02/07/2017 BBC Weekend News

More signals that the 1% pay cap for public sector workers

With pressure on the Prime Minister including from her own party,

the Environment Secretary suggests that the Government may

accept recommendations from independent panels.

I think that we should listen to the pay review bodies that govern

each individual section of public sector pay.

We'll be exploring how changes might be made,

Also tonight: Plans to restrict foreign fishing in

British waters as the UK prepares to pull out of a key agreement.

A new wave of arrivals from North Africa.

Italy struggles to cope with thousands of people trying

Petra Kvitova returns to Wimbledon after an attack that made her fear

Of course I had some bad dreams afterwards.

I was still a bit tired from everything that had

And the milestone Stephen Hawking thought he would never

There's growing pressure on the Prime Minister

and the Chancellor over public sector pay rises after another

Cabinet minister raised the prospect of the current 1% cap being lifted.

The Environment Secretary Michael Gove suggested the recommendations

of public sector pay bodies, which review increases,

One of those has warned that the cap is putting

Here's our political correspondent Iain Watson.

They save our lives, they keep us safe, they teach our children, and

when things do go wrong, they are on the front line, dealing with the

aftermath. But politicians from all political parties are now asking if

enough is being done to be paid the debt to public sector workers. The

Health Secretary and the Education Secretary want to see limits on

public sector salaries relax. A former nurse, no Conservative MP,

says pressure is on the Conservatives will increase if the

Government doesn't lift its pay cap. I know of colleagues who have left

nursing, I know of people who are taking early retirement, for

example, because it's a tough job and long hours, and they can get

other jobs with less hours, less responsibility, for similar pay, so

we've got to look at the pay structure across the public service.

Pay in the public sector has been strictly limited for most of the

decade. In 2011, a two-year pay freeze was imposed. Since 2013,

there has been a 1% pay cap for most workers, and if that continues as

planned for two more years, the average pay of a public sector

worker will be back at 2005 levels in real terms adjusted for

inflation. Eight independent public service pay bodies recommend a level

of increases from all range of staff, from nurses to doctors,

prison officers to judges. The Government can either agree with

them or overrule them. This month ministers will be given

recommendations on paper police -- on pay for teachers and police

officers, and colleagues say they should accept them. I think we

should listen to the pay review bodies who govern each individual

area public sector pay. These pay bodies have been set up in order to

ensure that we can have authoritative advice on what is

required in order to ensure that the public services on which we rely are

effectively staff and the people within them are effectively

supported. Theresa May's cabinet is split over the principle of whether

to lift the public sector pay cap. But it could be dismantled bit by

bit. It's widely expected that some of the pay review bodies will

recommend increases above 1%. And the Government Minister close to the

process has told me the Government is prepared to accept those

recommendations. But not everyone in government is convinced the pay cap

should be eroded. It's very important that we keep budget

discipline, because it impossible to pave our public services without

having growing economy. What we have done on public sector pay actually

by having that cap in place, we have saved around 200,000 public sector

jobs. But Labour say they would simply scrap the cap entirely. We

are saying to the pay review bodies, get rid of the 1% cap and give a

fair pay rise. I think they should consider giving people a pay rise in

line with earnings. Demonstrators were calling to an end to austerity

in Parliament Square today, they might not get back that they might

give to cheers to an increase in public sector pay.

And Iain Watson is in Downing Street now.

One signal after another. If there is a change, how would it be funded?

Some experts suggest that lifting the pay cap entirely could cost ?6

billion, six times more than the DUP deal, say you can understand why the

Chancellor could be wary. But I'm hearing that another Cabinet

heavyweight might weigh in on this in the paper tomorrow, piling on the

pressure, so you might say a partial lifting of the pay cap. These pay

review bodies are structured in such a way that ministers could decide

for example to give nurses a pay increase but not senior managers,

rank-and-file police officers but not senior officers. Nonetheless,

money has to be found from somewhere, and one former minister

this week was suggesting that ought to be what he called careful tax

rises. So dealing with the public sector pay cap isn't a cost free

option, but not dealing with it, the Government could pay a big political

price. Iain Watson in Westminster, thank you.

The Government has announced it's withdrawing from a 50-year-old

convention that allows five other countries to fish in waters close

It's described the move as a first step towards a new post-Brexit

fishing policy, but one of the countries affected,

Ireland, has called it unwelcome and unhelpful.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam reports.

As formal Brexit talks set off, Britain has said that it will be

taking back control over who fishes in its waters.

