11/07/2013 BBC News at One

Two companies which provide electronic tagging are accused of

overcharging the Government by tens of millions of pounds.

The Justice Secretary says that G4S and Serco charged for people in

prison, who had left the country and even for people who were dead.

Also this lunch time: MPs' pay and independent body, says that their

salary should go up to �74,000. The Prime Minister disagrees.

Warnings of a �30 billion funding gap for the NHS in England by the

end of the decade, unless changes are made.

Stuart Hall's prison sentence of 15 months for indecent assault is to be

revealed -- reviewed after complaints from members of the pub.

OPERATOR: We're you on the plan, ma'am? PASSENGER: Yes, I was on the

plane. There are people laying on the tarmac with critical injuries,

head injuries. We're almost losing a woman here. We're trying to keep her

Francisco Bay. And the Ashes and England standing

firm. Later on BBC London: Six women scale the Shahhed.

A Greenpeace protest. And how can the Mayor help air

krault in the capital? -- air Welcome to the BBC News at One.

In the last hour, the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, accused

two private companies, G4S and Serco of overcharging the Government by

tens of millions of pounds for electronic tagging contracts. He

said that it emerged that the firms were charging for people in prison,

who had left the country and for people who were dead. Here is some

of what he told MPs. This audit confirmed that the

circumstances in which the department was billed for services.

This has included instances where our suppliers were not in fact

providing electronic monitoring. It included charges for people in

prison, that had had tags removed. For people who had left the country,

and those who had never been tagged in the first place but who had

instead been returned to court. There are a small number of cases

where charging continued for a period when the subject was known to

have died. In some instances, charging

continued for a period of many months, indeed years after active

monitoring had creased. The House will share my view that this is a

wholly indefensible and unacceptable state of affairs.

So, the Justice Secretary there in the Commons in the last hour. Let's

get more details. Those are eye watering figures. What more do we

know? Yes, potentially, the department, the Ministry of Justice

was overcharged by an amount in the low tens of millions of pounds. To

explain, Serco and G4S are responsible for fitting the tags to

offenders. Often they are released from prison, they are on probation.

They charge for that and the monitoring of them it seems that the

Ministry of Justice was carrying out a review in the way it arranges the

contracts and discovered this anom lee running into the tens of

millions of pounds. You heard of people not wearing tags, the

department being charged for the tags being fitted it goes back we

are told to months and years, in some cases, possibly back to 1999.

Chris Grayling was saying that there was a failure in his own department

to discover that this was going on, that nothing was done to address the

problems, he says, now the question is, were the mistakes made in the

companies, or is there a degree of dishonesty? Have we heard anything

from either of the companies mentioned? Nothing officially.

Serco, as he said agreed to the independent audit of what went on.

So that will happen. G4S did not agree to that. The Government said

that was a concern to them. Nothing official from G4S but I have heard

from a source there, that they are co-operating fully. They have done

their review and discovered no evidence of any sort of dishonesty.

That review has . They say that they warned the department, the Ministry

of Justice, some years ago, that there may be anomalies in the

contracting process. They say that they followed their contract with

the Ministry of Justice in full, but those are unofficial comments from

somebody I have spoken to but no official comment from G4S. Thank you

very much. The Prime Minister says he believes

that MPs should not receive a large pay rise while the pay of public

sector workers is being frozen or restrained.

An independent body, IPSA, recommended an increase of more than

11%, taking an MPs' salary to �74,000 after the next general

election. IPSA's chairman, Sir Ian Kennedy, defended his proposals.

Saying that suggestions from successive poi bodies were rejected

by previous governments for political reasons and sewn the seeds

of the political scandal. MPs used to decide their own

salaries but decisions are taken now by IPSA. While many face a salary

increase of 1%, they are proposing to give politicians an increase of

about 10% in 2015. This is not just pay but talking

about modernising the system of remunerating MPs' pace, pensions,

golden goodbyes, a range of things. Why do it now? Well, there is never

a good time. That is the reason it has never been done, that is the

reason we are in the mess we are in. So, under the Independent

Parliamentary Standards Authority proposals, the MPs' pay goes up from

about �66,000, to �74,000 in to 15, costing the taxpayer more than �4. 5

million, but the savings are that of a less generous pension saving

nearly �2. 5 million. Ending some expenses, including covering the

costs of meals and reducing pay-offs.

