08/02/2018 BBC News at One

Dramatic new evidence of plastic

pollution in the Arctic.

Animals are frequently

trapped in rubbish -

scientists say a pristine wilderness

is being contaminated.

I've collected this waste

in just a few seconds.

Some of the fragments

may come from Norway,

some clearly don't,

like this

elaborate bottle, for instance,

or this butter tub from Spain.

We have a special report

from the Norwegian Arctic.

Also this lunchtime...

Stranded in hospital corridors -

new figures from NHS England say

1,000 people had to wait more than

12 hours for treatment last month.

Interest rates on hold,

but a warning they could rise soon

as the Bank of England

upgrades its forecast for growth.

UK net trade is benefiting

from this robust

global demand and the past

depreciation of sterling.

Whereas it usually

drags on growth, net

trade is currently

contributing substantially.

Local authorities in England

struggle to pay for essential

services; higher council tax

bills are on the way.

And flying the flag for Britain -

Lizzy Yarnold will lead out Team GB

at the opening ceremony

of the Winter Olympics.

And in sport on BBC News, former

captain Greg Laidlaw starts for

Scotland in their Six Nations match

with France this weekend, as one of

six changes following their

heavy defeat to Wales.

Good afternoon and welcome

to the BBC News at One.

There is shocking new evidence today

of plastic rubbish contaminating

the pristine wilderness

of the Arctic.

Animals are becoming

ensnared in plastic waste,

while scientists say there are far

more plastic particles in one litre

of sea ice than in open water.

They say they've found plastic

pollution almost everywhere they've

looked in the Arctic Ocean.

Our environment analyst

Roger Harrabin has been to Tromso

in the Norwegian Arctic.

A warning that you may

find some of the images

in his report disturbing.

Plastic pollution is drifting to the

furthest corners of the planet. The

Arctic sea ice is created when sea

freezes. It looks pristine but

scientists are finding that it

definitely is not. In fact ice cores

show sea ice contains more fragments

of plastic per square metre than

anywhere else in the ocean, it is

because sea ice freezes from the top

and that is exactly where the

plastic bits are floating. One litre

of melted sea ice contain 234

plastic fragments like these.

The

numbers are way higher than I think

most people expected, and definitely

then what I expected. It shows that

it is a serious problem and you have

a situation in the world now that

there is nowhere that is so far away

that it is not affected by plastic

waste.

There is plastic on the

beaches too, this local

conservationist is trying forlornly

to clear them up. Here is what the

plastic does macro. This reindeer's

and others were trapped by a

discarded fishing net, it died. This

Arctic turn met its death by

starvation. And see the plastic

strapping around the belly of this

bearded seal. I have collected this

waste in just a few seconds. Some of

the fragments may come from Norway,

some clearly don't like this

elaborate bottle or this butter tub

from Spain. And the plastic is here

with a vengeance.

Several years ago

it was predicted plastic pollution

would enter the Arctic and indeed we

are finding plastic along the

coastlines from urban areas to

remote areas and the more we look

for the plastics, the more we are

finding.

Arctic scientists don't

know yet whether the plastic tide

will affect local fish stocks but it

is another human threats to a

fragile environment, already being

transformed by man-made climate

change.

And Roger is here now.

Roger some horrific images

in that report, how serious

is this for the Arctic?

Scientists are trying to find out,

they have been blindsided. There is

very little research but wherever

they are looking, they are finding

plastic. They don't know crucially

what effect it will have on stocks

of cod, they don't know if the

plastics will be absorbed in the

flesh of the fish which would be

disastrous for the industry, but

they can clearly see the effect on

wildlife. You saw the pictures of

the birds, the seal and reindeer.

One bird they tested had more than

200 pieces of plastic in its

stomach.

So much pollution and

contamination, what can be done

about it?

Norway is trying to do its

bit, we had a bottle scheme online,

they are trying to clamp down on

plastic waste from shipping, but

clearly it is not enough. The UK is

moving towards a plastic policy but

it is rather lacking a lot of

countries. China and India don't

even have waste collections in many

places so frankly this problem will

get much worse before it gets

better.

Roger, thank you very much

indeed.

