21/08/2012 BBC News at One

A blow to Government plans to sort out the public finances, as

borrowing goes up. An unexpected rise last month but ministers say

they won't change the economic plan. A South African mining company

drops plans to sack staff who did not turn up, after dozens were shot

by police. NHS hospitals in England are encouraged to set up private

clinics abroad, to help fund services in the UK. Two more men

are arrested after a hit-and-run in Leeds, which left a two-year-old

boy and his ten-year-old sister seriously injured. And Paralympic

athletes warm up with a week to go before competition starts. I was

thinking London was four years away after Beijing. Now it is here. We

are already focused. Plan ahead for the Paralympics. The advice from

trusts will bosses as the Trans -- the capital prepares for another

Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One. The Government's

attempts to reduce the deficit have suffered a setback. Last month, tax

receipts fell, while Government borrowing showed a worse than

expected rise. So far this year, the Government has had to borrow �9

billion more than last year. Hugh Back on Budget day, the Chancellor

was confident the defending plans to cut the deficit and saying he

would stick to his course. It has not turned out as planned.

Borrowing is higher than over the same period last year and there is

no growth. Labour claims it is a major blow for George Osborne.

These figures suggest the central goal to reduce the deficit has not

happened and is going the wrong way. He is adding to the deficit.

Borrowing figures are going higher. He has driven us back into

recession. The Treasury said disruption to North Sea oil and gas

production had hit corporate tax receipts and affected overall

borrowing. It was a one off factor. Ministers said they stood by their

policies. It shows there are many challenges out there for the UK

economy. They are difficult figures. They show how important it is to

stick to the planted irresponsibly with Britain's debts. Total

government borrowing between April and July came to �42 billion. That

excludes factors like changes to Royal Mail pensions. That compares

with 56 billion over the same period last year. It may not be

possible to hit the figure of 120 billion. Last year's figure was

revised down slightly. What do the financial markets make of the

Treasury having to borrow more at a time when it is trying to cut the

deficit? In terms of government borrowing, the markets still have

confidence. That can be seen in the costs that the UK is paying. If

growth does not improve and budget figures do not improve, perhaps

that does raise more longer term questions, particularly about the

credit rating of the UK. Now the market is giving the Government the

benefit of the doubt. It comes back to the state of the economy. Tax

receipts could come flowing back. If not, the plans of the Chancellor

to be blown even further off course. Hugh is with me now. We are looking

at figures for the first part of the Year. Will the situation

improve? These July figures are pretty much unexpected. The markets

were expecting a surplus because that is what is normally happening

in July. There is more tax from corporations and people paying

income tax. There has been a deficit and that has caused a real

shock. Even with the explanations about North Sea oil and so on. It

is really uncertain. The Office for Budget Responsibility said, looking

ahead, there was real uncertainty about the prospects for the 40th.

It depends on the economy. If there is a bounce-back in gross, these

figures could come down and the Chancellor could well be hitting

the forecast. -- growth. If it gets worse, that will be a problem for

the Treasury and it will make borrowing worse and increase

pressure upon him and his policies. Let's get the political perspective

and speak to our correspondent. How much of a setback is this for the

Chancellor? It is not whether Treasury wanted to be at this point.

These figures may be an anomaly. They have been explained by the

Treasury today. They go to the heart of the key economic and

political question. Does the Government have the right plan to

bring down borrowing, get rid of the deficit and repair the economy?