But when the costs and the savings are added up, the price we pay for a

police will be half a million pounds higher in 2015 be that now, but

these are proposals, there will be consultations with the wider public

in the summer, but from my own consultations in the heart of the

Commons, I could not find any MPs to support them.

It is laughable. To be even considering accepting a pay rise of

that magnitude when so many other people are on no increases. This

organisation, ip ip -- Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority,

it is a bit of a silly organisation. The pay rise, as far as I am

concerned, they can stick it. I don't think we should be getting a

pay rise when nurses, teachers are facing low pay increases or not at

all. A head teacher outside of London is paid about �48,000 --

78,000. A Chief Superintendent has been �78,000. A senior civil

servient about �88,000. Here in Swansea there is a higher

number of modestly paid public servants and not much sympathy for

the MPs. This is unfair the amount that the

salaries could go up. I think that selfish is the word.

It was the unpopular expenses scandal that led to an independent

body setting the MPs' pay, but this could replace one problem with

another. Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority said that they

found the issue of MPs' pay thorny and controversial. Well if they are

right about one thing, they are right about that.

Let's head to our Political Correspondent Norman Smith outside

now at Westminster. Lots of disquiet expressed there, Norman but will

this go through, still? Well, the sense, is that the only thing set to

rise faster than MPs' pay is public indig nation, but what the MPs don't

know is what to do about this. Parliament seems impotent, because

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is an independent body. In

order to ensure that MPs can no get their hands in the cash till, it

would seem that the only real option is for individual MPs themselves to

decide not to take the money. Now we know that Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg

have said that they will not take the money. David Cameron has sa so

far remained silent on the issue, but in the next election, in

constituencies up and down the country, we could be facing y Monty

Python Spanish inquisition style scenario when candidates are placed

on the rack by Cardinal Hack, and told to repent if they wish for a

chance to ere-elected, but then Independent Parliamentary Standards

Authority are still saying that there is no way for the MPs to pay

the money back. At the end of the day it could come down to individual

MPs deciding to write out a cheque to their favourite charity.

Norman, thank you. NHS England is warning that it could

face a �30 billion funding gap by the end of the decade unless changes

are made to the way that services are provided. Its chief executive,

Sir David Nicholson says there should be an honest and realistic

debate involving members of the public, staff and politicians.

Hospitals in England are being asked to find a share of savings, the

demand for healthcare is growing constantly with more elderly

patients with many health problems and new treatments and technologies.

Now there is is a warning that hospital care has to change with

services delivered in fewer hospitals.

The man running the NHS in England says it is the only way to keep

giving patients good care. The alternative is to try to spread the

money too thinly over the NHS. It is a really stark choice, to go

for service change, change in the way to deliver services to the

patients or sleep walking in to a position where we reduce the

quality? The pressures on A&E are part of a picture of rising demand,

but the department here is having to double in size just to cope. Today

there is a further stark warning of the financial pressures ahead.

. In England the NHS funding gap between its budget and the rising

costs adds up to �20 billion by 2014/2015. The budget forecast to go

up by 0. 01%. In 2016. That is leaving the health service finding

an extra �30 worth of savings. This is the biggest challenge that

the National Health Service is facing in its history. They will

have to be brave to engage with the public to talk about why the changes

have to take place to deliver better care within the resources.

Moving services from some local hospitals is controversial. Many

medical organisations accept it may be the best solution but it often

meets strong opposition from politicians and from local

communities, not convinced that it will improve the care.

England have been fighting back on the second day of the first Ashes

Test at Trent Bridge, but after an early loss of wickets, Australia are

193-9. Yesterday England were bowl outside out for 2015.

