Universal Credit Scheme 'Has Lost Over £140m'

Universal credit has been savaged by MPs for "shocking" failures that have already wasted at least £140m.

The scheme has been blighted by "alarmingly weak" management, with secretaries allowed to authorise purchase orders worth more than £20m.

In some cases it is unclear what suppliers have been paid for.

The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also voiced doubts about whether the project can still be fully delivered by 2017 - branding a pilot "inadequate" and open to fraud.

Universal credit is due to replace a bundle of means-tested benefits in four years' time, with Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith insisting it can ensure people are always better off in jobs and save £38bn by 2023.

Iain Duncan Smith says universal credit can save £38bn by 2023

However, a former Olympics executive had to be drafted in earlier this year to "reset" the programme amid concerns over delays and IT issues.

The PAC report said the Department for Work and Pensions had "neglected to implement basic procedures for monitoring and authorising expenditure".

The MPs said: "We saw evidence that purchase orders with a total value of £8.7m were approved by a personal assistant to the programme director.

"In another case, two purchase orders, one for £22.6m and one for £1.1m, were approved by a personal assistant to the programme director whose delegated financial authority at the time of approvals was only £10m.

"When the department made individual payments to suppliers these could not be linked to particular pieces of work that had been delivered."

PAC chair Margaret Hodge said the implementation of universal credit so far had been "extraordinarily poor".

She said: "The failure to develop a comprehensive plan has led to extensive delay and the waste of a yet to be determined amount of public money.

"£425m has been spent so far on the programme. It is likely that much of this, including at least £140m worth of IT assets, will now have to be written off.

"The management of the programme has been alarmingly weak.

"From the outset, the department has failed to grasp the nature and enormity of the task; failed to monitor and challenge progress regularly; and, when problems arose, failed to intervene promptly."

The MPs said the project would not hit its current target of enrolling 184,000 claimants by April 2014.

As a result the later stages would have to be speeded up to meet the 2017 completion date - but that would "pose new risks".

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gosport Girls' Road Deaths: Man Charged

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the manslaughter of two teenage girls who died after they were hit by a car.

Samuel Etherington, from Gosport, Hampshire, will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court later.

Police were called to Ann's Hill Road in Gosport at 4.15am on Sunday following reports that a green Honda Civic collided with two girls.

Jasmine Allsop, 14, died at the scene, while Olivia Lewry, 16, died later after being taken to hospital.

Jasmine's mother, Rosemary, has described how she kissed her daughter goodbye after she was awoken by the emergency services attending the accident which happened outside her home.

Ms Allsop, 37, said she had enjoyed a night in with the two girls before the accident.

She said: "I went out and then a neighbour covered me in a blanket.

"I kissed her - it was four hours before they took her body away because I did not want to let her go.

"I told her she was my angel and I'd loved her since the day she was born. I can remember her big blue eyes staring."

The housewife, who is also the mother of a four-year-old, said the death left her numb.

She said: "I'm empty inside and lost. I keep expecting her to come through the door."

She added: "Jasmine was a gorgeous, lovely, bubbly character. They (Jasmine and Olivia) were best friends."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miley And Rihanna Explicit Pop 'Over The Top'

More than 80% of children are mimicking overtly provocative dance moves and repeating lyrics of sexual songs after being exposed to explicit pop music, a survey has revealed.

A third of parents admitted that their child had copied overtly provocative dance moves they had seen pop stars perform, while more than four fifths said their youngster had sung or repeated sexual song lyrics without realising what they meant.

Almost one in 12 said that their son or daughter had sung lyrics knowing what they meant, with some first becoming aware of the meaning of the songs they were singing by the age of five or even younger.

The Netmums poll, which surveyed more than 1,500 parents, suggests that mothers and fathers are increasingly concerned that many of today's pop stars put on far more explicit performances than when they were young, and that it is sending their children negative messages about sex.

Lady Gaga performing at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards

Many fear that their sons and daughters are being taught that they need to show off their bodies and act in a sexual manner in order to get noticed.

Asked how they felt about singers such as Miley Cyrus and Rihanna, more than half of parents said that while they did not mind stars acting sexily, they believed some were "over the top".

Around a fifth said that pop stars had always acted in this fashion because they knew it sold music, while two thirds said that the message being sent by some singers was that "you need to flash your body and be sexual to get noticed".

Of those questioned that have boys, almost half said that they feared sexy music videos may make them grow up expecting women to be too sexually available, while 58% said it may leave their sons expecting women to have unrealistic figures.

Katy Perry at the 51st annual Grammy Awards

Of those with girls, three quarters worried their daughters would think they would be judged on their looks, not personality or achievements, and nearly two thirds said they thought their child might be expected to be sexual too soon.

