03/04/2012 BBC News at Six

A-level students could face tougher exams after the Government orders a

radical shake-up. The Education Secretary says students aren't

challenged enough - he wants universities to help set the papers.

When you get to university, you find out what you have been told

has got nothing to do with what you're going to be taught in your

first year, it is a very big leap. Also on tonight's programme... The

latest fall-out from the phone- hacking scandal - James Murdoch

quits as chairman of BSkyB. Winter returns to Aberdeenshire with six

inches of snow, just days after record high temperatures - what's

happening to our weather? Underworld, underground - we're on

the set of the latest Bond film, as Daniel Craig takes the series into

Good evening, welcome to the BBC News at Six. A-level exams could

get a lot tougher if the Education Secretary has his way. Michael Gove

says the current exams, which students sit in England, Wales and

Northern Ireland, do not prepare them for the rigour of university

education. He wants universities to have a say in what goes into the

papers. The exams watchdog has welcomed the proposal, but some

teachers say it's a quick fix gimmick. Here's our UK affairs

Securing a place in university is a major achievement. But the

Education Secretary is concerned that success at A-level does not

necessarily mean you're ready to study for a degree. In a letter

sent to the regulator and obtained sent to the regulator and obtained

by the BBC's Newsnight programme, His answer is to give universities

a say. They would help to decide on a level courses and how they are

assessed. It is a stepping-stone to university, so it is a good thing

to make sure that universities are involved in making sure that we

have the highest possible standards at A-level. Teaching unions are

angry that they have not been consulted. But there are students

who admit that going from school to university can feel like quite a

leap. I thought A-levels were quite straightforward, but then you come

to university and it is all a bit confusing at first. In science

subjects especially, they teach you a dumbed down version at A-level.

For decades, the number of people studying to go on to university has

grown, as have claims that aid levels have been getting easier.

The pass rate has certainly been There are other examination boards

which traditionally set A-levels for students in Wales and Northern

Ireland. And in Scotland, the system is completely different,

there, Highers are generally used instead. But the exams set by the

English boards are taken by some students in each part of the UK. If

this plan were to go ahead, it could put pressure on schools to

use exams which have been officially recognised, even

approved, by universities. If we have the opportunity, we would like

to shake a levels to reduce the number of resits, to reduce the

modularisation, and to beef up some of the components. A future

generation of students may find that A-levels are becoming harder,

and university is rather more difficult to get into. Our

political crrespondent Robin Brant joins us now from the Department

for Education. Robin - what long- term impact could there be if the

changes go through? There's no doubt, as far as Michael Gove is

concerned, that aid levels will get harder, and he believes they should

get harder. Michael Gove thinks there is a crisis of confidence in

A-levels, and there are many people in Westminster who agree. His

answer is to hand control over the content and the assessment of A-

levels over to academics at England's universities, in

particular, some of England's best universities. He believes they are

the best people who are best placed to decide what the future of A-

levels should be. There are two fundamental problems, as far as the

critics are concerned - firstly, the question of elitism, perhaps

those academics might return to the old type of A-level, and we could

end up with an exam which does not reward students with a range of

abilities. The second criticism is that they say it lessens the role

for employers and teachers, two groups whom they say should have a

very important role to play in the In the latest twist in the phone-

hacking scandal, James Murdoch has resigned as chairman of BSkyB. Mr

Murdoch, who faced some tough questioning from MPs, had already

stepped down as head of News International, which owned the

former News of the World. Mr Murdoch said he didn't want the

fall-out from the phone hacking scandal to tarnish BSkyB. Our chief

economics correspondent, Hugh Pym, has the story. His report contains

some flash photography. The spotlight has been firmly on James

Murdoch since revelations of phone hacking at the News of the World.

In February he quit his post running the British newspaper

business. Now, he has decided to step down as chairman of the

broadcaster BSkyB, part owned by news Corporation, though he is

staying on the board. The Prime Minister, on a visit to a housing

development, gave a brief reaction. It is a matter for him and for the

company and its shareholders. I say is that the issues at News

Corp go beyond one person. It is about how the organisation can

restore public confidence. Phone hacking allegations that the News

of the World raised questions about what James Murdoch did or did not

know. The former editor Rebekah Brooks was later questioned by

police. James Murdoch and his father were grilled by a Commons

committee, and its report is due out within weeks. They will also be

questioned by the Leveson Inquiry into the media. Mr Murdoch said he

had behaved ethically at all times, but he was aware that his role as

chairman could become a lightning rod for BSkyB, hence his

resignation. Today's boardroom change will not make any difference

to Sky viewers. The same management team is in place. But it is highly

significant for James Murdoch personally, his position in the

media industry and the Murdoch empire. When he resigned from being

the head of the press interests in the UK, it was said that he would

then focus on pay-TV. The fact that he is leaving that sector as well

does mean that he is unlikely to have a really consistent job in the

pay-TV area. Even after James Murdoch's resignation, an inquiry

by the regulator in to BSkyB's The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick

