29/01/2014 BBC News at Six

Scotland would have to give up some powers. A durable, successful

currency union requires some ceding of national sovereignty. We will

look at how both sides in the independence debate have reacted.

Also tonight: The stars of Coronation Street turn up to defend

actor William Roache. He's a perfect gentleman, one of them says. Red

Arrows pilot, Sean Cunningham, died after his ejector seat misfired. The

coralononer says the mechanism was "useless." Teaching under a tree in

Pakistan. Why aren't there enough classrooms when Britain gives

millions for education. Tonight, on BBC London. The Mayor explains why

he thinks the Met should have water cannon. And, how tens of thousands

of part-time workers could be helped by changes to travelcards.

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six. The Bank of England

governor says an independent Scotland would have to give up some

powers if it wanted to keep the pound. Mark Carney used a speech in

Edinburgh to issue a warning about some of the challenges, citing the

eurozone crisis as an example of what could happen if the proper

arrangements are not in place first. Mr Carney said the bank would

implement whatever decision politicians reached if voters in

Scotland opted for independence. Here's our chief economic

correspondent, Hugh Pym. This report does have some flash photography.

Just another day for Scotland's voters, but this was a major

landmark in the fast moving debate over whether Scotland should become

an independent nation. At the heart of that debate is the economy. Into

it stepped the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney. This

morning, he met First Minister Alex Salmond, who said an independent

Scotland would keep the pound. How would it work? Over to the governor.

In a speech, he said a currency union between Scotland and the rest

of the UK would need joint supervision of banks and a sharing

of budget responsibilities and there were lessons from the eurozone. A

durable, successful currency union requires some ceding of nation nal

vereignty. It's likely that similar institutional arrangements will be

necessary to support a monetary union between an independent

Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Scotland would have to give

up some sovereignty. He said late per a currency union was what

governments wanted, he would make it work. The Bank of England, which is

an im artial technocratic institution would implement whatever

monetary arrangements were decided to the best of our ability. There is

no doubting the significance of the governor's visit to the heart of

Edinburgh's financial district to give his views on how a currency

union might work and how banks might be regulated in an independent

Scotland, including RBS which has its official headquarters right

here. The Scottish Government said there had been constructive talks

with Mr Carney. We had a splendid discussion we continued the

technical discussions that the Bank of England has been having with the

Scottish Government. Our proposals are soundly based on technical

terms. The pro-union campaign said the governor had undermined the

argument for leaving the UK. The nationalists say they want to get

rid of that, at the same time, reenter a currency union where they

will be told what to do in terms of tax and spending. That is a funny

form of independence if you end up with a situation where a a country

you have broken away from has the final say over what you can do.

Scottish businesses like this barber have to plan ahead. It has branchs

in Edinburgh and London and feels the uncertainty over the currency

isn't helpful. For us it's important we can concentrate where our

businesses is going and not worry about what is happening in either

down at Holyrood or Westminster that might affect us. There will be a lot

to negotiate if Scotland votes "yes", for that to happen, is in the

hands of the voters. Well, Brian Taylor, our Scotland political

editor, is at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Brian,

listening to that report, both sides seems to suggest that the governor

supports their arrangement in the debate. The governor was stressing

he would work with whatever rises he was given a technocratic argument,

because of that both can find some meat in the speech. They say they

were ready for it with ideas, for example, on a common agreement, a

fiscal pact, they call it, to control debt, to control spending

and agree that between Edinburgh and London. It was intriguing that the

governor was at pains to stress that the best currency unions were those

that had strong control of tax and spending at the core and also

efficient banking union. He described the current banking unions

as working well. He contrasted it with the eurozone. It led the

critics of independence to say there will be upheaval of independence

without perhaps a measurable gain in freedom for Scotland and with risks.

As for the governor of the Bank of England Bank of England he stresses

the technical discussions will go on between the Scottish Government and

the bank and that they will deal with whatever rise, whatever the

politicians and the people decide. Brian, thank you very much. Some of

the stars of Coronation Street appeared at Preston court today as

defence witnesses for their fellow actor, William Roache, who plays Ken

Barlow. Anne Kirkbride, who plays his onscreen wife, Deirdre described

him as being "always a perfect gentleman." Mr Roache, who is

accused of rape and indecent assault denies all the charges. Judith

Moritz reports. They came to support their co-star William Roache, who is

on trial charged with two counts of rape and four of indecent assault.

