12/08/2013 BBC News at Six

after it takes on two of Britain's biggest retailers over jobs for

foreign workers. Tesco and Next say they don't favour migrants over

British workers, but Labour says not enough is being done to help local

people. I want to see more companies providing assurances and

demonstrating what they are doing to train and recruit local staff.

be looking at the rules on recruiting foreign workers.

Also tonight: Millions face bills of nearly �400 a year after Thames

Water asks for an inflation-busting rise.

As a Royal Navy flotilla heads off for a Mediterranean exercise,

Britain considers legal action over the Gibraltar border controls.

Get on your bike - ministers allocate �94 million for a cycling

revolution in England. Coming up in the sport on BBC News,

England set Australia 299 to win the fourth Ashes test at

Chester-le-Street after a quickfire News at six. Two of Britain's

biggest high street names - Tesco and Next - have criticised the

Labour Party over suggestions that the two companies favoured migrant

workers from Eastern Europe over British ones. In a speech today, the

party's shadow immigration minister, Chris Bryant, had to tone down his

comments after the firms accused him of getting his facts wrong. In a

moment we will look at the employment rules on foreign workers

but first here's our Political Correspondent Gary O'Donoghue. They

are two of the country's best-known retailers, now at the heart of the

row over immigration and jobs. Tesco and Next have been criticised by the

Labour Party for favouring foreign workers over British people. This is

a new giant distribution plant of Tesco. Workers have been offered

lower wages to transfer from a base that has closed, and most haven't,

leading to the country hiring far more foreign workers. Today the

immigration spokesman for Labour had softened his message. I want to see

more companies providing assurances and demonstrating what they are

doing to train and recruit local staff. Even for temporary posts.

Rather than bringing workers in from abroad. Tesco said they have

employed a large percentage of foreign workers, and it is higher

than the old plant down the road, and today Labour are at pains to

insist Tesco is a good employer. There is a confused message here.

These Tesco workers seemed less bothered in the Labour Party about

the mixture of foreign and British workers. If the workers pay taxes,

who cares? They are doing the same thing as us anyway, they just put

more graft in I suppose. More confusion surrounded a number of

Labour 's initial claims, that Next found it cheaper to hire workers

from Poland through a website that only advertises in Polish,

effectively paying them less than the minimum wage. Today that party

withdrew the claim. In a statement withdrew the claim. In a statement

employers. I think Chris Bryant needs to be more careful about the

facts when he throws those allegations around, but only 30% of

migrants come from the European Union, 55% come from outside where

our migration reforms are having an effect. The problems Labour has had

over its immigration message will not make it any easier to win

support among voters for who this is a central concern.

So how many people from EU countries actually work in Britain? Our Chief

Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym is here and has been looking at the

figures. Yes, George, today's exchanges have highlighted the

changing world of the modern workplace. Employers want

flexibility, recruiting extra temporary staff to manage peaks in

the workload, but there's a perception in some communities that

British workers aren't getting a fair chance because foreign workers

are cheaper. This woman used to run a cleaning

business. She didn't want to be identified because she feared local

reaction. She charged businesses �9 per hour for a cleaner but one of

her clients didn't want to pay that. When we said we couldn't continue it

was quickly advertised on a Polish website and the next day we were

given a team of Polish workers to train up at �7 per hour. The British

economy is creating new jobs in many industries and they are going to

both UK and foreign workers. If you look at the breakdown of the

workforce, there are 27 million UK nationals in employment, and of the

rest 1.4 million come from other parts of the European Union. That

number has increased by 2.3% over the last year, comparing with a 1.4%

increase in the UK nationals total. Whether it is agriculture,

manufacturing warehouse operations, there can be big increases in the

demand for workers at certain times of the year. Many employers argue

they cannot meet the demand locally so they use agencies who find

workers often from outside the UK. By advertising a job in Poland only

in Polish and not advertising it in the UK, they could be seen to be

indirectly discriminating against UK workers but I have never seen an

instance of that and most of the time employers are keen to get

workers from their locality and would certainly advertise in the UK

before getting workers from overseas. The government admits the

benefits system can make it hard to take temporary work, but future

reforms should make it easier for British workers.

14 million customers of Thames Water - Britain's largest water firm -

face a hike in their annual bill of nearly �30. The company has asked

the regulator for permission to charge the extra money because it

said it's facing a tough time financially amid rising costs.