Almost nine in 10 parents said they thought pop stars acted worse today, and had to go further to shock, than singers did from their own childhood.

Many of the parents surveyed said that they tried to shield their children from watching explicit music videos.

Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said: "Modern parents aren't prudes - they know sex sells. But there's a strong feeling that things have gone too far now.

"It's toxic to tell young kids casual sex and violence are something to aspire to.

"Instead, if a star wants to make a statement, why not use their brain, not their body?"

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing GP: CCTV Released In Appeal Over Mum

The husband of a doctor who has gone missing as she battles postnatal depression has made an emotional appeal for her to get in touch.

CCTV images have been released of mother-of-two Elizabeth Kinston, who disappeared from her home in Besston, Nottingham, five days ago.

She was on maternity leave from her role as a GP, having given birth to her second daughter in January.

Her husband David called for Dr Kinston - or 'Lizzie', as she is also known - to let him know she was safe.

He said: "Lizzie, I miss you, the girls miss you. It's so hard without you here. We need you.

"If you want more time, that's okay. But please call me - or call your mum and dad or your sister, who are all so worried about you too - just so we know you are alright".

Nottinghamshire Police has now released CCTV images showing the last time Dr Kinston was seen.

Mrs Kinston walking past the Vat and Fiddle pub

The pictures show the 37-year-old walking past the Vat And Fiddle pub, in Queensbridge Road, Nottingham, at 11.43am on Friday, minutes after she walked up Carrington Street towards Nottingham train station.

She had left her home an hour earlier.

Her Audi was spotted soon after at a petrol station near Priory Island on the A52 and at the Broad Marsh car park, in Nottingham.

The car was found at the car park the following day, with her purse and phone inside.

The jumper Mrs Kinston was last seen wearing

Detective Inspector Kev Broadhead, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Elizabeth has never left her family like this before and we are aware that she has been battling postnatal depression since Elise was born.

"That fact, along with our belief that she has little money, no bank cards and no phone with her is of great concern. The cold weather is an added worry.

"We have been exploring the possibility that Elizabeth boarded a train the day she went missing, but these new images suggest she walked past the station and then headed away from the station.

Police believe the 37-year-old has little money, no bank cards and no phone

"With this in mind, she could still be in Nottinghamshire.

"Were you in the area at the time? Did you see a blonde woman in a long green coat with a fur hood?

"Did you see her a few minutes later wearing a dark woollen hat and a pink hooded jumper, carrying the same coat? If you have any information call us."

Dr Kinston is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall and of medium build. She has blonde, shoulder-length hair, which was tied back in a ponytail.

The day she went missing, she was wearing a thigh-length, dark green quilted coat with a fur hood, a light pink jumper, blue jeans and dark brown knee-high riding-style boots.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Water Bills: Minister Urges Curb To Hikes

The Environment Secretary has urged water companies to "look closely" at whether price increases are necessary and urged them to introduce special tariffs for hard-pressed households.

In a letter to suppliers, Owen Paterson said they should recognise the financial strain that people were under.

The intervention came with Ofwat expected later this week to reject an application from Thames Water to increase bills by £29 in 2014-2015.

The regulator has questioned the profits being made by firms, and suggested its next Price Review could ease the upward pressure on bills by up to £750m after 2015.

Owen Paterson has urged water companies to reconsider price hikes

Mr Paterson said: "We know that household budgets are under pressure, and keeping water bills affordable is a crucial way we can help hardworking people.

"That is why we are pressing hard to make sure customers get a fair deal, by encouraging water companies to look closely at any price increases, introduce social tariffs for vulnerable customers and crack down on bad debt."

Water bills have risen by more than 60% in the last decade and the average household bill is now £388.

Since 2009, average increases in water and sewerage bills have been in line with inflation, but this has still outstripped increases in household income.

Water companies have blamed the price increases on the costs of environmental improvements including replacing ageing Victorian water pipes.

It comes after the cost of living has become increasingly important on the political agenda after Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze energy prices if his party wins the 2015 General Election.

Mr Miliband will accuse the coalition Government of "shrugging their shoulders" about low wages and rising prices this week and will challenge Conservative and Lib Dem MPs to back his policy of freezing energy bills in a Commons vote on Wednesday.

During a speech at Battersea Power Station, he will say: "The cost of living crisis isn't just an issue for the lowest paid, it affects the squeezed middle just as much.

"This is not just an issue facing Britain. It is the issue facing Britain. It is about who our country is run for."