January was one of the worst months

on record for hospital waiting times

in A&E departments in England,

according to the latest figures.

More than 1,000 patients had to wait

over 12 hours to be seen.

NHS England says the four-hour

waiting time target was missed

for the 30th month in a row.

Our Health Editor Hugh Pym

is outside University College

Hospital in Central London.

We saw those cancellations of

non-urgent operations this winter,

to try and help the situation, but

the NHS is clearly still in a dire

situation.

That's right, thousands

of people have their routine

operations, ALP paint operations,

postponed in January. Almost all of

them will still be waiting so that

was the cost if you like of the NHS

trying to shore up its A&E

performance. In England the net

result was a slight improvement on

December, 85.3% of patients treated

or assessed

within four hours, and one of the

worst months on record. The

so-called trolley waits, that's

people waiting after a decision to

admit to the moment a bed can be

found, more than 1000 waiting 12

hours, that is a record high. Around

80,000 waiting four hours or more,

showing pressure across the service

and social care. Delayed transfers

out of hospital, moving people back

into the community, that has been a

problem in the past and in December

the figure was lower than on the

previous year so that will be hailed

as something of an achievement in

the circumstances. Flu has been a

major factor putting a lot of

pressure on hospitals with the worst

outbreak in seven years. There are

signs that is easing off but

certainly there is nothing in these

figures to suggest anything other

than the fact the service is under

extreme pressure. Attempts are being

made to stop things getting worse,

but many patients, politicians and

other observers will feel this is a

service under pressure, and a lot of

debate is needed about how it keeps

going for the rest of the winter.

Hugh Pym, thank you.

Interest rates have been held

at 0.5% this lunchtime,

but the Bank of England has

signalled that rates could rise

earlier and faster than it

thought three months ago,

after stronger than

expected economic growth.

The Bank said the UK is benefitting

from the global economy,

which has been expanding

at its fastest pace in seven years.

Andy Verity has the details.

If the whole economy performed like

this Manchester maker of branded

clothing, its biggest problems would

be almost solved. It is growing

fast, exporting to Europe and

boosting productivity through

investment. While inflation boosted

its costs, it has been able to

absorb out and carry on winning new

orders.

The last 12 months we have

grown by 20% in the UK but Europe

has been much stronger than that so

we have more than doubled the growth

rate in the UK. I'm cautiously

optimistic about the future, we are

making major investments over the

next 12 months in technology which

will allow us to increase

productivity and efficiency, and

improve quality and service to our

customers.

The key to the

competitive of -- competitiveness of

this company is speed. The speed of

growth in the wider economy had been

slowing but recently it's growing

faster than expected and today the

Bank of England said it is probably

growing as fast as it can without

overheating.

GDP growth is expected

to average around one and three

quarters percent over the forecast

period, a little stronger than

projected in November. While modest

by historic standards, this demand

growth is still expected to exceed

the diminished rate of supply growth

over the forecast period.

The key

judgment for the Bank of England is

when the next rise of interest rates

comes. Today its monetary policy

committee held the official rate at

0.5% but in the city they are saying

the next rise is likely in May.

Prices are still rising faster than

wages meaning on average your real

income will buy less and less but

the Bank of England's big judgment

call is we will get bigger pay rises

in the years to come. If they are

right about that, the squeeze on

living standards should start to

ease. The weaker pound has raised

the cost of imported goods including

raw materials, but because an

interest rate rise is now expected

soon, investors expect to make more

money holding pounds. That has

pushed up the value of the pound by

1 cent this afternoon, and that

should help to contain inflation.

Theresa May is expected to tell

business leaders from Japan that

she's seeking to agree a transition

deal for Britain's exit from the EU

as soon as possible.

Japanese investors in Britain,

including major car-makers,

are meeting the Prime Minister this

afternoon to discuss

their operations after Brexit.

The motor industry has said it fears

it could face export tariffs

and customs delays after

Britain leaves the EU.

Our Business Editor Simon Jack

is in Downing Street.

Simon, how worried are foreign

investors about Brexit?

