10/02/2014 BBC News at One

Police here in Berkshire declared a major incident, as the river levels

along the Thames Reach record highs. There are 14 severe flood warnings

along stretches of the Thames, hundreds of homes are flooded,

thousands more are threatened. Misery for many residents, with

predictions that river levels could rise even higher over the coming

days. Nick Clegg is visiting the south-west of England as the blame

game continues over why the flooding is so bad. Everybody is having to

respond to something we've never encountered before. No one has

encountered this kind of deluge in such a sustained way over such a

prolonged period of time. We will be live in the areas worst hit by the

flooding with the latest. An BBC News that one. MPs vote on whether

to back a ban on smoking in cars when children are present. English

language test by age of them are suspended after BBC Panorama

uncovers systematic fraud and cheating in the student Visa system.

And we speak to Team GB's first medal winner in the Winter Olympics.

Later on BBC London, lives are in danger as the water level on the

Thames continues to rise. The flooding has also disrupted many

roads and some rail services both in and out of the capital.

Hello and good afternoon, welcome to the BBC News from here in Datchet, a

village in Berkshire that, as you can see behind me, has been almost

submerged by the floodwaters that have been rising inexorably, hour by

hour through the morning. Along the Thames, hundreds of homes have not

been flooded and thousands more are at serious risk of flooding. The

latest from the Environment Agency is that they have 14 severe flood

warnings in place along the Thames. That means there is a risk to human

life and also to property. There are two more severe flood warnings in

Somerset. Sandbags have been placed around shops, businesses and other

properties here in Datchet and other places along the River Thames, but

the worry is that the weather forecast says more heavy rain is

coming tonight and tomorrow. Let's get this report from Daniel

Boettcher. No rain this morning but water levels on the Thames are still

rising, leaving hundreds of homes flooded and thousands more at risk,

along stretches of the river in Surrey and Berkshire. In Datchet,

the Village Green has disappeared. There have been warnings the

flooding could get worse, but there's little residents can do to

protect their properties. At 11pm last night it was just a stream. We

went up at midnight we saw water coming down off the golf course and

over the railway lines. We wake up this morning and we are marooned. I

have a young family here. My primary goal right now is to pack up and get

everyone out of here safe. We will deal with the compensation under

bureaucracy after that. The railway line is flooded, diverging more

water into the village. No one knows just how much higher it will get.

That is why Anita Maunsell is moving the stock of wedding dresses in her

shop to safety. It takes months to get back on your feet again. The

insurance companies, with the best will in the world, aren't very

quick, so consequently, it will take us for ever, as it will everyone

else. In worrying times and the bad economic climate, this is the last

thing we need. Residents have been complaining that they haven't been

enough sandbags. At mid-morning, a lorry load provided by the local

authority arrived. Well, it's only just turned up, so I've been trying

to get them from as many places as I can, mainly the ones holding

roadsides down that aren't needed for doing that. This area has

suffered from serious flooding in the past. This was the Thames Valley

in 1947. There were bad floods in 2003 as well. Some are making

comparisons with those events and say they haven't seen anything on

this scale before. No, never. I've seen some flooding but the railway

has never been flooded like this. As residents here do their best to cope

there is a warning of more to come, as water further upstream works its

way down the river. And the ground is already so saturated that it

simply can't absorb any more. We are anticipating another three or four

inches on the Thames over the next 24 hours or so in this area. But

with the Thames Valley being so wide, the gravel is underground

water is very saturated as well. There has been a brief respite in

the weather so far today, but there is more rain on the way, leaving

more communities along the river at risk. Daniel Boettcher, BBC News,

Datchet. Well, the war of words between the government and the

Environment Agency over the handling of this floods crisis has continued

to date. The chair of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith, he's

been saying that he admits more should have been done to get more

money into helping to dredge rivers, but he says that his staff

have done all they could with the resources available to them. He has

also rejected suggestions from the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles,

that the Environment Agency have been giving the Government bad

advice. Now the Deputy Prime Minister has been visiting the

Somerset Levels. Let's go to our correspondent, Hubble Griffiths, who

is there in Burrowbridge. Yes, Ben, people here care about first and

foremost not be political ramblings but the practicalities of still

living and coping with the seventh week of flooding. However, they have

been a stream of politicians visiting the south-west, each keen

to talk up what they've been doing for the community. The community

itself feels the best help they've been given is the help they've given

themselves. Don't be fooled by the calm waters as the levels continue

to rise. The row over Somerset's flooding is becoming turbulence.