They will be judged upon best in the next election. They say he

should be doing much more. Conservative MPs are telling George

Osborne to cut taxes more severely and get rid of regulation in an

effort to stimulate the economy. Labour is saying the whole plant is

wrong. He is choking off recovery by cutting spending and raising

taxes too fast. I feel the Treasury will not budge too far at all from

a central strategy. The Labour prescription of borrowing more now

have to stimulate demand is seen as being -- reckless. These figures

are bad. There will be another two years of austerity bolted on to the

original plan. We have years of austerity to come. The British

owners of a platinum mine in South Africa, where 34 people were shot

dead by police last week, has withdrawn an ultimatum for strikers

to return to work today, or face dismissal. The company, Lonmin,

says a third of workers turned up Talk us through what the

development of today mean. Lonmin have rarely conceded finally it is

not helpful to talk about sacking staff, given the circumstances over

the last 10 days. 40 people have been killed and 70 injured. They

should show they have some sympathy towards grieving families. They are

insistent the worker should return to work. It is important to get the

mine up and running again. They are prepared to negotiate with the

miners. There is still a lot of anger on the ground and the miners

are sticking with their stance to stay away from work until they

receive the wage rise they have been demanding. NHS hospitals in

England are being encouraged by the Government to set up profit-making

branches abroad, to raise money to treat patients here. Ministers are

creating an agency to bring together foreign governments, and

hospitals such as Great Ormond Street, Guy's and the Royal Marsden.

A group representing patients says the idea's a distraction. Ministers

say NHS patients will benefit. Our Millions of people around the world

saw the National Health Service takes centre stage during the

opening ceremony at the Olympics. Ministers want to build on that

globally known brand with high- profile hospitals in England being

encouraged to link up with foreign governments wanting access to

British-run health services. The Health Minister says it is good

news for NHS patients, who will get better services at their local

hospitals as a result of the work that is being done abroad and the

extra investment that will generate. Some hospitals are already ahead of

the game. Moorfields Eye Hospital has been running a unit under its

own name in Dubai since 2007. It generates profits which a ploughed

back into the UK. The new venture will be called Health Care UK and

will link up hospitals in England with foreign clients. Funding will

only come from private investment and not NHS cash. Profits will be

used to fund NHS services. It builds on an existing scheme, NHS

Global, set up by the last Labour government in 2010. The Health

Secretary then is not impressed. hear that 5000 nurses have lost

their jobs here since the general election. That is taking the NHS

backwards. They should concentrate their rather than take profits

overseas. Patient groups worry this is a distraction for hospitals when

they should be concentrating on improving care. We're all for

hospitals branching out but what we are concerned about is a lot of

hospitals have real financial problems and they will see this as

a solution. This will be at the cost of patients at home. This

scheme will only interest highly specialised hospitals with an

international reputation. Not all of these will think it is right for

them. With the global market in health care worth trillions of

pounds, it will be tempting for some. Let's speak to our political

correspondent who is at Westminster. As we have been hearing, Labour

began this process in 2010. Why are they are against it now? As Dominic

was saying, when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister in 2010, they

launched something very similar. It is not clear whether that scheme

made any money at will. Why Labour is opposing it is because it

represents further in the creeping commercialisation of the NHS at the

expense of patients. The health service has bigger fish to fry at

the moment. They have to save �20 billion in efficiency savings. The

Government is saying this is too big a prize to ignore. Some people

estimates the global house market is worth more than two trillion

pounds. There could be a lot of money to be made if this initiative

works. The Government says, there are plenty of safeguards. It will

only be a few top specialised hospitals who will be using money

they had and from treating private patients. No taxpayers' money will

be put at risk. Three men have been arrested following a hit-and-run in

Leeds that left two children seriously injured. Two-year-old

Rayhaan Saleem, and his sister Sabah, ten, were hit by a car on

Saturday. Sabah is still in a critical but stable condition. Her

brother is said to be improving. Let's speak to our correspondent in

Leeds now. What a police saying about the investigation? They were

crossing this road on Saturday. They were hit by a car just yards

from their home and yards past this speed bump in the road. Police

believe it was this ill that Astra. The car stopped before moving off

down the road. -- a silver Astra. A man has been arrested on suspicion

of dangerous driving and another man on suspicion of assisting an

offender. Another has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving,

failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an

accident. The police have recovered this car. They will try to find out

more about what happened here and we'll try to find that he was

driving the car at the time. -- they will try. How are the

children? They're both in hospital. Their mother and father are at best

sides. They have been there since this happened on Saturday. Rayhaan

Saleem is said to be improving. His auntie said he is asking for his

own milk. He wants to see his cousins in hospital. Sabah Saleem

is still critically ill. She is improving. Both are being treated

at Leeds General Infirmary. Their families are surrounding them.

