to offer basic accounts to prisoners reaching the end of their sentence, an ex-offenders association has said.
The bank is working with Unlock, the National Association of Reformed Offenders, to give basic financial training and help with application forms. The service will begin next month in prisons in the east of England.
Chris Bath, director of projects at Unlock, said: "Having a bank account is not a luxury, it's a necessity for modern life. A bank account provides a crucial foundation on which people leaving prison can rebuild their lives."
Barclays is the first major bank to sign up to the campaign set up by Unlock to encourage banks to partner with a prison region in tackling crime.
Explaining how the scheme works, Mark Parsons, managing director of current accounts at Barclays, told the Mail on Sunday: "Quite often they (prisoners) have poor financial literacy skills and don't have the confidence to walk into a bank.
"Partnering with charitable organisations will make it easier for prisoners to rebuild their lives."
Unlock said research due to be published next month will show people in prison find it difficult to open even a basic account.
Unlock added that is working closely with the British Bankers' Association to encourage other banks to follow Barclays' lead.
Former Great Britain Rugby League star Terry Newton was found hanged after worried friends alerted police.
Newton, 31, was sacked by Wakefield earlier this year after being handed a two-year suspension from the game for using a performance enhancing drug.
It is thought he took his own life after becoming depressed over both his career and private life.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Police were called to a house on Harswell Close in Orrell, Wigan, following a report of concern for his welfare.
"Officers went to the address and found the body of a 31-year-old man. Inquiries have been launched, but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death."
Rugby League declared itself in mourning as tributes flooded in. Newton, a father of two young girls, was known as one of the more colourful characters in the game.
Rugby Football League chairman Richard Lewis said: "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Terry's untimely death. This is a personal tragedy and our thoughts are with Terry's partner, his children and his family at this terrible time."
Wakefield coach John Kear was too upset to comment but the club issued a statement saying: "Wakefield Trinity Wildcats would like to pass on their heartfelt condolences to Terry's family."
Newton, a hooker who also played for Leeds, Wigan and Bradford, represented Great Britain 15 times, scoring three tries and also won five England caps.
His career crumbled when he tested positive for a banned substance in November last year during pre-season training with Wakefield.
A man has been charged with a series of terrorism related offences linked to dissident republicanism after police uncovered a major haul of guns in Northern Ireland.
The 54-year-old was arrested in the Newry area of Co Down on Friday.
He is due to appear in court in the city on Monday.
The charges he faces include possession of articles likely to be of use of terrorists, preparation of terrorist acts and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.
The development comes after police uncovered what they described as a "significant" firearms find linked to current dissident republican activity.
Britain has renewed calls on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank amid fears the expiry of the 10-month ban could scupper Middle East peace efforts.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said there was "widespread international concern" that the issue could derail the latest direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Intense US-led efforts to rescue the dialogue were continuing on Sunday and Mr Hague will press the case on Monday in meetings at the United Nations with his American and Israeli counterparts.
Some settlers plan a rally on Sunday night to mark the end of the halt to construction and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN Israel "must choose between peace and the continuation of settlements".
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appealed to settlers to "display restraint and responsibility".
Mr Hague, who is attending the UN's General Assembly in New York, said: "Britain has consistently called on the Israeli government to extend the moratorium on settlement construction, and I renew that call today.
"It is clear from my many meetings with my colleagues at the UN General Assembly that there is widespread international concern at the impact of this issue on the direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
"The moratorium was a key theme of my meetings with President Abbas, Senator (George) Mitchell (the US special envoy to the peace process) and foreign ministers from the Arab world and beyond."
Mr Hague said he would use the meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman "as part of Britain's efforts to ensure that Britain provides all the support it can to the Middle East peace process at this crucial time".
Nearly 10% of votes cast in the Labour leadership election did not count.
More than 36,500 of the 375,000 ballots were declared spoiled by officials.
The overwhelming majority of those came in the trade unions affiliates section - which was crucial in allowing Ed Miliband to defeat elder brother David by a margin of just 1.3%.
Some 36,105 of the 247,339 cast in that section did not count.
Many of the votes are believed to have been ruled out because trade union members omitted to tick a box confirming they were Labour supporters.
All eyes will be on David Miliband as he takes to the stage at the Labour Party conference amid intense speculation about his future.
The vanquished Labour leadership hopeful has been keeping a low profile and weighing his options since his younger brother Ed was crowned as Gordon Brown's successor on Saturday evening.