He arrived, as he has every day, flanked by his family. I'll come to.

Did you say 1.00pm. Anne Kirkbride has been in Coronation Street since

1972. She plays William Roache's screen wife, Deirdre Barlow. Today

she stood in the witness box and said that if she could choose one

word to describe the actor it would be "lovely." She was asked, "you're

contact with him, in terms of a man and woman together, how did he

behave? ?" Impeccably, perfectly, he was always a perfect gentleman."

William Roache's onscreen son is Peter Barlow played by Chris

Gascoyne. He was asked how the rest of the cast saw the 81-year-old

actor. He said, "Bill sets the pris dent for everybody. He is decent to

everybody, kind to everybody and not a star." Is Helen Worth has played

ail for 4 o years. He was asked about his status. We looked up to

him. He was a father figure, an elder statesman. The court room was

packed as members of Coronation Street came to give their evidence.

Sitting in the dock William Roache seemed pleased to see them. William

Roache denies twos counts of rape and four of indecent assault. His

trial continues. Judith Moritz, BBC News, Preston. Hundreds of the most

vulnerable Syrian refugees are to be allowed to settle in the UK

temporarily, the Government has decided. This comes after criticism

from MPses of all parties who were disappointed when the Government

failed to join a UN-led scheme to help Syrians. At least

six-and-a-half million Syrians are homeless inside the country. There

are nearly two-and-a-half million registered refugees outside the

country, but officials believe many more are living, undocumented, in

communities throughout the region. Our deputy political editor, James

Landale, reports on the announcement and the reaction of Syrians already

living in Britain. This is the price of civil war. Millions of Syrians

fleeing to neighbouring countries in search of safety. While many have

received shelter, food and water, paid for by Britain, hundreds of the

most vulnerable will now also be able to seek refuge in Britain too.

The programme will focus on individual cases where evacuation

from the region is the only option. In particular, we will prioritise

help for survivors of torture and violence and women and children at

risk or in need of medical care. Britain has committed ?600 million

to help refugees in the region, more than any other country, except the

United States. It will work with the UN to identify several hundred of

the most traumatised refugees who will get temporary Visas. Germany

will take in 10,000 more and pledged ?300 million in aid. France has

committed ?75 million to help those on the ground. Theresa May acted in

part because of pressure from the Lib Dems and Labour. The Labour said

it was glad the Government was doing something. We can come together with

cross-party support for helping the most vulnerable Syrian refugees too.

Compassion and common sense has rerailed over the Government's

resistance last week. I met up with Syrians in London who said they

welcome the refugee announcement but... If the international

community don't take action now, I mean they will face millions of

refugees. It's better than nothing. But it is not enough. They should

support the people in Syria. The we can do is hope these actual promises

get implemented. The Government still believes it can do most

goodbye helping refugees on the ground. Ministers felt they were

getting on the wrong side of an argument, this he have acted. That

doesn't mean there are aren't some concerns in Whitehall and

Westminster about the potential impact on migration numbers. We

should limit this to hundreds and not thousands. Secondly, I wonder if

she would agree with me that we, as a Christian country, should be

prioritising those Christians beings persecuted in Syria? Some Syrian

refugees will come to Britain. But only some. Most will stay exactly

where they are. James Landale, BBC News, Westminster. The jury in the

Dave Lee Travis trial has been shown a video of the former Radio One DJ

visiting a hospital where he's alleged to have indecently assaulted

a woman. In the video, he's seen with his wife and a group of other

people during the visit to Hertford County Hospital in 1973. The DJ

claimed it proved he'd never been alone with the alleged victim. He

denies 13 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. An

inquest into the death of a Red Arrows pilot, who was killed after

being ejected from a stationary plane, has criticised the RAF and

the company that made the ejector seat. Flight Lieutenant Sean

Cunningham, who was 35, was propelled several hundred feet into

the air at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire in November 2011. Danny