Police have released CCTV images of men wanted in connection with the

rape of a 14-year-old boy in Manchester city centre. He was

approached by an Asian man and a white man and then threatened. He

was taking to a toilet in the Debenham store and raped. He has

been devastated by the attack. The consumer group Which? Claims many

bank customers are paying hundreds of pounds a year in hidden charges

for their current accounts and that free banking is a myth. It says it

is a disgrace that people who bailed out the banks are being

asked to pay more for basic accounts. The British Bankers'

Association says most customers get can get free banking if they avoid

going overdrawn. Simon Gompertz is with me. Why are they saying free

banking is a myth? There is a big debate developing off free, if in

credit, banking. One-in-five customers pay for current accounts.

They would like that figure to be more. Which? is saying, when they

say free, it is not really free. They used the example of a customer

who regularly goes into overdraft every month. Over 12 months, that

is likely to back up to charges of over �900 for a customer. Another

example is other costs, which could amount to �63 the year. We get such

a little interest on accounts. We pay to get money out if we go

overseas. Which? is saying we already pay for a cancer. Do not

ask us to pay more. Some are calling for upfront charges. Would

that work? Lord Turner from the FSA is saying, charge regularly. Also a

director of the Bank of England is asking for that. Their line is that

because banks do not get as much as they would like from free banking,

they are encouraged to miss out BPRI - Payment Protection Insurance

- by ripping us off. -- PPI. We could pay a monthly charge for

accounts. This happens at the moment, between �5.15 pounds

typically and you get travel insurance thrown in. -- �5 and �15.

Another way could be on transactions. You use a debit card

in a shop and you pay a few pence each time. Every bank is terrified

to be the first one. They do not want to step out of line and so

free banking is finished with. They A blow to government plans to cut

the spending bill, as borrowing last month goes up.

Coming up: Seizing the cars of uninsured drivers. Police say they

are impounding them millionth vehicle today. Later on BBC London:

27 arrests ahead of this weekend's Notting Hill Carnival as organisers

outline their plans for this year's theme. And from the frontline to

the start line - the soldier Virgin has announced it is to

launch its first domestic flight service, less than a week after

losing the franchise to run trains on the West Coast Main Line. From

next March, it wants to run three flights a day between London and

Manchester, with further plans for more services.

For years, they have gone head-to- head on international routes around

the world. Now Virgin is taking on British Airways on short-haul

flights throughout the UK. Next year, Sir Richard Branson's airline

will begin flying passengers between London and Manchester, its

first foray into domestic flights. Virgin says it is more than just

getting one up on BA. This is really about the connecting marker

from Manchester to Heathrow, providing those links to key long-

haul routes all around the world. We fly all around the world in

terms of the US, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. That connectivity is

key to the UK economy. So, what is in it for Virgin? London to

Manchester is one of the most lucrative domestic routes, carrying

around 650,000 passengers each year. At the moment, British Airways has

a monopoly, with nine daily return flights. Virgin says 65% of those

passengers are using Heathrow to transfer to long-haul flights and

they want to tap into that market. Analysts say that for passengers

that benefits could be choice and cheapness. It's good for passengers,

without a doubt. More competition always means lower fares, it means

more frequency and so on. Whether that translates into profits for

the airlines, that is another question altogether. But I think

the customer is definitely going to benefit. Last week, Virgin lost the

franchise to run trains between London and Manchester on the West

Coast Main Line, a decision described by Sir Richard Branson as

insanity. Some have suggested launching short-haul flights to

Manchester is his revenge. Virgin say that is nonsense and that

domestic flights have been in their thoughts for a long time. Later,

Virgin wants to fly from Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Heathrow. It says

the routes need more competition. British Airways has responded

bullishly, saying it is confident that its fares and customer service

will continue to set the standard for short-haul flights.