Clegg, has now made it clear that the Government will not ram through

plans to allow the security services to gain access to our e-

mails, text massages and online history. Earlier today, ministers

were saying that they hoped to legislate as soon as the

parliamentary timetable allows. Let's get more from our political

correspondent John Pienaar. A Welsh government scheme that could see as

many as 12,000 new jobs created over the next three years has been

launched. Is this a retreat? looks like it. The Home Office is

saying that we will put in at the legislation as soon as

parliamentary time allows. Before you know it, Nick Clegg is saying,

we will have to have a proper look at it first, with draft proposals.

So, bullish rhetoric from the Home Office, and conciliatory rhetoric

from Nick Clegg, and above all, the opponents of this idea detect the

clear sound of ministers and officials slamming on the brakes.

Just to make it hurt that bit more, sources close to Nick Clegg are

saying quite clearly, they think this has been mishandled by the

Home Office, and that Nick Clegg has had to step in to sort it out.

More questions about the Government's radar screens, and as

far as the recriminations are concerned, oh, dear. A Welsh

government scheme which could create 12,000 jobs has been

launched. The plans aim to tackle youth unemployment by paying the

salaries of 16- to 24-year-olds for their first six months in a job.

The Liberal Democrats have launched their campaign for the English

local elections. The leader, Nick Clegg, said it would be a tough

contest, but added the party should not shy away from the difficult

choices it had to make in A week ago, people in Aboyne in

Scotland were basking in sunshine as temperatures soared to a record

high of 23.6 degrees. Today, they've swapped sunscreen for snow

shovels. It may be spring, but Aberdeenshire is under six inches

The first signs of spring, smothered by snow. Seven days ago,

Aboyne was warmer than Barcelona. What a difference a week makes.

week ago, I was enjoying the sunshine, having a glass of beer in

the garden, it was wonderful. snow has brought down power lines,

cutting off 3,000 homes. All day, engineers have been working to fix

it. Mountain rescue workers have also been hard at work, airlifting

nine Belgian tourists from the slopes of Britain's second highest

peak, Ben Macdui. Tonight, the three adults and six teenagers are

safe, well and a lot warmer. They are fine. They did have camping

gear with them. They made camp last night, and we managed to get to

them in time before they started to get cold. Back in Aboyne, the snow

shovels were out again. It is not exactly what the hoteliers had

hoped for before Easter. Last week, customers were out on the deck, it

was 24 degrees in the shade, 32 degrees in the sunshine. We all

knew that it was not going to last. But the tourists do not seem to

mind. These women are on a bus trip from Blackpool. It is very

picturesque, hopefully we will get about three seasons in a few days.

Is this what you were expecting? Certainly not, but it is beautiful..

It is hard to believe that just seven days ago, Aberdeenshire was

baking in the dry, dusty air from the deserts of Africa. One week ago,

this park was packed with people enjoying the sunshine. Now, the

daffodils are buried beneath a? snow. So, plenty of snow, but the

ski centres are cut off by Well, Aboyne wasn't the only place

in the UK to see some exceptional weather last month. There was less

rain, more sunshine and hotter temperatures than we've seen for

years. So what's happening to our weather? As Jeremy Cooke reports,

March turned out to be a month of records. An extraordinary month -

days on end of dawn till dusk sunshine, record-breaking March

temperatures in Scotland and swathes of England officially in

drought. I think there is going to be a need for people to think

harder about the way they use water, to be thinking hard about everyday

usage and trying to avoid as much waste as they can. Water is a very,

very important resource. gardeners, weather watching has

always been something of an obsession, and they are noticing

big changes, including exceptionally dry winters and warm,

springs with no rain. It is all having a big impact on gardening.

These plants do not need so much water, some of them do not use so

much water, a lot of them originate from hot, dry countries. Here, then,

spring is in full bloom, but the dramatic shifts in our weather

patterns are presenting big challenges to the gardeners. On a

bigger scale, our farmers, too, are having to adapt. On his farm in

Cambridgeshire, this man is keeping records of rain, that hardly ever

comes. His soil is as dry as dust. The reservoirs on his farm are

running low. The amount he can take out of the rivers is severely

limited. And so, a big decision. This plant is planting crops which

need less water as a response. -- this farm. Potatoes and onions need

a lot of water, so we're putting in more of things like sugar beet and

oilseed rape. Plants which need water, but have less reliance on

irrigation. In the east of England, cracks are peeing on the roads, as

the earth beneath the carriageway tries and shrinks. -- cracks are

appearing on the roads. In much of England, the hosepipe ban comes

into force on Thursday of this week, and is likely to remain in place

Our top story tonight: A-levels could get tougher under Government

plans to give universities more say over the exams.