Yesterday the government minister heading the flood response claimed

the Environment Agency had given bad advice over dredging Beas rivers.

Today, the agency hit back. He is wrong. Our agency were following

Government rules, Government guidelines. We put money on the

table for dredging 12 months ago but the maximum that we were allowed by

Government rules to put on the table, the maximum was ?400,000.

Others didn't come to the table at the time. Also wading into the row,

the Deputy Prime Minister, trying to dampen down anger in what has become

a very public blame game. Chris Smith and the Environment Agency

have got a very difficult job to do. We can in the future look back and

decide what went right and what went wrong. It is very clear now that the

calls here locally for the dredging of some of the rivers, while it

wouldn't have been a magic wand solution, it clearly should have

been dealt with. For the teams of volunteers spending another day

shipping supplies, the political storm isn't helping. We are past

that. We need to know what they are doing now to solve the current

situation. And also, how much effort they are going to give us in tidying

the place up. I think it needs something more than just apologies

on TV now. I think it needs somebody ought to be held personally and

collectively accountable. All the politicians who travelled here from

Westminster will have quickly realised the scale of the problem.

But they will also have felt an undercurrent of mistrust because

whatever promises have been made to put this situation right in the

future, it will take much longer to rebuild the people's trust in the

authorities. For Margaret Lock it is also about rebuilding her home.

After nearly 30 years here it has flooded for the first time. Eight

inches of water has washed through the ground floor. A bit devastated.

I think it's going to be quite a while before we get back in, to be

honest. Because the water has got to go and then we've got to get dry...

There's so many things to do. The only response people here feel they

can really depend upon is their own, and it's still being tested

after day. Day after day, week after week. And while it has been dry here

this morning, the river levels are continuing to rise. In fact, new

flood defences are having to be put in around a kilometre from the water

's edge in anticipation of further flooding. Many here feel they could

be stuck with the situation not for weeks but for months. Many thanks

indeed for that. It is not only the River Thames that is causing real

concern this lunchtime. It is also the River Severn in Worcestershire

that has been flooding will stop Worcester itself particularly badly

hit. Let's go to Phil Mackie, our correspondent who is there for us

now. The river levels are just going down for the time being. You can see

that that rolled over there is still flooded and still closed, but this

is the main bridge through the city centre. It's been closed all

morning, they are about to reopen it in the next couple of minutes

because things are gradually improving. Have a look at the river

itself, it is completely swollen still. There is a lot of water still

coming down from further north in Shropshire, and we are expecting

another peak tomorrow evening at levels that were higher than the

spawning. The problem is with all these roads closed around you, it is

causing a huge impact on the local economy. Local businesses are saying

they are being disrupted. They have to weigh that against health and

safety concerns. For the time being, things are looking a bit brighter

than they have been at any other stage. I've just literally been

speaking to the Environment Agency a few seconds ago and they say another

peak tomorrow night with levels perhaps higher than this morning.