Portable fingerprint scanners are being introduced across the West

Midlands so police can identify suspects on the streets in seconds.

The police say that the gadgets cut bureaucracy and help keep officers

on the streets. Jeremy Cook has been to see how they work in

Birmingham. The police of the West Midlands are

hitting the streets, armed with the latest technology in the fight

against crime. It looks like a humble cellphone. But this is a

mobile fingerprint unit. Police have been piloting the device for

months. This is training. In practice, they can only use it when

someone is suspected of a crime and when there is no other way to

identify them. It works in seconds. If they provide false details and

the officers suspect that is false, by comparing the fingerprints on

the database that will immediately alert the officers that the person

has a criminal record. They compare that to the national computer, with

the true details and any offending history. Let's take a closer look

at this device. It looks pretty much like a mobile phone. But it

can take my fingerprint ride here, right now. First, I am going to put

my right finger on to it. Then they left. Already, that information is

being sent to the central database, comparing my fingerprints to the

thousands that are almost there. It should take a few seconds to

achieve what used to take several hours. It has come and negative.

The good news for me is that I am free to go. These finger

repressions show that the ridges are in fixed patterns...

Fingerprints have been part of crime detection for decades.

Collecting and comparing them could take weeks. The speed to date it --

today is breathtaking. Welcome news for of us has been trained to use

the device. For them, it could save hours of operational time. Others

are not convinced. We said we did not want ID cards in this country,

this sounds like West Midlands Police doing a through the backdoor.

They cannot do Mandy to produce your ID card, so they demand you

produce your fingerprint. A West Midlands police are producing the

device across the region. Police say they have seized the one

millionth uninsured car in a crackdown that began seven years

ago. The figures were released by It is a milestone that highlights a

dangerous problem. Police have seized 1 million vehicles since

they were given new powers to tackle uninsured drivers by taking

their cars. Birmingham has more hotspots than anywhere else in the

country. Here, you are eight times more likely to run into someone

driving without insurance. Harriett Thomson found this out the hard way.

She is one of 26,000 people injured by uninsured drivers every year.

had a broken ankle, skin taken off my father and a couple of fractures

down the side of my foot. I had a skin graft done at Brimfield, then

taken back to Colchester, taken to London to get my ankle sorted out,

two years down the line. Many of those polled over complain that

premiums are too expensive. But the cost in human life is far greater.

Police operations like this often uncover more serious crimes as well.

There is a high proportion of them involved in criminality. We have

seized lots of cars today, we have seen a lot of people arrested for

offences in relation to illegal immigration, drugs, other offences,

in just the few hours we have been here. It's a great way of clamping

down on criminals using the roads. This is an expensive bumper sticker.

Most of these vehicles will be crushed after they have been towed

away. For those that want their cars back, they face points on

their licence, a release fee and a hefty fine. This is happening at a

rate of one an hour in Birmingham. In many cases, the cars are crushed,

forcing those who thought they would get away with it to think

Sport, and Kevin Pietersen has been left out of the England squad for

both the world Twenty20 at one end and the preceding one-day series

against Africa. That 32-year-old was dropped for there Test against

South Africa after allegedly consulting Test captain Andrew

Strauss in text messages to the tourists. He apologised for the

message is, admitting that they were provocative.

It is just over a week to go to the opening of the London 2012

Paralympics. The lighting of the flame begins today. Some of Great

Britain's swimmers have been putting in some last minute

Hoping to make a global splash. Britain's politics were menswear

training in Manchester this morning. Just a week left to prepare for the

event of their lives. Among them, Ellie Simmonds. As a 13-year-old,

she was a star of Beijing, wedding two gold medals. Now, at the grand

old age of 17, she is hoping for more success in London. Beijing

felt like a few days ago, really. After Beijing, thinking, Londoners

four years away, it will go so slowly. Now we are here, it is

really exciting. Training is going really well and we are all really

focused. The pressure on Britain's Paralympians has never been greater.