Consumer groups have reacted with anger. Our Industry Correspondent

John Moylan is in Battersea in south west London. This derelict site may

not look like much, but it is where Thames Water wants to drop two

tunnel boring machines into the ground to start building a super

sewer to clean up the Thames. This site and some others has cost the

company hundreds of millions of pounds which is one of the reasons

it now wants a hike in bills for its customers. It may be the biggest

water company, but it has to agree how much it will increase prices on

a five yearly basis. Now in the middle of that price period, its 14

million customers are facing the prospect of an unexpected rise in

bills. When prices were set in 2009, we didn't know how much some of the

small things would cost. Now we are making the application, but we don't

want to claim it all back in one year, we want to spread it over

several years to avoid a spike in bills. Costs have been soaring as it

bought land for its planned super sewer designed to clean the Thames,

but bad debts have been rising as well, as more people do not pay

their bills. Thames Water has said it is having to look after tens of

thousands of kilometres of previously private sewers. Thames

Water has 14 million customers, but recently came under fire for paying

no corporation tax despite making Harper billion pounds in operating

profits, and paid �231 million to shareholders in dividends. The

company says it needs to make money to upgrade infrastructure. Last week

dozens of properties were flooded in south London by what -- burst water

main but consumer groups say the firm should be able to absorb more

of these extra costs. One in seven of the customers of Thames Water

already feel the problems and are struggling to pay their bills.

isn't just households. Businesses like this launderette will also be

hit. It will be totally crippling. I don't think I will be in business if

they implement the expected changes, I don't think I can

continue running my business in this way. I cannot absorb those costs.

Thames Water insists it is saving money and that its bills remain the

second lowest in England and Wales. The industry regulator now has three

months to decide whether the proposed rise is justified.

The Government is considering what it calls unprecedented legal action

against Spain over its new controls on the border with Gibraltar. The

move follows further queues at the border over the weekend. Spain

imposed the additional controls earlier this month, following a

dispute over fishing rights around the British territory. Our

Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins reports. HMS Illustrious

sailing from Portsmouth today, heading for the Spanish coast, but

these powerful pictures can be misleading. This is not a response

to Spain 's actions on its border with the Rock of Gibraltar. It is

part of a long planned naval exercise which will see Royal Navy

warships calling at both Gibraltar and the Spanish naval base. Spain is

a NATO ally after all. Nonetheless, some like to see this as a reminder

of Britain's power, just as the government is threatening possible

legal action against Spain. This is what Britain says Spain must cease,

the imposition of lengthy border checks causing long queues and hours

of delays, as well as anger and frustration at Westminster. David

Cameron's spokesman said legal action against Spain is being

considered. Officials call this disproportionate, designed to drive

Britain towards concessions over the Rock. It has been a British overseas

territory for 300 years. The Spanish response is equally blunt, we have

not only the right, says Madrid, to operate rigorous controls, we have

an obligation to prevent what they say is widespread smuggling. This

dispute has been running for years but it definitely got hotter today,

with Britain threatening what it calls unprecedented legal action.

The trouble with going to the courts for either side is that you can

never guarantee the outcome. Legally the issue comes down to whether

Gibraltan people are rigid citizens. In this purpose, they very much

art, and Spain is only allowed to impose minimal checks on them. --

British citizens. The latest crisis kicked off weeks ago in a dispute

over fishing. Some accused the Gibraltarians of deliberate

provocation but others including some in Spain itself think the

government is using the dispute to distract from their domestic

troubles of a broken economy and allegations of corruption. Both

countries have different opinions but I think it is a smoke screen and

there are bigger problems in Spain and the UK. Personally I care more

about the Spanish problems. British warships may be on their way to the

Mediterranean but that is pure coincidence. It is political and

legal argument that will decide the Gibraltarians dispute.

Bedfordshire police have charged a man in connection with the death of

a grandfather who was involved in an argument over a disabled parking

space. Brian Holmes, who was 64, was attacked in the ASDA car park in

Biggleswade earlier this month. Alan Watts has been charged with

manslaughter and will appear before magistrates in Bedford tomorrow.

The Duke of Edinburgh says it's good to be back in circulation after

making his first public engagement since undergoing an operation nearly

two months ago. Prince Philip, who's 92, handed out medals to scientists

and businessmen at the Royal Society in Edinburgh. The Duke spent 11

nights in hospital in June following the surgery.