But he is set to appear on the conference platform in Manchester in his role as shadow foreign secretary.
Delegates will be hoping he signals his intention to serve as a shadow minister and help get Labour re-elected, but the subject for discussion is supposed to be foreign affairs and he may steer clear of his personal plans.
He joked with journalists on Sunday night that they would be "very focused" on the appearance, which will take the form of a question and answer session rather than a traditional keynote speech.
But he added: "This conference is not about jobs for me, this is about a new future for the Labour Party."
Mr Miliband has been considering his future, and whether to stand for election to the shadow cabinet, with his wife Louise.
He said during the leadership election campaign that he would be prepared to serve under his brother, who until Saturday had always been his junior in politics, but he has not confirmed that he will since Ed emerged victorious. He has until 5pm on Wednesday to put himself forward for the shadow cabinet.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper - who backed husband Ed Balls for the leadership and has herself been tipped as a possible candidate for shadow chancellor - said she hoped David Miliband would take a place in his brother's top team.
Ms Cooper said Labour would "hugely benefit" if the shadow foreign secretary decided to remain in frontline politics. I think he ran a really strong campaign and I think we would hugely benefit from him in Labour's senior team."
British officials are in contact with the family of an aid worker, believed to be Scottish and in her 30s, who was abducted in Afghanistan and are urgently trying to resolve the matter.
Tim Waite, a spokesman for the British Embassy in Kabul, said officials were working closely with all relevant local authorities and said the unnamed worker's family had been contacted.
The British aid worker and three Afghan colleagues were ambushed as they travelled in two vehicles in north-eastern Kunar province. Police fought a gun battle with the kidnappers near the attack site before the assailants fled, Kunar police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi said.
The international development professional for Development Alternatives Inc (DAI) was travelling in a convoy of two vehicles when insurgents attacked their party.
Kunar police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi said officers chased after the kidnappers and were engaged in a brief firefight before the men escaped.
American aid contractor DAI also has a London office.
Local tribal elders are believed to be assisting in the search for the missing people.
An attack was launched on DAI offices in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, in July, in which a British private security guard was killed.
Shaun Sexton, a 29-year-old former member of the Parachute Regiment, worked for DAI's security sub-contractor, Edinburgh International. Three other security guards employed by the firm, two Afghans and one German, were also killed.
Last month, British aid worker Dr Karen Woo was shot dead with nine colleagues in Afghanistan. They were returning from delivering medical supplies to poor Afghans in remote mountain communities, in an expedition organised by Kabul-based Christian charity the International Assistance Mission.
The Government must scrap the vetting system for people working with children and vulnerable adults or risk creating a broader culture of fear that will "poison the relationship between the generations", a think-tank has said.
The atmosphere of suspicion created by the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) decimates the Government's Big Society concept and "actually increases the risks to children", Civitas said.
But charities warned that while it may be nicer to believe the scheme was not needed, and while it "might be unpleasant to stomach", in reality it is "necessary to protect our children".
Home Secretary Theresa May called a temporary halt to the "draconian" vetting scheme in June as she launched a review, saying it was time to return to a more "common sense" approach which did not risk alienating volunteers doing valuable work.
Civitas said it must be replaced with a "greater openness and more frequent contact between the generations".
"If the Government fails to halt the VBS, the scheme will continue to poison the relationship between the generations, intersecting a broader culture of fear, which creates a formal barrier between adults and children," a Civitas spokesman said.
Problems include more than 12,000 innocent people being labelled as paedophiles, violent thugs and thieves through an error, councils banning parents from playgrounds saying only vetted "play rangers" would be allowed in, and parents running into difficulties when trying to share the responsibilities of the school run, Civitas said.
Frank Furedi and Jennie Bristow, authors of Licensed To Hug which calls for the scheme to be scrapped, said: "The VBS has interfered with parents' ability to make private arrangements, subjected a quarter of the population to intensive scrutiny of their personal lives, discouraged volunteering, and institutionalised mistrust between the generations."
But children's charity Barnardo's warned that the scheme was needed to protect children, with chief executive Martin Narey saying: "There is a need for some adjustment in the margins to ensure the vetting and barring scheme does not interfere with informal arrangements between families.
"But, much as it might be unpleasant to stomach, this scheme is necessary to protect our children, as adults who seek to harm children can be uniquely manipulative in gaining positions of trust."