In Beijing, the won 102 medals, more than twice as many as their

Olympic counterparts. In London they are expecting even more. Their

target is to go at least one better, 103. Swimming alone is aiming for a

minimum of 40. It adds up to an ambitious goal. It's a tough target,

but we have been second on the medal table for the last three

games. We are confident we can continue to hold that position,

while not being complacent around the pack that are tracing as.

Paralympic sports at a training camp in Bath, including five-a-side

football for visually impaired athletes. �50 million has been

spent preparing the likes of Karen Butler, now with her 4th Olympics,

but never with a better chance. had been able to train more

regularly, we have had the support staff with us regularly. In

previous games, we were lucky if we had a physio with us once or twice

the air. Now she is with us every month. The funding and the support

that we have had his going to make a big difference. With sell-out

crowds expected, the stages almost set. After all the Olympic success,

it is now up to Britain's Paralympians to conjure more of

those golden moments. Tributes had been paid to the

American comic Phyllis Diller, who has died at the age of 95. She took

to the stage in the 1950s, a time when stand-up comedy was not seen

as something but for women. Joan Rivers said that she cleared a path

for a younger generation of female artists.

She had big hair, and out blandest wardrobe and a cackling laugh that

became her trademark. -- outlandish wardrobe. Phyllis Diller's career

spanned five decades. She broke into comedy after working in

advertising and radio as a writer. A pop-culture icon in the 60s, she

was famous for making disparaging jokes about her looks and their

cooking. Would you believe that I once entered a beauty contest? I

must have been out of my mind. By not only came last, I got 361 get-

well cards! She appeared in several films and had two TV series. She

also toured with Bob Hope to entertain the troops. She is

credited with paving the way for female comedians to be accepted on

stage and on television. The Queen of one-liners. To her friends and

fans, Phyllis Diller was the first The American comic Phyllis Diller,

Unsettled over the next couple of days. At the moment we have left

weather around, mostly in the form of showers. Still more heavy

showers to come, particularly across parts of Scotland and

Northern Ireland. It's been a bit cloudy further south and east. You

can see this zone of cloud and another pulse of thicker cloud is

set to move across the south-east corner in the next couple of hours.

I think it should clear away from the south-west. Here, we will see a

little bit more sunshine around. You can see those showers are never

too far away. Some brighter spells in between, but if you get caught

in a shower you can expect it to be heavy. Similar for Wales, a

scattering of showers. For Northern Ireland, we could see some hail and

thunder mixed in their, temperatures of 70 degrees.

Scotland, another spot where we cannot rule out hail and thunder

for the rest of the afternoon with some frequent downpours. A few

showers developing across northern England. As we crossed to East

Anglia and south-east, we have that thick cloud. Patchy and mostly

light rain. Feeling cooler than over recent days. Temperatures

reaching 20 degrees. That zone of cloud and patchy rain clears the

way through the night. It becomes drier to the south and east. Some

clear spells. Further north, we keep the showers for the for that

longer. They will lose their intensity, but still one or two to

the north and west. Temperatures are dropping to 14 or 15 degrees.

Not particularly cold tomorrow morning. Some showers from the word

go. The main focus of the downpours is yet again for Scotland and

Northern Ireland. There will be a scattering across England and Wales,

mostly to the east and west. The best chance of the drier weather

with sunny spells is to the south and east. A similar story on

Thursday with that sunshine holding on to the south-west. Further north

and west, we have thicker cloud arriving at some outbreaks of rain,

especially across parts of Northern Ireland. Temperatures are generally

around average around England. In sunshine, we might manage 23

degrees. For the end of the week we are looking at low-pressure

swinging in off the Atlantic. You will note his eyes about are quite

tightly packed. Some breezy weather around. Weather fronts mean rain

and showers in between. Unsettled for the weekend. Rain at times,

breezy and cooler up than last weekend. At this stage, the detail

is a little bit tricky. There will be some dry and bright spells in

between. It might be a bank holiday weekend, but not a complete washout.

weekend, but not a complete washout. Our top story: A blow to government