They are

worried because they have got a big

investment in the UK, Honda, Nissan

and Toyota, very sensitive to

Brexit. The Prime Minister but this

meeting in the diary when she

visited Japan last September and it

has fallen on a date that could

hardly be more opportune or

sensitive. After the vote, the

referendum vote, Japan sent this

document to the Government of the UK

and the EU, and in it they say what

Japanese business most want to avoid

is a situation in which they are

unable to discern clearly the way

Brexit negotiations are only

grasping the whole picture at the

last minute. They will be saying

what the heck is going on. Japan

build half of all the cars in the

UK, most of those are for export,

most of those exports go to the EU.

In a recent civil service assessment

over the last few days they put the

impact on the car industry alone

between 5% and 13% cost to growth

over the next 15 years. In the

regional assessment of the impact of

Brexit, places like the north-east,

home to Nissan in Sunderland, they

say the impact there could be as

much as 16% growth. As you can see,

very sensitive for Japanese

businesses and they will be wanting

to know what's coming out of the

cabinet meeting going on right now,

where they are trying to thrash out

a coherent form about what they

want, and the car manufacturers and

business leaders will want to know

exactly what that is.

Simon Jack,

thank you.

Almost all council tax payers

in England face higher bills

and charges from April,

because local authorities

say they're struggling

to make ends meet.

A survey suggests around

three-quarters of councils

are planning an increase

of at least 2.5%.

That would mean more than £40

on the average bill.

Duncan Kennedy is in Guildford

in Surrey, which is facing

a budget shortfall of

more than £100 million.

Adult social care, children's

services, transport subsidies and

infrastructure projects. These are

all the cornerstone services of our

lives and council spending. But

today's report says in England they

are all under pressure.

This shows

councils are right on the edge

financially. They are keeping

services together but only doing

that by whacking up council tax,

charging for everything they can and

draining their reserves.

The

research by the local government

information unit heard from a third

of English councils and found nearly

all of them plan to increase council

tax. With 95% of authorities saying

they expect taxes to rise. 93% of

councils say they expect to increase

the price of services they charge

for, and those figures come as eight

in ten councils say they fear for

their long-term financial

sustainability. Take sorry's pothole

bill, the council reckons it would

take £300 million to fix all of its

roads. And it has got 1300 miles of

roads that need repairing -- in

Surrey. But when you tell people

hear their council tax is about to

go up, 6%, the largest anywhere in

England, well... There's not always

much support.

The county council has voted to put

up your council tax by 6%, what do

you think?

I think all of the

councils are doing it, no one is

pleased because we don't have enough

money to go around and pay the other

bills.

What do you think about the

fact Surrey council is putting up

the council tax by 6%?

It's a

liberty, I don't agree at all.

Nobody welcomes a tax rise but if it

goes towards increased parent --

payment to carers, people will be OK

with that.

Last week

Northamptonshire County Council

banned all new spending and said its

financial future was grave, but the

Government says its financial

settlement for local authorities is

balanced between pressures on

councils and strains on taxpayers.

It is for individual councils to

decide what's the right balance to

strike between raising money for

services people want to see, funding

adult social care, but making the

tax rises are not excessive.

Some

have said councils are perilously

close to financial collapse.

Resources, how to create them, how

to spend them is as always at the

heart of this debate.

Our top story this lunchtime.

New evidence of plastic

pollution in the Arctic

with animals trapped in rubbish

and a pristine

wilderness contaminated.

Coming up.

Going for her second gold.

Can skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold

become the first Brit

to defend her Winter Olympic title?

Coming up in sport, Lizzy Yarnold

has been announced as Team GB's

flagbearer for tomorrow's opening

ceremony at the Winter

Olympics in PyeongChang.

She was given the role after being

voted for by her team-mates.

Low pay and overwhelming pressures

of work mean that adult care

services in England can no longer

fill key posts according

to the National Audit Office.

It claims a lack of government

planning and funding has undermined

the sector at a time when demand

for it is increasing.

Here's our social affairs

correspondent, Alison Holt.

It's a busy lunchtime at Northfields

nursing home in Sheffield.

Demanding work for the care staff

who are looking after residents

with a high level of need.

And today's report outlines just how

difficult it has become to find

the people needed to provide

this vital care.