They are looking for those record levels of 2007. The flood defences

that have been built along this river since then have been built to

withstand those. If they got higher than that then there would be

concerned. There is real concern in Datchet in

Berkshire. And at other places like as along the Thames. The water just

keeps rising and rising. Although the weather is pretty dry and it's

been quite bright today, the water just keeps going up. People have

been putting sandbags around their homes, shops and businesses, and

hoping against hope that that will be enough, because they know the

weather forecast is really bad tonight. And tomorrow, there's more

heavy rain forecast. So things here may get much worse. Dyfed-Powys

Police a body has been found during the search for A34 -year-old kayaker

who went missing on the River Usk yesterday afternoon. The body was

found about an hour and a half ago. The family of the missing kayaker

has been informed. As we've been hearing, a political row seems to be

escalating at Westminster with the blame game in full swing. Let's go

to our political correspondent, Norman Smith. All of this while

people's homes are under water. I imagine many people, whose houses

are under water and livelihoods have been appalled, they will be appalled

by the name calling. It started yesterday by Eric Pickles launching

into the Environment Agency and its boss, Chris Smith, questioning his

judgment, whether he should continue in the job. Then Chris Smith

retaliating today, saying his staff know 100 times more about flood

defences and Eric Pickles or any other politician, he blamed

government cuts. The environment Secretary, still recovering from

that eye operation, complaining to the Prime Minister about Eric

Pickles' intervention. And the former floods minister rounding on a

Conservative colleague who described Lord Smith as, quote, a dit, who

needed his head flushed down the toilet. Downing Street is aghast at

all of this, with the Prime Minister's spokesman saying that the

Government needed to and was coming together, going out of his way to

praise the good response of the Environment Agency. What does it

tell us? It tells us of the nervousness in political circles

about the potential political backlash from the flooding crisis

and the desire of some politicians to get their retaliation in early.

That's the politics. We are joined now by our environment analyst. Talk

us through the extent of the flooding we are seeing in the

Thames. There has been relentless rain right across the South of

England. It is having widespread and increasing effect. Let's take a look

of this Environment Agency map. The areas in red show the areas where

there is severe flood risk. areas in red show the areas where

there is You can see the extent right from Swindon in the West

through to Slough. It's a very long stretch. He pulled downstream of

Maidenhead and Windsor are complaining that a channel created

to take waters away from those towns, called the Jubilee River, is

dumping excess water on them. So water taken from one place in the

Thames is being shifted to another, nobody wants it. Are there any other

causes? Yes, let's take a look at this map of a catchment of the

Thames. It shows both sides of the river. The higher ground with the

Thames running down the middle. The North Downs on one side, the

Chilterns on the other. There are big questions being raised about the

land management on those hills. Have we denuded the hills, should we be

reforesting them? The idea now from professionals is to catch the water

where it falls. reforesting them? The idea now from

professionals is to catch the By holding the water up nearer where it

lands, it's easier to slow it down. So wary builds up... In the Thames

basin it takes several days to build up before it gets downstream towards

the outskirts of London. If you can hold the water up and slow it down,

then the peaks are much lower, the water levels are much lower and the

water can pass through the Thames through London at a lower level.

More safely. But you have to do flood some of the Upland areas. But

you have to compensate people when you do that. We are seeing the start

of a proper national debate, where we are asking ourselves, where are

we going to catch the rainfall, who is going to be compensated, and move

away from some of the name-calling that has been going on.

You can find out more about the flooding on our website. There are

updates on BBC local radio and television stations.

Our top story this lunchtime. Police have declared a major

incident in Berkshire, as river levels along the Thames hit record

highs. And still to come: Snowboarder Jenny

Jones reflects on her record-breaking medal win on the

slopes of Sochi. I celebrated with some champagne, and a bit of

dancing! Later on BBC London. Caught

red-handed - we expose the pay TV fraudsters.

And from tower blocks to Tower Bridge. We meet the photographer

who's spent a decade getting a birds-eye-view to capture London's

skyline. The Home Office has suspended

English exams run by ETS, one of the world's largest language testing

companies, after the BBC's Panorama programme uncovered systematic fraud

in the UK's student visa system. Secret filming of

government-approved English exams needed for a visa showed entire

rooms of candidates being helped to cheat. Before the suspension, ETS

told the BBC it did everything it could to detect and prevent rare

instances of fraud. Richard Watson reports.

It's the sort of multiple-choice chess -- test students dream of.

Unbelievably, the invigilator is simply reading out the 200 answers.

Alpha is a common beta is be, and so on. A two-hour test takes just seven

minutes to fake. Panorama has been filming undercover following a

network of crooked immigration agents, who help bogus students

extend their visas through fraud. The Home Office rules are clear.