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction

following the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl. Erika Kacikova was

last seen a week ago, leaving her family home in Sheffield. South

Yorkshire Police officers are co-ordinating the search. Ed Thomas

joins us now. This is where 50 detectives are

based, all trying to find her. There is concern because seven days is a

long time for any 13-year-old to be away from her family, but there is

hope dashed Ash police believe she is alive and will be found soon.

Where is Erika Kacicova? It is now a week since the 13-year-old went

missing and in that time she hasn't spoken to her family wants. Today

the schoolgirl's father and sister pleaded with her to come home.

Please, please can you come back. This morning, dad, sister, brother,

please can you come back? Are you OK? We love you so much. Please come

back. 50 detectives are now trying to find the 13-year-old. Their focus

now is here in Bradford, where two men have been arrested both on

suspicion of child abduction. Today police appealed to whoever she was

with to send her home. You need to make sure that she is taken to a

place of safety. It is important. She is only a child and she should

come home to her family. Until that happens, South Yorkshire Police say

that the search is their top mayoralty. Her family say they just

want her back safely. -- priority. They headlines... Two of Britain's

High Street chains hit back at Labour after suggestions the two

firms favour migrant workers over British ones. Fastest in qualifying

clash can Christine Ohuruogu get gold in Moscow? And on BBC News -

Wayne Rooney trains of England ahead of the Wednesday game with Scotland,

despite missing the community Shield victory with his shoulder injury. --

trains with England. David Cameron has announced the largest ever

injection of public money into promoting cycling in England to

bring it more in line with other European countries. �94 million

pounds will be spent on improving existing routes and funding new

ones. Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Birmingham will

receive most of the money. There will also be a feasibility study on

a new cycleway broadly following the proposed High Speed two rail line.

Dan Rowan has the details. It is no surprise that politicians want to

get close to pedal power, thanks to Olympic champions like Victoria

Pendleton. But what about the rest of us? The Prime Minister was at

this bicycle centre in Watford, waving the flag for a new

generation. �94 million will make a real difference to make the roads

safer for cycling and we had this tremendous success at the Olympics

and I want to turn that into grassroots cycling but above all,

people getting on their bike as part of life, going to work and the shops

and people want to do that. government says it wants to start a

cycling revolution but critics say it is too little and too late. �94

million over two years is actually less than �60 million every year of

dedicated cycling money that this government inherited and then

cancelled. The abolished cycling England and got rid of the cycling

initiative times. Cycling makes up only 2% of all journeys in the UK.

It is estimated that we spend around �2 per person on cycling and for the

Dutch, that is around �25. Europe seems to be streets ahead so will

cycling be at the heart of transport policy? We are looking for further

investment and across the long-term that which is other areas and we are

seeing urban engagement and rural but let us see further. When the

Mayor putting the onus on cycling, a number of Londoners getting onto

their bikes has doubled in ten years. Elsewhere, like in

Manchester, there is a very long way to go and at a time when the number

of cyclists dying on the roads is it -- is at a five-year high. You have

to get more normal people getting to work on bicycle. How would you do

that? You have to give them cycling provision. He find with cycle lanes,

they carry on and they run out and people park in them. They are full

obstructions and they are not coming. They have trouble and broken

glass. British biking is riding high like never before and the wheels of

success continued to turn. Making this a true cycle in nation is a

race that is yet to be won. -- cycling. No city is getting more

money than Manchester. And you can see why that is the need for

investment. This is one of the busiest streets in the city, used by

thousands of students on bicycles every day. But there is no cycle

lane. That should change. The authorities want to double the

number of people on bicycles by 2015 and that could prove a good

challenge than Olympic medals. Thank you. The mother of a Scottish

teenager held in Peru on suspicion of trafficking over �1 million worth

of cocaine says she had no idea her daughter had even traveled to the

country. 19-year-old Melissa Reid was arrested in Lima on Tuesday

along with Michaella McCollum Connolly from Belfast, who was last

seen in Ibiza. Their families. They were spending the summer in a beta.

Earning a living working in the resort. When Miss Connolly had not

been heard from four days, her Fran -- friends began an online campaign

to trace. In fact, since last Tuesday, the two women have been

here, a women's prison on the outskirts of limit in Peru. They are

accused of being drug smugglers. Conditions are said to be poor.

prison system here is unlike anything you can compare to in the

UK. The overcrowding is currently at over 200% so people are not just

slipping in sales which awful, but in corridors, in stairwells and in

the toilets. According to police, the two women were carrying more

than 11 kilos of cocaine. The drugs are thought to have an estimated

street value of �1.5 million. If found guilty together, they face

seven years in prison but only one is convicted for the drugs all, she

could be jailed for up to 25 years. Peru has recently become the world

's biggest exporter of cocaine. The authorities are cracking down.