Joyce?

Good afternoon.

It's only me.

Sorry to bother you, darling.

Tammy Ardron is the

nursing lead here.

Finding care staff generally

is a problem but she says attracting

nurses has become a real

issue for them.

I don't think it is as attractive

as maybe the NHS, where you've

got your salary packages,

enhanced rates of pay

and sociable hours.

And I think it's hard work.

It's busy, it's constant.

You got to be on the

ball 24 hours a day.

The report also says, with councils

struggling with budget cuts,

the money they pay for care

doesn't cover costs.

And, according to the boss of this

home, some providers have had no

choice but to close or risk

the quality of care falling.

The only way that these operators

can continue is to cut the standard

because fundamentally the funding

issue is impacting

on the resources, the workers

and the delivery of care.

The National Audit Office says,

whilst working in care

can be rewarding, many

staff feel undervalued.

In 2016-17 more than half

of the workforce was paid

£7.50 an hour or less.

In the same year, staff

turnover was nearly 28%.

And 6.6% of jobs were vacant.

But it says there is no government

strategy for tackling the problems.

Only the Department of Health can

produce a work for strategy that

speaks to the national picture

about the problems that we found

of low pay, low prestige and high

turnover rates which is reducing

the quality of service for people

who are actually receiving care.

In response, the Department

of Health and Social Care says extra

money is being put into social care

and that it will soon publish

a strategy for the health

and care workforce.

Alison Holt, BBC News.

One in five people working

in parliament has experienced

or witnessed sexual harassment

in the past year, according

to a report released today.

A cross-party working

group has recommended

a new code of conduct for MPs,

Peers and parliamentary staff.

Our political correspondent Leila

Nathoo reports from Westminster.

The corridors of power, a workplace

for thousands of people and, after a

series of sexual harassment claims

last year, the subject of a

cross-party review into how such

complaints are made and handled. In

the Commons this morning, the

promise of a new system to protect

staff and wanting a change in

culture.

It is a right, not a

privilege, to be treated with

dignity and respect at work. And

this ambitious report is a major

step towards a safer and more

professional environment.

The report

found nearly 1500 Parliamentary

workers who responded to a survey,

almost one in five said they had

witnessed or experienced sexual

harassment last year and the

proposes is a new behaviour for

people in Parliament. A new process

and new sanctions for MPs found to

have behaved inappropriately with a

possibility of suspension and

deselection in the most serious

cases. People wanting to complain

about harassment and bullying in

Westminster have so far had to rely

on their own bosses and political

parties to take up their case, but

have an independent confidential

grievance procedure is designed to

encourage more people to come

forward if they have concerns. It's

an attempt to shift the power

dynamic here and it has been broadly

welcomed by some of those who have

spoken out in the past.

I think it's

really important that there was an

independent process. I do have

concerns about anonymity but I think

it's a really good rapport. A really

good way forward. There are tougher

sanctions such as recall, that MPs

will ultimately face, and I think

they do have to have that deterrent

but also having a code of conduct is

part of a culture change needed in

Westminster.

MPs will debate the

proposals later this month. In a

place where loyalty of highly

valued, Parliament hopes it can

break down the culture of silence

that has endured here for so long.

Our Assistant political editor

Norman Smith is in Westminster.

Norman, will these reforms change

the cultural Westminster?

I think

most people think they may do, but

let's be honest, it's a pretty odd,

bizarre workplace which has been

resistant to change, so today's

reforms are basically designed to

put in place a workplace practices

in businesses and offices up and

down the country so there will be a

human resources Department, there

will be mandatory training, there

will beat codes of conduct, there

will be an independent investigatory

system. What there won't be is the

big fat stick of the sack full if

you and I were found guilty of

sexual misconduct, we would be out

the door. At Westminster, MPs will

not face dismissal and the thinking

there is that Parliament doesn't

really employ MPs thought the people

who employ them are the voters so

someone here if they were to give

them the boot, that would be defying

will of thousands of people who

voted for them and also some of the

sanctions put in place, such as

written apologies, forcing MPs to

undergo further training, might look

a little light touch but before

anyone thinks this is easy Street,

one sanction would people here face

which most of us do not face is a

searing level of media scrutiny. If

you look at ministers who have been

forced to resign, it's been because

of media coverage, so MPs may not

face the sanction of the sack, but

they do face the sanction of the

court of public opinion.