Well, it is all going on here. This is Test Match cricket but not as we

know it. We have had four sessions of the match by now. England should

have started their second innings. Today a five wickets play and a bit

of a teenage sensation. A morning of cricket you could not take your eyes

off. A lazy summer morning alongside the

Trent. Here the pace of life matches the environment. If time, why not

take it? Try telling the batsmen. At the cricket, things were moving

quicker than anyone expected, unless it was Stuart Broad's injured

shoulder. In this Test Match of wickets, batting seemed almost

impossible. It should not be. A 50 for Steve Smith. A batsman known to

favour of flushing drive. It was no surprise when he edged

Anderson to the wicketkeeper out for 53, but it is not quick bowling to

deceive, watch Graeme Swann here. The England total of 215 was seem

seeming to sizzle out. But hang on, eight down.

This wicket was the fifth of the innings from for James Anderson.

England best fast bowler, only two have taken more Test wickets.erson

looking good. Graeme Swann giving the same impression. Lbw, guilty.

When you are 1 on the Test Match debut, what do you have to lose?

Ashton Agar started to enjoy himself. Philip Hughes had been

watching the wickets fall but he is aggressive. Australia headed past

150, when they thought they were at their mercy. Next Ashton Agar

walloped Graeme Swann for six. The cheek of it. Why was batting so

difficult for everyone else? That young man, Ashton Agar is 56 not

out. He was a surprise pick for the bowling. He is now the top scorer in

the match. Stuart Broad has not bowled a ball for England with his

dodgy shoulder. They are operating with three bowlers. Australia 202-9,

so they are in sight of a first innings lead. Don't ask me what will

happen next but I think it will be worth ing.

Thank you very much. The top story: The Justice Minister

says two companies, G4S and Serco have been overcharging the

Government by tens of millions of pounds for electronic tagging

contracts. Still to come: By royal appointment, the companies invited

to celebrate with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Later on BBC London: Top tennis tips from Andy's mum. Judy helps

schoolchildren in Aldgate to take up tennis.

And a Prom for everyone, including a Sci-Fi symphony for the Doctor Who

fans. A service of g has taken place at

Westminster Abbey to remember those who fought in the Korean war.

British and Commonwealth troops served on the Korean peninsula after

North Korean troops invaded the south in June 1950. By the time an

arm sties was signed more than 1,000 British servicemen had been killed

and 1,000 more taken prisoner. The veterans that due applause came

outside the abbey. They set sail for a country they knew little of, to

fight alongside nations who were members of the fledging UN n a war

that, at that time, was perceived as a war against the advance of

communism. It was a three-year conflict, which in the end bore no

resolution, but which was fought at enormous sacrifice. As many here

will tell you, it was a conflict, which in a way, has been forgotten.

Parading under brilliant blue skies, the men who remembered their service

in a conflict so often overshadowed by the Second World War.

As young conscripts, they sailed for Korea to fight in extreme

temperatures across hostile terrain and often hugely outnumbered.

There were Chinese all around us. We were surrounded. They gave us really

a pasting because there were so many of them. In actual fact their

crossfire was probably killing their own men, because they were all

around us, you see. ??FORCEWHITE

NEWSREEL: These are the last newsreel pictures... 15 nations

fought under the UN flag to combat a perceived comun Nis threat from the

-- Communist threat from the north. It was fought under the auspices of

the UN. The only time the UN fought a full-scale war and Britain's

contribution was the important part. ??FORCEWHITE

NEWSREEL: It is all aboard for Korea...

Of the 100,000 British troops who travelled east, more than 1,000 were

killed. Roughly the same number taken

prisoner. We were told we weren't prisoners of war, we were students

of the truth. I was tied up and thrown into an underground bunker.