Savage reports. In Lincolnshire today the Red Arrows were training

as usual. The team are now said to be stronger, safer and better. It

took the death of one of their own to get to this point. Sean

Cunningham died because he was failed by the RAF, the Ministry of

Defence and the company which made the ejector seat in his plane. It

has left his family bereft. We welcome the conclusion of the

coroner, which confirmed what we knew all along, which is that Sean

was blameless and his tragic death, excuse me, was preventible. The

34-year-old, who had flown combat missions in Iraq, was ejected from

his aircraft as he prepared for takeoff. This is a similar seat. The

coroner said a succession of personnel had missed 19chances to

spot that the firing handle was in an unsafe position. When Sean

Cunningham touched it, the seat went off. Even being ejected

unintentionally from his Red Arrows jet shouldn't have resulted in his

death. Cunningham died because of multiple injuries he received as he

crashed back into the ground with horrendous force. That was because

the parachute, built into his ejection seat, failed to open. The

seat is made by a company called Martin-Baker. They'd known for 20

years that a single nut and bolt could cause problems with the

parachute, but didn't tell the Ralph. In light of this incident.

Lessons have been learnt we have taken steps to alert all our

customers worldwide who still use this type of seat. Such a warning is

far too late for what happened here. The coroner accused the company, who

make the seats for these jets, of a very serious failure of

communication. Not sending information that could have

prevented the death of one of these world-famous pilots. Danny Savage,

BBC News, Lincoln. The time is almost a quarter past six. Our top

story this evening. The governor of the Bank of England intervenes in

the debate on Scottish independence. Still to come: at last, an England

team celebrating their Ashes success Down Under. Later on BBC London.

City Hall's war of words with the Government over plans to make

lorries safer for cyclists. And, a pint of Essex best asses Prince

Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall raise a glass to the locals.

On the news at six we have often reported on classroom challenges in

the UK, but that is nothing compared to what some children around the

world face. The UN calls it a global education crisis. It says a quarter

of a billion children do not have basic skills in new Morrissey or

literacy. In Pakistan less than half the children can do maths or read,

despite millions of pounds of British aid for schools. As Aleem

Maqbool reports from Sindh province, some of those schools do not even

exist. Coming to the end of a hard day's

work. Devo should be at primary school. Instead he and his friends

have been up since dawn, harvesting sugar cane and carrying it to store.

Devo is not sure exactly how old he is and from what he told us he

barely understands the concept of what a school is. He is not the only

one. It appeared that farming around here was being done entirely by

young children. Everyone of them we spoke to said they knew no one who

was getting an education. Rashid at least knew what a school was. It is

my dream to go to school, he said, but since there is not one in this

area I will never be able to. In a province which has been given huge

sums of foreign aid for education, including tens of millions of pounds

from the British Government, why are so many children missing out from

schooling? This is the Government Girls Primary School, or at least it

would be if it was not for corruption. This is what is known

around here as a ghost school. Someone somewhere is getting

government funds for teachers and facilities, but it is not being

spent here and no children are benefiting. This is just one such

post-school among 22 in this area alone, one which unsurprisingly has

one of the lowest literacy rates in all of Pakistan. I know there are

certain lapses on the part of the officials, certain lapses on the

part of the teachers. The monitoring has to be improved. But many donors

like the UK's Department for International Development do now

fund projects directly. It is clear many Pakistanis have had enough of

their politicians' promises. Gul Mohammed, a teacher, set up class

under a tree offering free lessons. He has decided the only way to avoid

corruption is to do things in entirely by himself. But there are

not nearly enough people like him to help the millions of Pakistani

children who are currently being denied their futures. Aleem Maqbool,

BBC News in Sindh province. In the phone hacking trial a former

News of the World journalist has denied making false allegations

about the involvement of his former editor Andy Coulson. Dan Evans, who

has pleaded guilty to hacking voice mails, was being cross examined by

Mr Coulton's barrister at the Old Bailey. Mr Coulson and six other

defendants deny all the charges against them. This report contains

flash photography. The major police investigation that led to this trial

began in 2011, police raiding the homes of News International staff,

looking for evidence of phone hacking.

One of those arrested was reported Dan Evans, recruited he said to have

telephones, which left him carrying around an enormous secret, that he

was delving illegally into the lives of people who did not deserve it.