Prime Minister David Cameron last week said he wanted to "roll back" environmental taxes that bump up energy bills, and promised more details in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement on December 4.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Essex Child Shooting: Eight-Year-Old Fired Gun

An eight-year-old boy fired a gunshot that left a five-year-old with serious injuries, police have revealed.

Officers were called to a house in Essex after reports that a gun had been fired. They believe the shooting was an accident.

A spokeswoman said: "It is thought to have been fired by an eight-year-old boy."

The force has refused to comment on the type of weapon used in the incident on Sunday or the relationship between the two children.

The injured child was taken to the Royal London Hospital with a serious but not life-threatening injury.

It is understood the owners of the property in in Upper Park Road, Wickford, were not at home at the time but were nearby.

An 18-year-old man was arrested for possession of a firearm and unrelated drug offences.

The weapon and other legally-held firearms at the property were handed over to police officers.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Charles' Duchy Estate Defends Tax Breaks

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duchy of Cornwall does not possess a "competitive advantage" over other businesses despite being exempt from hefty taxes, a spokesperson for Prince Charles' estate has told Sky News.

The comments come as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) publishes its report on the accounts of the 700-year-old Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Under the Duchy, established in 1337 by King Edward III, the heir to the throne is exempt from paying corporation and capital gains taxes on land and property transactions.

But while the current Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles, is technically exempt from paying income tax, he has volunteered to do so since 1993.

The Duchy of Cornwall estate was established by King Edward III in 1337

The Duchy spokesperson told Sky News: "We do not believe we have a competitive advantage.

"The Duke of Cornwall's income is taxed at income tax rates. The Duchy is not subject to corporation tax and the Duchy is not a corporation ... any capital gains have to be reinvested in the business and cannot be distributed."

But the PAC's Margaret Hodge MP wonders whether the Duchy's unique tax arrangements allow for a level playing field when the estate stands alongside other businesses.

She said: "If you're letting property to a Holiday Inn in Reading or to Waitrose to run a big depot on an industrial estate, are the terms of that enabling other competitors in that market to compete on an equal and level playing field?

"What started off 700 years ago as a medieval estate, today demonstrates all the features of a modern big corporation, yet it hangs on to old habits such as exemption from corporation tax."

The Duchy's main activity is the management of land and properties which make up its estate, providing an income for the present and future Dukes of Cornwall.

Its portfolio is made up of 131,000 acres of land, properties spread across 24 counties and more than 3,500 individual lettings.

All together over the last financial year it generated £28.8m and the Prince received an income of £19m, up 4% on the previous year.

The estate owns property including the Kia Oval in south London

The money is partly used to fund his and his family's public, charitable and official duties and the Prince voluntarily pays income tax on the cash left after costs, around £9.2m last year, according to the PAC.

Margaret Hodge believes the Treasury falls short of proper scrutiny when it comes to the Duchy's finances.

She said: "It [The Treasury] relies on the Duchy to provide it with accurate information without carrying out its own independent checks.

"Details of the Treasury's approvals for the Duchy's proposed land transactions over £500,000, of which there are around 15 a year, are not published.

"Greater transparency is needed."

In answer to the PAC findings, the Treasury said: "HM Treasury's role is to ensure that the Duchy of Cornwall is managed in a sustainable way and that the strategic choices made by the estate's managers are in its long-term interests and those of current and future dukes.

"The Treasury has a constructive working relationship with the Duchy, and challenges decisions where appropriate."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ed Miliband Takes On The 'Wonga Economy'

The Labour leader has launched an attack on our "Wonga economy" saying payday lenders are "running riot through our communities".

Ed Miliband accused the firms of preying upon vulnerable people then intimidating them with bullying tactics when they failed to repay the loans.

He said they had created a "quiet crisis" for thousands of households saddled with debts they were unable to pay off.

In a speech at Battersea Power Station, Mr Miliband said that he had visited the Citizens' Advice Bureau in his Doncaster constituency and heard the stories of a number of people who had become victims of pay day loan firms.

He had spoken to one young mother who was "down to her last nappy" when she saw an advert for a payday lender on the television. He said she had succumbed to the financial pressures to take one.

Now, he said, the "bullying and harassment" she was being subjected to by those firms was such that she had been forced to give her mobile phone to her mother because she was getting 15 calls a day.

The payday loans firm, Wonga, has 1.25 million customers

His intervention came as representatives of the three of the biggest payday lenders - including Wonga - were facing a grilling by MPs on the Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.

Mr Miliband responded angrily to the boss of Wonga, who has commissioned a film which tells the story of 12 people who have been happy with their payday loans, claiming he was speaking for a "silent majority" who were satisfied with the service.

He said: "Payday lenders don't speak for the silent majority. They are responsible for a quiet crisis of thousands of families trapped in unpayable debt.