Non-EU students have to pass an English exam, or they don't get a

visa. Early last year, we had and immigration agency in London, called

Studentway Education, which could guarantee a pass for a price. We

were told how they fall the exam board. Studentway, the agency which

arranged our exam, denies any wrongdoing. After paying the agency

?500, our undercover was sent to this government approved test centre

in East London for an exam. In the hall, and invigilator locks her into

a secure computer terminal, but neither she or the other candidates

will have to do the tests themselves. Moments before the exam

starts, new people arrive to take their places. While the fake sitters

start to answer questions in perfect English, the visa applicants stand

in the aisle, waiting to have their photo taken to prove they sat the

exam at Eden College International. A few days later, our undercover got

the certificate. Eden College International strongly deny any

knowledge of the frauds. They say after uncovering their own

investigation last year, they have not renewed the contracts of three

freelancers, and have improved their systems. The company which sets the

exams, ETS, told us it does everything it can to detect and

prevent rare instances of cheating. We showed our evidence to the Home

Secretary. We have done a lot over the past three years. We have rooted

out abuse. The amount of abuse has gone down, but it's clear people are

finding ways around the system. Our investigation shows the student visa

system is still an easy target. And you can see that Panorama

programme tonight at 8:30 on BBC One.

The opposing sides in Syria's civil war are back around the table today

for a second round of peace talks in Geneva. The first talks broke up

just over a week ago without any substantial progress on how to end

the fighting. Our diplomatic correspondent, Bridget Kendall, is

in Geneva. Bridget, is there any cause for optimism this time round?

There is some cause for optimism on the ground. That cease-fire in Homs

this weekend, which allowed 600 people to be evacuated, and there

are now talks going on to extend the truce. Here in Geneva, progress has

been going at a snail's pace. The two delegations haven't even met

face-to-face today. The UN investigator in charge has decided

to hold meetings to keep them apart, while he tries to get them to agree

on an agenda. He wants them to discuss the core issues of stopping

violence in Syria, and transferring to a transitional government. But

even if the two sides agree separately to this agenda, they mean

completely different things by the violence. The opposition says it is

all violence by the government. They made a public complaint today about

the way they say the Syrian government is dropping even more

barrel bombs on the City of Aleppo. The Syrian government say the

violence is all by the terrorists, and they say they are -- there are a

la white villages that are under siege, and they need looking well as

Homs. So it is a big task ahead. MPs are to vote in a few hours' time

on proposals that would allow smoking to be banned in cars

carrying children in England. Smokers' groups say this would be an

intrusion, but health professionals have voiced their support. The

measure was approved by the Lords last month. Our health

correspondent, Dominic Hughes, reports.

The family car is somewhere many would regard as a private space, but

nearly seven years after smoking was banned in most enclosed public

places in England, MPs could be about to go one step further, and

ban smoking here too. It is a measure health care campaigners have

been battling for. You have young children is developing lungs being

exposed to passive smoking, and the possibility of making asthma worse,

and a predisposition to other problems later in life. The number

of smokers has fallen dramatically since the 70s. Just over a fifth of

adults smoke, and one in seven of them admitted to smoking in a car

with children. Smoker can stay in the air for two and a half hours,

even with the windows open. A campaign has been trying to draw

home the message, and say that everything is being done to protect

children who are the victims of second-hand smoke. If there's

children involved, they shouldn't be allowed to smoke. It is too

confined. I don't think it should necessarily be brought into law. The

evidence is quite strong that it isn't healthy for children to be

exposed to those fumes in the car. But some smokers say this is a step

too far, and infringement of their basic rights. In terms of civil

liberties and how far the government" is on people's lives,

there is a line. And the car ban goes over the line. If the

government does that, I think people will ignore it. A few weeks ago, a

ban on smoking in cars looked some way off. This evening, MPs are

expected to -- Conservative MPs are expected to back the measure.

Well, let's speak to our correspondent at Westminster, Gary

O'Donoghue. There are two sides. It is health against intrusion. That is

the characterisation of the debate at the moment. Those in favour of

the ban, including the Prime Minister, because a spokesperson

says that he doesn't support the idea, as do a couple of his Cabinet

colleagues, like the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. There is a

split in this one. The Justice Secretary is against it, as is the

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg. It is clear that this will go

through. There will be a bunch of people voting against it, but it

will go through our numbers. Just seven years after the ban on smoking

came in, we will get the ban on smoking in cars were children are

present. We don't know at this stage what the proposed penalties will

be. It is going through enabling legislation, which means that

government can make secondary rules on how it is going to work. We don't

know if it will be a crime or a civil offence, and how big a fine

might be. We are going through the motions, in some ways, in the House

of Commons tonight, because this will happen. Those who are against

it say it is another step towards an nanny state. Thank you.