So it's quitting a 53-year-old convention which allowed countries

like France and Belgium to fish right up to the British coastline.

We are giving notice that we intend to quit that.

It's a provision in the agreement that enables us to do that

This is important to give us the legal clarity.

We're absolutely clear that, when we leave the EU, we leave

the Common Fisheries Policy, and we will take control

for managing fisheries resources in our own waters.

So what is the London Fisheries Convention?

At the moment trawlers from France, Belgium, Netherlands,

Germany and Ireland can fish to within six nautical miles

Boats from these countries catch 10,000 tonnes of fish

But that's a fraction, just over 1%, of the 700,000 tonnes a year caught

The real haggling between Brussels and London will be over this,

the much wider 200 nautical miles of water around the UK.

But the decision has angered the Irish government,

which has the only land border with Britain.

Its fisheries minister described the move as unwelcome and unhelpful.

And scrapping the convention could also be meaningless.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator,

said in a tweet that the London convention had been superseded

by EU rules covered by the Common Fisheries Policy.

But fishermen welcomed the Government's action.

What it does is make a strong commitment to achieving sovereignty,

taking sovereignty over our waters, which international law states

And this is just another statement of intent that that

So, while some have welcomed the Government's claim

that it's taking back control, they may not get

Fisheries is a tiny part of Britain's economy and could be

used as a bargaining chip in the frosty talks

A number of flights into Gatwick Airport have been

diverted this evening after reports of a drone flying

EasyJet and British Airways confirmed they were affected

Police say they're investigating the incident.

The Government has identified a further 32 high-rise buildings

that have failed fire safety tests, taking the total number to 181.

Tests are continuing nationwide in an attempt to identify buildings

encased in cladding similar to that used on the Grenfell Tower.

According to the figures, Salford has the greatest number

of high-rises that have failed tests.

Iraqi special forces have recaptured more territory

in the Old City of Mosul, in the final stages

of the operation to drive out so-called Islamic State.

Troops and police are now closing in from three sides

on the militants, who captured the city three years ago.

But Iraqi commanders say as many as 50,000 civilians may be

trapped behind IS lines, as Orla Guerin reports now from Mosul.

Safe at last from the dying days of battle against IS.

Traumatised civilians are fleeing with little more

than the clothes they stand up in, some newly bereaved by the conflict.

"Every day you ask me how I am," she says,

Well, the civilians here have just managed to escape the fighting.

They're hungry and tired and they look scared.

They've been caught between the two sides,

at risk both from both Islamic State and the operation against them.

But the troops here are being cautious.

They want to make sure that no one has emerged who could be a risk.

They are concerned that suicide bombers could be trying to come out

We're fine to carry the women and the kids out, but if it's

a medical emergency, it's better if we have

British volunteer Sally Becker is here with a medical charity.

A veteran of war, she says nothing compares to Mosul.

We've got the snipers, we've got the vehicle-borne explosives.

Even a woman yesterday, which makes it extremely

dangerous now for us, because most of who we carry

And many come here, to a field hospital nearby.

Doctors say they have been losing children

to mortars and shrapnel, but soon hundreds

They see dozens per day who are severely malnourished.

Much of the civilians' suffering here has gone unseen,

but three years of IS rule have deeply scarred Mosul and its people.

From this one street in the Old City, IS executed four men.

"Sometimes I worry they'll be back," says Nahla.

"When I hear fighting at night, I hope I can forget them."

A military victory looks close here, but there are fears about IS sleeper

cells and about the future that may await this broken city.

20 people have been killed in a suicide car bombing

in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The bomber was in one of three cars that had been

The authorities said the two other cars were intercepted and destroyed.

The UN refugee agency is asking European leaders to help Italy deal

with the growing numbers of people who have been arriving

Last weekend alone, almost 13,000 migrants and refugees arrived.

And it's estimated that, so far this year, more than 2000 people

have died in perilous Mediterranean crossings.

Most of the migrants are from North Africa,

trying to reach Italy and then travel on in Europe.

Our correspondent, Rami Ruhayem, has been witnessing the relief

No, no, no, leave it, leave it, leave it!

Rescuing migrants in the central Mediterranean.

A delicate task, even in fairly calm waters.

As the rubber boat deflates, people panic, and the

They come from across Africa and Asia.

Many fleeing extreme poverty and war.

The boats leave from Libya, a country that has descended

The fortunate ones can pay for wooden boats, but they, too,

We're on a rescue ship run by the charity Doctors Without Borders.