"The Wonga economy is one of the worst symbols of this cost of living crisis."

He said that seven out of ten customers customers said that they regretted taking out a payday loan, with half saying they were unable to repay it.

Wonga has come under attack from the Archbishop of Canterbury

He said the woman who ran his local Citizens' Advice Bureau had told him: "Payday lenders are running riot through this community."

However, Henry Raine, head of regulatory and public affairs at Wonga, said that around one in 33 (3%) customers took loans out for at least 60 days, meaning interest was frozen.

He said: "Wonga's business is aiming to lend to people who can pay us back, that's how we make money.

"The vast majority of people pay us back on time. We freeze interest after 60 days and 25% of people pay us back early."

Mr Raine said around 3% of loans, equating to around 40,000 of Wonga's 1.25 million customers, go to the 60-day period.

He said Wonga's record compared favourably with the rest of the loan industry, including credit card companies and banks.

More follows...

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Water Bills: Crackdown On Costs Expected

Water bills may be "rolled back" after the Government vowed to get tough on the rising cost of living.

David Cameron's spokesman indicated that an announcement on water bills would be made next week.

The spokesman said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) would be making the announcement.

He said: "There will be some action next week from Defra with the intention of looking at water bills.

David Cameron says he wants to see household costs cut

"The Prime Minister takes household bills across the piece seriously and wants energy prices to be rolled back and wants various things done, whether it's council tax being frozen, the flex on rail fares being brought down, MoT costs being frozen, these sorts of measures to protect household bills."

He added: "The Prime Minister wants to see household costs across the piece being reduced as low as possible. The intention is to try to reduce the burdens on hard-pressed families."

Mr Cameron "wants regulators to look at the industry they regulate and make sure that they are robust and delivering what they need to deliver for consumers", the spokesman added.

Concerns have been raised that consumers are being ripped off

The move comes after Labour leader Ed Miliband said the market needed to be scrutinised to ensure it was working for consumers.

The soaring cost of living has rocketed up the political agenda since Mr Miliband's pledge to freeze energy prices if his party wins the 2015 General Election.

Mr Cameron, seeking to win back the political initiative on energy policy from Labour, said last week he wanted to "roll back" environmental taxes that bump up energy bills, promising more details in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement on December 4.

Speaking on Friday at an event for regional newspaper journalists, Mr Miliband said: "I think we should be looking at all markets to make sure they are working properly - and that includes the water industry."

The Western Morning News quoted the Labour leader as saying: "Some people will say this is an anti-business agenda. I think it is a pro-business agenda that you have got to reform markets that are not working properly.

"I think the water industry is something that should be scrutinised to make sure it is working properly, and make sure it is working properly for the benefit of consumers, because I know concerns have been raised.

"I'm proud Labour is championing this agenda and I think it is consistent with believing what a market economy can do, and water is part of that."

Labour's environment secretary Maria Eagle said the party would look to amend existing draft legislation, review the need for tougher regulation, and push for new ways to help reduce bills for low-income households.

MPs are set to consider the reform and infrastructure of the water industry on Tuesday next week after Tory Robert Buckland secured a backbench debate.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pizza Delivery Driver Murder: Two In Court

By Nick Martin, North of England Correspondent

Two people have appeared in court charged with the murder of a pizza delivery driver in Sheffield.

Thavisha Lakindu Peiris had been delivering his last ever pizza when he was stabbed to death in his car in the Southey area of the city on October 27.

Shamraze Khan, 25, of Southey Crescent, Sheffield, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who are accused of killing Mr Peiris both appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court.

The pair were remanded in custody until the next hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on November 15.

Mr Peiris was on his final shift before starting his dream job as an IT consultant.

The 25-year-old was found dead in a silver Toyota Yaris car in Southey Crescent at about 10.30pm by fellow Domino's workers who had gone looking for him after he failed to deliver his order.

His family described him as the "most caring and loving son a parent could have".

Speaking from their family home in Sri Lanka, his father Sarath Mahinda Peiris and mother Sudarma Narangoda said: "We sent our son to the UK to study so he can have a better life. Now we are left with only a broken heart.

"We were devastated and shocked to hear of our son's tragic end and we are still unable to comprehend that he is actually gone.

"Thavisha was one of the most caring and loving sons a parent could have. He was full of life and always had a smile on his face. Anyone who met him immediately liked him."

Mr Peiris came to the UK to finish an IT degree and graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2011.

His colleagues and police said he had been feeling unwell during his last shift and was going to go home early but agreed to deliver one last order.

Domino's Pizza has said it was funding the cost of flying his family to the UK in the coming days.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More