Police commando units regularly good into the jungle to destroy so-called

cocaine kitchens, like this one. -- go into. Last year, nearly 250

suspected drugs mules were arrested at the airport. A former Irish

consul in the country says police appear to have been waiting for the

young women. Normally people arrested on checking in and they

have been prewired. I cannot say for certain at this time. The police may

never admit that either. It is understood that the woman denied the

accusations but whatever the truth, they potentially face a lengthy

spell in custody. It could be at least one year before the case goes

to trial. The former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, David

McLetchie, has died of cancer at the age of 61. A Labour Party in

Scotland for seven years before standing down in 2000 and five amid

a controversy over his taxi expenses. The First Minister

described Mr McLetchie as a very considerable politician of the

devolution era. Cricket and the fourth Ashes test looks set to be

heading for an exciting climax with Australia chasing 299 runs. England

need wickets to secure the series win over the tourists. Joe Wilson

has a latest. Entertainment for the queues. If there is one lesson

Australian fans have had to learn, it is how to accept sympathy with

good humour. Faced with Ian Bell emissaries, you have to either laugh

or cry. He reached the highest score of his summer with this and he might

be incredible, but he is not infallible. Beaten on 113 by

Australia 's chief balloon burst. When he departed, England were only

219 ahead and Harris was not finished. Tim Bresnan pushed England

onwards with 45 valuable runs. And more from Graeme Swann, who swung

away and got away with it. For Australia, not amusing. England were

all out 290 ahead. The crowds -- clouds play their game and

Australia's batsmen were not going anywhere. Chris Rogers allusive,

avoiding near misses. Australia past 100 and England did not know where

the wickets were coming from. The solution was Graeme Swann. Rogers

out. Trot triumphant. LBW, Graeme Swann again. Warner left Australia

168-3, searching for 299. Target The suddenly seemed more distant. And

even more distant because England have just taken two more wickets,

Clark and Smith both going, victims of Stuart Broad. 175-5, Australia.

299 to win. This match has just shifted in England 's direction. In

the last few minutes at the World Championships in Moscow, Christine

Ohuruogu has been running in the 400 metres final. Andy Swiss is that the

stadium. It was a photo finish? Extraordinary drama inside the

stadium. The good news is that Christine Ohuruogu is the world

champion over 400 metres but only after a photo finish. She came into

the final with high hopes, she was speaking at the right time but as

she came into the closing straight, she was trailing the athlete from

Botswana. But she is famed for her late bursts of speed and once

again, an extraordinary display of power. It was agonisingly close. It

was impossible to tell who had one but after a few agonising moments,

it came up that although they had tracked the same time, Christine

Ohuruogu had won the gold medal. So another gold medal to go with her

world title in 2007 and her Olympic title from 2008. As far as Britain

is concerned, it is their second gold medal of these World

Championships after the victory of more thorough on Saturday. But what

a day. She is the World Championship thank you for that good news.

today but we will lose those through the night as it turns dry and clear

with starry skies and if you are watching those meteor showers, it

might be chilly. Then we have more cloud moving into Northern Ireland

through the early hours perhaps with patchy rain. Time is an city

temperatures, 11-13 degrees. What colder in the countryside. We start

tomorrow across south-west England with dry weather, perhaps some cloud

towards the north-west. Sunshine along the south coast into parts of

East Anglia and the East Midlands, it is a bright start but towards the

West we have more clout and patchy rain across parts of Wales. Damp and

grisly for Northern Ireland at this stage. Cloud to the north-west of

Scotland, 12 showers scattered around and we shall see a mixture of

sunshine and showers for parts of Scotland and north-east England. To

this either that, cloud and rain moving across Wales and the Midlands

and for those Southern counties, after that bright start, it should

stay mostly dry if cloudy for the afternoon. Temperatures similar to

today. On Wednesday, the best weather sitting to the East, further

west it looks cloudy and another week weather front moves into the

south-west corner bringing patchy rain. Temperature is not far from

the average. It will turn warm and muggy for the end of the week but

along with that comes a weather front, with heavy showers and longer

spells of rain. More details on the forecast on the website. Thank you