News International has admitted phone hacking, but was it done

secretly? Did Andy Coulson the editor know it was going on? Dan

Evans told the jury he tried to hide his activities. He said it was an

illegal activity. I did not necessarily want it to be an open

secret, but that is the way it became. A newspaper is a leaky

place. Timothy Langdale on behalf of Andy Coulson questioned him closely.

Why hide what he was doing if it was an open secret? The reporter said he

was embarrassed, conscious that what he was doing was wrong. But at one

point Dan Evans said Andy Coulson absolutely knows exactly what went

on on his watch. In fact, he said, the office cat knew. He said hacking

was discussed at the daily editorial conferences. Evans admitted he did

not attend these, but had been told by a colleague after he had been to

one. Timothy Langdale said, you are prone to making sweeping assertion

is not based on fact. Evans replied, that is not correct, though I

understand why you want people to believe that. Dan Evans pleaded

guilty to four offences including phone hacking and offered to help

police in the hope of a reduced sentence. Andy Coulson has always

denied the charges. It is expected the defence portion of the trial

will begin next week. The government's emergency committee

Cobra have been at a meeting to discuss the flooding crisis. David

Cameron called the situation unacceptable earlier today and said

rapid action is required. He has promised the rivers in Somerset will

be dredged when the current high level of water drops. An area of

about 40 square miles has been flooded since the storms began at

Christmas. Meanwhile, a helicopter has been ferrying in tonnes of stone

to plug a hole in a storm damaged coast in Gwynedd. Around 1000 acres

of farmland is flooded twice a day after the sea defences were breached

at the New Year. The banks are being dropped to create a temporary dam

before fears of a possible new storm surge this weekend.

At last England has some cricket news to celebrate. The women's team

have retained the Ashes by winning their latest match down under and

giving them an unbeatable lead in the series. From Hobart Katy Gornall

reports. Sun, sand and cricket. The setting

could not be more Australian, but in Hobart it was England's women

looking to bring the Ashes home. With two wins in the last two

matches, the momentum was with Australia. England needed a good

start to settle the nerves. One winner soon became too. But

Australia are the world champions in this format and when Aussie grid was

needed, up stepped their captain Meg Lanning. Next it was England's turn

to flex their muscle. They got off to a flying start, only interrupted

by some acrobatics of Australia's own. England have already let two

opportunities to clinch the series slip through their grasp and

Charlotte Edwards could not wait any longer. With Sarah Taylor beside the

she smashed an unbeaten 132. England made it look easy thanks to

Charlotte Edwards whose defiant innings saw England hauled

themselves over the line with two games left to play. To hit the

winning runs and to lead the team out here is a special feeling for me

as an individual, but most importantly for the players who have

worked so hard. Now English cricket can finally celebrate and Ashes win

down under. I wish we had some of those skies.

It is time for a look at the weather.

There was some sunshine on the Isle of sky and it was three degrees in

Hampstead in London. The easterly wind came in today and it brought

the chill. Tonight will be colder than it was last night and it will

not be dry. It was a dismal day across the South East and there will

be more rain in the and Wales. For the North might be some icy patches

and a touch of frost with wintry showers coming into eastern parts of

Scotland. Temperatures will not change a lot in the South East. The

rain will continue on and off tomorrow. In East Anglia it turns

wetter in the afternoon and also in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The best

of the sunshine will be in western Scotland, but it will feel colder.

Wintry showers in the East of Scotland where we have a number of

flood warnings in Tayside in particular. It turns wetter across

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and it is a dismal, gloomy day. It will be a

bit drier across Wales and in the South West. But it changes at the

end of the week. Another big area of low pressure is dragging in more

rain and wind. More gales on the western coast. There will be snow in

the hills of Scotland and briefly over the Pennines as well. The

temperatures will be on the rise. The rain will have the biggest

impact. An inch or possibly more. The weekend will be more of a windy

one, particularly on Saturday. There is a risk of coastal flooding in

Wales and the South West with some high tides. All the warnings are

online. A reminder of our main story: The

Bank of England Governor gives his views on sharing the pound with an

independent Scotland. That is all from the News at six, so it is