They kept me in that position for some 28 days. Difficult to keep

time. You don't have a calendar, they took my watch off me. They used

telephone cable, which they put around the fingers and then they

took it around your neck, up to a beam, stand you on one foot and

wound it around your other ankle. In fact they told me, should my leg

give way I hadn't been murdered, I would have committed suicide.

is an occasion for regimental pride and an opportunity to remind the

world that nearly two million lives were lost, most of them civilians,

yet two armies still face each other across the ceasefire line. The

sacrifices remembered here did not bring the peace which still proves

so elusive. Of course the two halves of Korea watch each other. We saw a

flare up recently. There is another side to it. The veterans spoke of

going back to a prosperous South Korea. While a lot will be

disappointed that the loss of their friends, the loss of so many

civilians has not brought a real, long-lasting resolution, there is

pride in that on so many occasions they managed to hold the line.

Thank you. An investigation is under way in

Manchester into the death of a 23-year-old man who was stunned by a

police Taser. Police say the man, who has been named locally as Jordan

Begly, suffered a medical episode. Officers used the Taser after being

called to the Gorton area of the city last night, where a man was

reported to be armed with a knife. The prison sentence given to the

former BBC presenter, Stuart Hall, after he admitted sex offences is to

be reviewed by the Court of Appeal. Hall pleaded guilty totted 14 counts

of inde-- guilty to 14 counts of indecent assault and was sentenced

to 15 months. There have been complaints that was too lenient.

There were a lot of complaints. There were around 150 people who

contacted the Attorney General's office. We have this very open,

democratic, if you like, system where anybody, you, I, it does not

have to be anyone connected with the case, can complain about the

sentence. When sentenced, the judge had some stern comments obviously

for Stuart Hall, talked about his darker side, talked about the fact

that his public display of innocence added to the distress of his

victims, one of whom was aged just nine. 150 people complained. Today

the Attorney General has said that considering the matter, he considers

it unduly lenient. He is referring it back to the Court of Appeal.

Three judges will look at that sentence. For it to be unduly

lenient it has to be outside the reasonable range of sentences which

was available to the judge in Stuart Hall's case. If they decide it was,

then they can increase the sentence. Thank you.

The NHS is considering whether family members should be prevented

from overriding the wishes of relatives who have agreed to be an

organ donor. It wants to ensure an individual's views are honoured in

the event of their death. Matthew Dodd was giving a

life-saving liver transplant 18 years ago. Since then he has

represented Britain at the international transport games. His

sister, who had the same condition, died, because there was no liver

available. She was a lovely little girl who was full of life. We look

at Matthew and we are grateful we still have one of our children and

encourage him to do anything he wants to do in life. Almost everyone

would accept a transplant organ if they needed one, but only 57% of

families agree to donation when asked. NHS NHS Blood and Transplant

says it wants a revolution in public behaviour, so organ donation is seen

as a natural outcome and people will be proud to support it. It is

considering whether families should be prevented from overriding

existing consent. People tell us there's no point signing the

register if their family can overrule their wishes. They can be

upset by that. If you have decided you want to be a donor, we want to

make your wish come true. We want to make it happen for you. We want to

work with families to help them accept that was your wish and we

should fulfil it. The strategy document asks for a public debate to

see whether people would support a system similar to the one in Israel

and Singapore, where those on the Organ Donor Register get higher

priority if they ever need a transplant.

A 65-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault by

detectives investigating historic abuse at the Royal Northern College

of Music and the Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. It relates to

the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in the late 1970s. The man has

been bailed until September. More details have emerged about the

crash-landing of a plane at San Francisco airport at the weekend.

There was a delay to evacuating the jet after it skidded to a stot

because passengers were fish -- stop because passengers were initially

call after the dramatic crash of the Asiana Airlines plane last week.

There are people on the tarmac with critical injuries. There is a woman

here, we are trying to keep her alive. Questions are swirling around

about how the Boeing 777 came to crash. Most experts believe the

pilots were approaching too slowly and too low.

A passenger's recollection seems to back up the theory. We were so close

to the water. We were praying, through my window and that is when I

realised, this is wrong. I realised we would miss the runway. Questions

remain about whether evacuation rules were followed properly. Some

reports suggest the pilots didn't want to evacuate the plane when it

crashed to a standstill, despite the pleadings of the flight attendants.