So far they've taken more than 600 people on board

from three different boats, and there is another transfer that's

Most are men, but there are also women and children.

All have risked their lives to make the dangerous crossing.

He tells me he's fleeing war for the second time.

Others tell us they are simply desperate for work.

Charities began operating in the Mediterranean after Italy

terminated its own search and rescue operation, which was replaced by EU

missions with a bigger focus on anti-smuggling

Currently we are trapped in a situation that is very

difficult, because we know we cannot stop the rescuers for the moment,

While we know it's not a sustainable solution either.

With Sicily in sight, a sense of relief on board.

But even as the UN sounds the alarm over the unfolding crisis,

the Italian government is pressing the EU for help, and warning

its ports may not remain open to the migrants.

President Trump has been accused of inciting violence

against journalists after he tweeted a spoof video showing him physically

assaulting a man with a CNN logo superimposed on his head.

He is shown slamming the CNN character to the ground

Mr Trump regularly accuses CNN and other media outlets

of broadcasting what he calls fake news.

Our correspondent Laura Bicker is in Washington now.

What has the reaction to this been like? CNN have taken the unexpected

step of condemning the president and saying that he is inciting violence

against journalists, and some journalists, even right-wing ones,

believe that Donald Trump has crossed a line. The White House

security adviser said this should not be perceived as a threat, but

just consider this. On Friday, the White House press spokeswoman

rounded on the press accusing them of not covering policy, but if you

look at Donald Trump's Twitter habit, the thing he tweets about

most often is the press. He describes his Twitter habit is not

being presidential bid being modern presidential. It may keep his base

happy, but while it continues, it distracts from his agenda to make

America great again. Laura Bicker in Washington, thank you.

The two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has spoken of her fear

that she would never play tennis again after being attacked

Suffering serious injuries to her left hand, she faced a gruelling

fight to regain her fitness, and will be competing at Wimbledon,

Our sports correspondent, David Ornstein, has been to meet her.

She's a two-time Wimbledon champion whose life was turned upside down.

Just days before Christmas, Petra Kvitova was attacked

in her own home by an intruder with a knife.

I presume you are not thinking from it? Not yet. But she told me that

she was left with physical and mental scars.

I had all my fingers cut, so it was a difficult time for me.

The lowest point, it's tough to say...

I mean, of course, I had some bad dreams afterwards.

I was still a bit tired from everything that

Of course I had a bad thought that I would never play tennis again.

Kvitova underwent an emergency operation lasting almost four hours,

but still faced an anxious wait over the outcome.

I was really worried to see my hand after taking the bandage off for the

first time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Is it right

that used girl can't fully close your hand? That's right. That can't

be easy for a tennis player. On the other hand, I am lucky I am playing

tennis. Not badminton, where the grip is much more smaller. By March,

Kvitova was able to hold a racket again, and two months later, she

made it to the French Open. Courage, belief, and-bot Podj. It means

heart. She prepared by winning

in Birmingham and now incredibly she's being tipped by many

for the title. I've already won the biggest

fight before, and I won Stephen Hawking is 75 today -

a milestone he's said he never thought he would reach

after being diagnosed with motor Today he was honoured by friends,

family and colleagues at Cambridge University,

and he's been talking to our science When I was diagnosed at 21,

I was told it would kill me Now, 54 years later,

albeit weaker and in a wheelchair, I'm still working

and producing scientific papers. Today, Stephen Hawking

celebrates his 75th birthday. But it's been a great struggle,

which I have got through only with a lot of help from my family,

colleagues, and friends. At an event at Cambridge University

to pay tribute to his life, he was applauded for his scientific

achievements. The legacy will be

the scientists that he inspired. And there will be thousands

of them, and they're So there will be ten-year-olds

today, or eight-year-olds, who are reading about Stephen,

reading about the work that he did, and may

go on to be the next In an exclusive interview with BBC

News, Professor Hawking told me that he was worried about the future

of our species. What are your views

on President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate

agreement, and what impact do you think that'll have

on the future of the planet? We are close to the tipping point

where global warming Trump's action could push

the earth over the bridge, to become like Venus,

with a temperature of 250 degrees His daughter Lucy says his

life is an inspiration, People who've lived in really

extreme circumstances seem to find something very,

very inspirational in his example of perseverance and persistence,

and his kind of ability to rise above his suffering, and still want

to communicate at a higher level. His ideas have transformed our

understanding of the cosmos. But what's also being celebrated

is his determination and humanity. Stay with us on BBC One - it's time

for the news where you are.