Norman,

thank you very much. To the United

States.

The leaders of both parties

in the US Senate have struck a deal

to avoid a repeat of last month's

government shutdown,

which saw federal agencies close

amid political deadlock on Capitol

Hill.

The proposed two-year funding

agreement would increase

spending by $300 billion,

including for military projects.

David Willis reports.

Acts of bipartisanship have been in

short supply in these parts of late,

that's what makes the Senate to deal

unusual.

I'm pleased to announce our

bipartisan negotiations on defence

spending and other priorities have

yielded a significant agreement.

But

getting is that a deal passed the

house might not be quite so easy for

the Democrats they want to link it

to legislation to protect the plight

of the so-called dreamers, young

people brought to the USA it legally

whom President Trump is threatening

to deport.

But most of all, let us

thank and acknowledge the dreamers

for their courage, their optimism,

their inspiration to make America

more American.

Concluding a marathon

eight hour speech, the leading house

Democrat called on the publicans to

replicate a promise given to members

of the Senate and bring forward a

vote on immigration reform. Many

Republicans actually support

legitimising the status of the

dreamers, but they wanted to be part

of a bill that would also provide

funding for a wall along the Mexican

border, pet project of President

Trump. Coming on top of his recent

tax cuts, there is also Republicans

who oppose the massive increase in

the federal deficit that the new

budget plan would bring about.

Meaning that for all the Senate's

good intentions, Washington once

again finds itself locked in a game

of budget brinkmanship with a

government shutdown looming. David

Willetts, BBC News, Washington.

North Korea has confirmed

that the sister of its leader,

Kim Jong-un, will attend the opening

ceremony of the Winter

Olympic Games tomorrow.

She'll be in the same stadium

as the US Vice President Mike Pence,

and also the father of the American

citizen, Otto Warmbier,

who died last year,

after he was released

from a North Korean prison.

Steve McDonnell reports

from the South Korean capital Seoul.

Along with its athletes, North Korea

has sent teams of musicians,

performers and cheerleaders

to the Winter Olympics.

This is being seen as a significant

diplomatic push from the North

to coincide with the Games.

But the United States government

has its own propaganda goals here.

Vice President Mike Pence has

vowed to challenge every

move North Korea makes,

reminding the world

of its human rights abuses

and nuclear weapons programme.

Yet, with locals getting

excited about hosting this

global sporting festival,

some have questioned how appropriate

it is for the Trump Administration

to potentially spoil the party.

Here in South Korea,

opinions are divided

as to whether having so much

engagement with their northern

neighbours at these Games

is such a good idea.

Either way, it is happening,

and some are now starting to wonder

whether or not the Olympics might

even provide a genuine shift in

relations between these two nations.

The fact the two sides are talking

at an intergovernmental

level is encouraging,

so we're hoping the spirit that's

been generated there will lead

to maybe more talks,

and from our point of view if it

lead to military talks or reopening

of the transport corridors,

that would be fantastic.

With just one day to go

until the opening ceremony,

North Korea held an enormous

military parade to mark the 70th

anniversary of its Armed Forces.

But it wasn't carried live

on local television,

and foreign journalists were not

invited for fear it might

upstage the Olympics.

Right now, Koreans from both sides

of the border are showing

off their cultural prowess.

However, once the sport starts

in earnest, the athletes

will take centre stage.

Steven McDonnell, BBC News,

at the Pyongyang Olympics.

Britain's Olympic skeleton champion

Lizzy Yarnold says she was lost

for words when she was told she'd be

carrying the flag for Team GB

at tomorrow's opening ceremony

of the Games in South Korea.

Lizzy carried the flag

at the closing ceremony in Sochi

after winning gold four years ago,

and she's aiming to become

the first Briton to defend

a Winter Olympic title.

Our sports correspondent Andy Swiss

reports from PyeongChang.

Flying the flag for Team GB.

Lizzy Yarnold ready to lead

out her country tomorrow night.