Coming up, I'll be reporting from the set of the 50th anniversary

Bond movie being shot here at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

There's less than a month to go before elections for what many

regard as the most powerful political post outside Westminster,

the Mayor of London. The campaign boiled over today with a row over

tax affairs between rivals Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

The pair are also divided on how London's public transport should be

run and where cuts and spending should go. Our Deputy Political

Editor James Landale reports. Yes, it's them at it again, Ken and

Boris, Boris and Ken, same parties, same candidates but a very

different election. The outsider and incumbent have

swapped roles. The current Mayor says he'd invest in jobs and not

make empty promises. I have to tell you my friends, there is a risk for

London. That risk, he believes, is his old rival, Ken Livingstone, who

wants his job back. So Boris Johnson's out campaigning, though

he's been offered more than just votes. A nice cut and blow dry, how

would you like that... At a time of austerity when the Government is

making cuts, Boris Johnson isn't going into the campaign promising

to spend lots more money. Instead, the one time outsider who's now an

incumbent is campaigning on his record and his recognition.

When people are feeling the pinch, won't they like Ken Livingstone's

promise to spend money to help them out? If you want London to be the

greatest City on earth and want to invest in transport infrastructure,

then you can't make promises to people that you have no intention

of keeping. At a time when critics are once again saying the Tory

party is the party of the rich following the Budget and tax cuts

for... We are not only cutting council tax, we are driving

employment in this City, we are helping huge numbers of people with

concessianary fares. Boris Johnson's promising to cut waste

from London's Budget and use the cash to create 200,000 more jobs.

He's ahead in some polls but is still looking for votes and needs

to get his message across. Where's the leaflets, team? There, thank

you very much. Ken Livingstone's hit the streets too, taking his

leader into Tory leaning suburbs to find the votes that could swing the

election his way. This election is not just about who will be Mayor of

London but it's also a test of the central argument of British

politics. Will voters support Ken Livingstone who's promising to

spend more money or will they support Boris Johnson who says

these plans are just unaffordable? We are standing because we want to

represent all Londoners. Livingstone's promising to cut bus

and tube fares by 7%, paid for he claims by a surplus in the

transport budget. When voters across the country seem to accept

the argument that Government across the peace has to make cuts, you are

promising lots of cash. Why do you think that's going to happen?

Because I've found where the money is sitting. I'm giving commitments,

we'll cut the fares, we'll freeze the council tax, we'll not increase

the congestion charge. Spending, spending, spending? No, just

cutting out the waste. This election is about London but about

economic spending and credibility, so the results here will help shape

what the parties may offer at the next general election.

And there are seven candidates in all running for London Mayor with

voting taking place on the 3rd May. People with learning disabilities

are being left increasingly isolated by cuts made by local

authorities, that's according to a survey carried out by the learning

disability coalition. The organisation says day services and

personal support are being reduced as council budgets across England

are squeezed. Our Social Affairs Correspondent, Alison Holt joins me

now. For some, the cuts are starting to bite? That's certainly

what the coalition of charities believes, George. Their report

details the pressures faced by some of the most vulnerable people in

society when it comes to their care. What's particularly interesting is

that it looks at the impact of cuts from all angles. 70 local

authorities, about half the councils in England, responded.

They care for 69,000 people with learning disabilities. 77% say

they're having difficulties funding services by either making cuts or

efficiency savings. Other people with learning disabilities

questions just under half have had their support reduced or the costs

they pay for care increased. Amongst them is 41-year-old Susie

Rowbottom. Many many ways, Susie is like a ten-year-old, but until now,

she's managed well in a shared house with support. She used to get

12 hours help a week, but in December that was cut to two hours.

She's not happy. I thought I want my life back to

how it used to be. You want to go back to what you used to have?

Her mother does what she can but worry force the future. The five

sessions Susie used to have at a day centre have already been cut to

one afternoon at the library. Mrs Rowbottom believes it's storing up

problems and doesn't understand it. As far as I'm concerned, they

assessed she needed 12 hours 14 years ago and her needs haven't

changed. The vulnerability of them, that's what worries me. And of

course when I'm not here any more, I mean I'm not a young spring

chicken by any means, neither is my husband. The local council West

Sussex maintains that Susie is getting the right level of support

and that she's coping well with greater independence. The charities

and companies providing the care say they're also feeling the

squeeze. 66% of the organisations who responded say councils expect

them to provide more care either for the same amount of money or for

less. That's really hit care workers like the Hiltons.