After yesterday's success on the slopes in Sochi, when snowboarder

Jenny Jones won Great Britain's first Olympic medal on the snow,

this morning the men's curling team have won the first of their matches,

beating the host team. But it's not all plain sailing for Team GB's

women, who are in a battle against Sweden. Our sports correspondent

Andy Swiss is in Sochi. Day three of the action here in

Sochi, but still plenty of talk about day two, and that remarkable

performance by Jenny Jones. The Winter Olympics were first held way

back in 1924. In the 90 years since then, Britain had never won a medal

on snow, until a former chalet maid from Bristol wrote her name in

sporting history. She is the woman everyone wants to talk to. Jenny

Jones in the Sochi spotlight, the morning after the incredible day

before. Jones' journey from a dry ski slope in Britain -- in Bristol

to an Olympic bronze is and -- is as unlikely as it is unforgettable.

Watched by her parents, she won Britain's first ever medal on snow.

Even that emotion was trumped by the most tearful of Family Reunion. This

morning she told me her mum and dad had been a key to her success. To

see them come forward at the end, I was holding it together, but I lost

it when I saw my mum. I hope I made them proud. How did you celebrate

last night? With sums Champagne! And a bit of dancing! And here is the

proof of that fancy footwork. Jones and her team-mates caught on camera

after the medal ceremony. Britain is hoping they will have more to dance

about. The men's curling team began their campaign in impressive style

this morning. They were up against Russia in their opening match, but

silenced the crowd with a comfortable 7-4 win. It was a huge

crowd, and they were cheering. It was quite hard to hear at times, but

that is part and parcel of it. There was also an impressive display from

Britain's jack well-born in the short track speed dating. He became

the first Briton ever to make it to the final, but sadly, he crashed

out. In the last hour, we have also seen Britain's women curlers finish

their first-round match. A really tough match against Sweden, which

they ended up losing six - four. Disappointment for Eve Muirhead and

her team, but this is a round robin contest, so plenty of opportunity to

get their medal hopes back onto. Time for a look at the weather.

Unfortunately, there is more rain to come. We have some rain and gale is

on the way, and also the potential to see snow and ice. Throughout this

week, a number of systems could bring some heavy rain. Mixed in with

some snow, so it should not cause too much concern. The potential by

the end of Friday for South Wales and south-west England to see

another 40 to 70 millimetres of rain. Something of a respite today.

There are some showers around, some thicker cloud around parts of

south-east England. Equally, some drier weather around with some

sunshine. Showers are clearing from Northern Ireland and western

Scotland this afternoon. Sunshine across parts of northern England,

but equally, a couple of showers here possible. Scattered showers in

the afternoon for England and Wales. Always keeping a little bit more

cloud through Kent and East Anglia, and here, some patchy rain possible.

For most of us this evening, the sky is clear. Temperatures will drop

away as the cloud breaks up. Here comes another band of rain, moving

through Northern Ireland, which could give some snow on higher

ground, moving in through Wales and parts of the South West in the early

hours. Tuesday's weather system eight quite short lived, in 10th

spell of rain, combined with some strong winds that time. Lingering to

the north-east, but it will clear away elsewhere, giving brighter

skies in the afternoon. In northern areas, showers could continue to be

wintry. Some snow showers on higher ground could move on to low ground,

and could continue through Wednesday night. Wednesday's storm is fast

approaching our shores. Quite a lot of uncertainty about it, but it has

the potential to be an intense system, bringing severe gales, gusts

in excess of 70 mph, possibly. Some rain and hill snow possible in the

north as well. The ground does not need any more water, with those

severe flood warnings in force. We will continue to monitor the

situation. You can get more details on our website.

Now a reminder of our top story this lunchtime.

Police have declared a major incident in Berkshire, as river

levels along the Thames hit record highs. Visiting the south-west of

England, the Prime Minister has defended the work of the Environment

Agency, and given his backing to its chairman, Lord Smith. There will be

continuing coverage of the flood situation on