A fitting honour for an athlete

whose lead the way in her sport.

It was in Sochi four years ago

that she raced to Britain's

only gold of the Games.

COMMENTATOR:

Lizzy Yarnold

is the Olympic champion!

Oh my goodness!

And if that was special she says

so was being chosen to be

the team's flag bearer.

It's an honour that I never really

thought about but actually means

so much because the flag represents

the whole team and we, as a team,

represent everyone in Great Britain

who have watched us,

who have supported us.

You know, for our parents to watch

us on the TV screen,

and our grandparents watching

at home, that is the moment

when they say, "Great Britain",

you know, your skin just tingles

and the emotions begin.

Not such good news though for

another of Britain's medal hopes.

Snowboarder Katie Ormerod

fracturing her wrist

in a training accident yesterday.

Her reaction on social

media said it all.

She says she will still compete

though in both her events.

While the Games don't officially

start until tomorrow,

there was the first

sporting action today.

Including an Olympic

debut for mixed curling.

But elsewhere, there is already

controversy over Russia.

More of their athletes could yet be

allowed to compete here as neutrals

despite their country being banned

because of doping.

And some believe Russia are yet

to learn their lesson.

I think it would be very good

for Russia now to accept the problem

that they had and somehow they have

and there is still some

reluctance to go further,

to stop fighting the evidence that

everybody is agreed is clearly

on the table, and to turn the page

and be good citizens,

come back in the international

community and be part

of the group again.

The other big talking point here

is still the freezing temperatures.

It has been milder today,

but fans at tomorrow night's opening

ceremony will be given blankets

and warm cushions.

It promises to be a shivering

start to these Games.

Andy Swiss, BBC News, PyeongChang.

Time for a look at the weather.

Here's Louise Lear.

It was -6 this morning in parts of

southern England. At least we have

blue sky and sunshine but

unfortunately that's not the case

for everyone but it was beautiful as

you can see by this picture in

Southwark. However, a weather front

has struggled across the moment at

the moment bringing cloud and

outbreaks of rain. It's also

introducing something a little less

cold for some of us under the cloud

and rain. More on that in a moment.

The rain will live in south-west

England, Wales into the North of

England. Quite a lot of cloud

through the end of the day and a few

scattered showers into the

Northwest. Around 7-9d. As we go

through the night tonight, we will

see the rain pep up a little bit

across south-west England, Wales,

northern England as it gradually

drifts steadily eastwards. Behind

it, temperatures falling away. Those

showers will be wintry in nature.

Under clearer skies, Scotland,

northern England, you will see

temperatures fall below freezing, as

low as -4 in shelter Scotland, and

we could also see more of an

organised wintry mix of showers

falling here through Wales and the

Midlands. As we go through Friday

morning. Let's put some detail on

it. First thing Friday morning, ice

across Scotland particularly with

the showers falling on those

temperatures, below freezing, so

that's worth bearing in mind. Wintry

mix through Wales, the Midlands,

London, moving south-east through

the morning so by 11am it could be

covering East Anglia and the

south-east corner first thing. It

could cause one or two issues but

were not too concerned about it.

Behind it, clearer skies and plenty

of sunshine. 4-7. That little ridge

of high pressure with the clear

skies stays with us across England

and Wales to start Saturday morning.

A cold frosty start but another

front pushes in and the isobars

squeezed together on the leading

edge. There could be some snow but

it could turn to rain. Saturday

looks like a dismal day, really,.

The Borders will be cloudy and wet.

Rain, heavy at times, with the best

of the brightness perhaps into the

far north of Scotland. 7-11 overall.

These wintry showers waiting in the

wings, something to look out for on

Sunday. So, as we move towards the

weekend, it looks likely we will see

it staying cold, with some rain and

snow showers through the second half

of the weekend. Gale force winds at

times. More from me throughout the

afternoon. Thank you, Louise.

A reminder of our main

story this lunchtime.

New evidence of plastic

pollution in the Arctic

with animals trapped in rubbish

and a pristine

wilderness contaminated.

That's all from the BBC News at One,

so it's goodbye from me,

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's

news teams where you are.