Deborah and Keith have spent many years caring for people with

learning disabilities. But the company they both work for has had

the money it gets for its services cut. Now staff are being asked to

accept a 40% cut to their salaries. I don't want to lose my job, I

don't want to have to go and look at another employment for better

pay. I want to stay looking after these service users that I've

looked after for 14 years, but I really don't think I can on the pay

that they're proposing. Government maintains most people

with learning disabilities are not facing cuts to care. It also says

more money has been put into the system because it knows it's under

pressure. Now, the report covers England, but

although the care system differs elsewhere in the UK, it's under

pressure in many places and, according to campaigners, it's the

most vulnerable who're really feeling the impact of that.

Thank you. Planned strikes by ground staff at

Stansted Airport over Easter have been called off after talks.

Members of the GMB union had been due to walk out for four hours on

good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday in a dispute over pay.

England's cricketers have had a mixed first day in the second Test

match against Sri Lanka. They need to win in Colombo to keep their

position as the world's best test team, but Sri Lanka recovered from

an early slump with a century which helped the hosts to 238 for six at

the close of play. It's 50 years since the first James

Bond movie and six 007s later, it's still going strong with a 23rd

installment due out this October. Filming is under way at Pinewood

Studios and our entertainments correspondent, Lizo Mzimba is there

and has had a sneak peek. Yes, thank you very much, filming is

still under way on the famous 007 stage behind me, a stage that's

housed everything from nuclear submarines and the Spy Who Loved me

to an ice hotel in Die Another Day. Right now there's the recreation of

a London underground tube station. The BBC's been given the chance to

show for the very first time, Daniel Craig himself in action

behind-the-scenes of the new film. Bond is undoubtedly a British icon

and so it seems appropriate that for this movie unusually much of

the filming has been taking place above and below the streets of the

capital. Five months into filming, Daniel Craig says he's keen to be

remembered as a great Bond. deal for me has always been to make

bigger and better ones. If I'm still making them, I want to leave

my mark and this, I feel very much with this one, I feel it will be

very different from the last two but it will still be a great Bond

movie. Starting with Dr No in 19 62, it's the longest running film

franchise in history. Time we said goodbye to an uninvueted guest

fpltz 007 has been played by six the the r different actors over 23

official movies with the series in total taking over �3 billion at the

worldwide box office. One factor in the series' continuing success has

been its ability to constantly reinvent itself over the years to

reflect changing times. That theme's continued with this movie.

So guns, but fewer gadgets are making Bond less super hero and

more super spy. Craig though knows he won't be Bond

forever. I'm under no illusions, I know there'll be someone after me

so hopefully someone after them again. It's just being part of that

process. I'll keep going until they tell me to stop.

His first two outings as Bond have gone down well with audiences and

critics. He's hoping that will continue when this latest film is

released later in the year. Expectations for these movies are

always huge and it's even more intense for this one because it's

the 50th anniversary, so now, more than ever, Bond holds a special

place in cinema goers' hearts, the film series that's almost half as

old as cinema itself. Thank you. Now, two giant pandas at

Edinburgh Zoo are to be allowed to share the same enclosure for the

first time since they arrived from China. It's believed the female is

in season and they could be ready to mate. Female pandas only have

two days a year in which they can get pregnant.

Time for the weather now with John Time for the weather now with John

Hammond. Hello. Bet the pandas will be grateful for

the warm coats because it's particularly cold across Scotland.

This was the scene earlier on in the Highlands. Winter bites back.

For most of us, it's useful rain that's falling out of the skies.

The snow is the story though. We have seen the snow across Scotland,

now creeping into the high ground of northern England too. Mostly

above 200, 300 metres. Even at lower levels, there could be some

big blobs of wet snow in northern England. The high ground of North

Wales could be badly affected. Poor visibilitys on the roads in this

part of the world through the night. Elsewhere, once the rain is cleared

through, dry spells across southern parts of England and Wales. The

coldest weather will be across the glens of Scotland, particularly

where we have snow cover. Several degrees below freezing and the risk

of ice. Here, a much better day tomorrow, bright and sunny for the

most part. This band of wintry weather, rain, sleet and a bit of

snow over the high ground edging southwards through parts of the

Midlands and Wales. To the south of that, again, a bit like today,

we'll see some sunshine in-between some fairly lively showers across

southern counties. In the best of the brightness, the mild air will

be hanging on, 1 11, possibly 120 degrees. We are then into the

wintry zone of weather. Some snow up over the highest ground,

hopefully not causing too many problems. For northern England,

Northern Ireland and Scotland, a sunnier day with a steady thaw of

any lying snow. None too warm though, particularly out of the

sunshine and in the breeze. Further ahead towards Easter weekend, some

outbreaks of rain, particularly across northern parts of the

country. The best of the dry and bright weather further south. In

the short-term, it's all about the snow. We'll keep you updated.

Thank you very much. A reminder of the main news: A-

levels could get tougher under Government plans to give

universities more say over the exams.