Investigators will look at why there was a delay. A manufacturer has to

show that a fully-loaded aircraft can be fully evacuated within 90

seconds. What we saw here was the first doors and slides were not

opened for about 90 seconds. Some of the cabin crew have been appearing

in public clearly traumatised. Three staff remain in hospital having been

flung from the wreckage as the Boeing crashed. It remains something

of a miracle that only two of the 307 people on board were killed in

Thousands of people are expected to visit Buckingham Palace in the next

few days to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's

coronation. A four-day festival gets under way today and is showcasing

more than 200 companies granted the Royal Warrant of appointment. Our

royal correspondent is at the palace.

Rather an unusual event this. It has been compared to a very upmarket

trade fair, to mark the 60 years since the Queen's coronation. The

Royal Warrant holders association is selling their goods here in the

grounds of Buckingham Palace and promoting British business.

They are the grounds of Buckingham Palace as they have rarely, perhaps

never, been seen before. Dotted across the lawns are scores of

stands selling exclusive merchandise. They are all companies

which hold the Royal Warrant. In other words, companies which supply

goods to the Queen, her husband or eldest son. They will be selling as

much as their merchandise as possible to ticket-holding guests.

Everything from a smart limousine to top hats and silk ties. Store

holders are hoping for a profitable few days. 12,000 people a day are

coming to this. People hope to do good business. I am sure they are.

All this begs the question - whether it is an appropriate thing to do in

the palace grounds? The organisers say it is. It has to be commercial

because nobody can afford to put this on. It is an appropriate use of

the gardens because the greater aim is to build exports.

This demonstration of British craftsmanship and commercial

endeavour is nomally to mark the Queen's 60 years since the

coronation. In reality it is a moment when the Queen has brought

efforts to promote British commerce right into her back garden and the

Queen will go around her back garden with other members of the Royal

Family, no doubt trying out some of the stands. She will attend a

concert here tonight. That will be Sunny in that particular back

garden. What it is like for everybody?

A lot of good weather over the next few days. The theme is

straightforward - for most spells of sunshine at times. For most it will

stay warm. Some subtle changes in where the very warmest weather of

all is going to be. At the moment Northern Ireland is the warmest of

all. Already we have got to 26 sellsy yuss. By the end of the week

-- Celsius. By the end of the weekend it will be southern England

that will see the warmest conditions. Plenty of sunshine to be

had. Different for the far north of Scotland. Mist and murk around the

coast here. There is a small chance, just a small chance, that we will

catch a shower over the Grampian Grampians. For the bulk of England

and Wales it is fine as well. A bit more cloud for some of the coasts of

Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire as well. Pleasantly

warm here, with temperatures 21-24 Celsius. That should feel nice. A

good deem of sunshine at Trent Bridge for the cricket. More

sunshine again by the time we get to tomorrow, when the temperatures will

be on the rise as well. We have a lot of cloud in the North Sea. That

will roll inland, getting as far tomorrow, we do it all again. Some

eastern areas will start off cloudy. Most of that should burn back

through the coast. We will see spells of sunshine developing. There

is a small chance of a shower through Northern Ireland and

southern Scotland. If you catch one it will be heavy. Most places will

stay dry. Where we have cloud across the east coast, temperatures peg

back to 19-20 Celsius. The warmest in the west. That will start to

change a little bit as we head through Friday night. This cold

front starts to work into the picture. That will start to squash

all of the heat down into the south and the south east. Here we will see

the highest temperatures. I would not be surprised if somewhere got to

30 Celsius. In Northern Ireland, where we have got used to warm

conditions, things will feel cooler as we see more cloud working in,

maybe the odd spot of rain and perhaps a heavy shower as well over

northern England. A small chance of a shower further south. Southern

areas will be sunny and hot, as I mention 28-30 Celsius is possible.

Fine and sunny for most of us. The warmest weather of all will move

further south. Lovely! Sound good! . Thank you. A

reminder of our main story: The Justice Minister has said two

companies, G4s and Serco have been overcharging the Government by tens