16/08/2011 BBC News at Six

More devastating revelations in the phone hacking scandal from a former

News of the World journalist. A letter from former Royal Editor,

Clive Goodman says hacking was widely discussed at their offices.

Tough questions for Andy Coulson. He became one of David Cameron's

closest advisers. This letter is absolutely devastating. Clive

Goodman's testimony shows that he believed that others, every member

of the editorial team was aware of phone hacking. Now James Murdoch

could be re-called by senior MPs. His own lawyers raise concern about

his evidence to Parliament. Also on tonight's programme: The rising

cost of the daily commute. An average 8% on rail fares next year.

A week on from Manchester's riots, we're on the beat with the police.

They could get new curfew powers. Shell discover a second oil leak in

the North Sea. Hundreds of barrels could escape from the rig.

I will be here with Sportsday later on the hour on the BBC News channel.

Crunch time for Wenger in Europe. Suspensions and injuries make his

Hello. Welcome to the BBC's news at 6ppbl. -- 6pm. There are

allegations that senior staff at the News of the World knew more

about phone hacking than they have admitted so far. A letter from

Clive Goodman says hacking was regularly discussed at editorial

meetings. It raises questions for Andy Coulson, a former editor of

the News of the World, who went on to become one of David Cameron's

closest advisers. This report contains some flash photography.

Good good good, disgraissed former Royal Editor of the -- disgraced

former Royal Editor of the News of the World. A letter he wrote in

2007 has returned to haunt the owner of the Sunday tabloid, the

Murdoch's News International. Obtained by the culture select

committee, which is investigating phone hacking, Mr Goodman wrote in

the letter that phone hacking was The letter then refers to this chap,

Tom Crone at News International's former legal manager and this one,

Andy Coulson, editor of the News of Andy Coulson, editor of the News of

D I can only assume there's been a cover-up. This letter is absolutely

devastating. Clive Goodman's testimony shows that he believed

that others, every member of the editorial team was aware of phone

hacking and the police were not told about it. If it's true that

Andy Coulson knew about phone hacking, Mr Questions will be asked

why David Cameron employed him as his communication's director and

took him into -- communication director and took him into Downing

Street. Rupert Murdoch and his son said

they did not probe the extent of phone hacking at the News of the

World until recently because of advise they received from a law

firm, Harbottle & Lewis, that the phone hacking was limited. There is

key legal advice from senior counsel which was provided to

the...: Is embrar racing for James Murdoch is long -- embarrassing for

James Murdoch is a long report written by Harbottle & Lewis says

Mr Murdoch was completely wrong to rely on their 2007 letter, as being

evidence there was not wide-spread wrongdoing at the News of the World.

Harbottle & Lewis said they did not conduct a detailed, thorough

investigation. What they did was a very narrow piece of work, relating

to an employment dispute. What is equally embarrassing for James

Murdoch is that Jon Chapman t news affairs director co-on braits

Harbottle & Lewis's events. question for the Murdochs is

whether or not in time they will be seen to have told the whole truth

to the parliamentary committee. News International said tonight it

recognises the seriousness of materials disclosed to police and

Parliament and is committed to working in an open way with all the

relevant authorities. The News of the World may no longer be rolling

off the presses, but questions about the scandal cannot be killed,

such as why Mr Goodman's shocking letter was not immediately passed

to the police by News International. And Robert is with me now. Let's be

clear - this is a former staff, a former employee, and the News

International's lawyers were raising these concerns. Yes, they

are shocking, but as ever, with this extraordinary scandal, as ever

there are many unanswered questions as there are answers. For example,

one of the things we have learnt tonight is that Clive Goodman, a

convicted felon, who was trying to be dismissed by the News of the

World for gross misconduct, well the News of the World, News

International ended up paying him �244,000. Why did they pay him

�244,000 after he had been dismissed? After he had left prison.

Secondly, the question is whether Andy Coulson, who went on to become

Director of Communications for David Cameron in Downing Street,

who was editor of the news -- News of the World, whether he was shown

this shocking letter, written by Clive Goodman and whether he told

David Cameron that there was this formal allegation against him, in a

letter, by a former colleague saying that he had promised that

former employee that he would re- employ him so long as that emlyee

did not implicate -- employee did not implicate other members of the

News of the World in phone hacking. Finally, there are these big

questions for Rupert and James Murdoch about why they rested on a

letter from a firm of solicitors, Harbottle & Lewis, which that firm

now says proved next to nothing about whether or not wrongdoing was

rife at the News of the World. Thank you.

Now, rail commuters are facing fare increases of around 8%, adding

hundreds of pounds to many season tickets. Train companies say they

need the extra cash to improve services. Passenger services say

they are footing too much of the bill. Our correspondent is at

Euston. Richard? Well commuters heading home know

they face big hikes in the cost of their season tickets next year.

Wages might be rising much less than inflation, but fares on the

railways are going up by much more, on average 8%.

We take well over one billion journeys a year on our railways,

travelling on 21,000 miles of track across Britain for holidays,

business trips and of course commuting. My salary's not going to

up by 8%, so obviously it's going to cost me more. I am not happy

about that. There's no work where I live. I come into London because

it's the only way to do it. Soon it will not be feasible for anyone to

do that. Regulated fares like season ticket goes up by July's

inflation plus 8%. That means the average ticket will go up by 8%.

Train companies can increase some fares by another 5%, for a rise up

to 13%, so long as they balance that with reductions elsewhere.

They are much more than the average wage rise this year of 2.1%. There

are exceptions though, passengers on Scot Wales and Arriva Trains

Wales will see fares go up by 6%. The average rise will mean a

typical ticket of �2,000 goes up by �160. What do we want...:

Campaigners mounted a protest outside Waterloo Station this

morning. We are worried about people's ability just to be able to

do a day's work. Or else they are concerned that people will be

forced back on to our roads and we could see more congestion as a

result of these price rises. There could already be some evidence of.

This this company says people are switching to coaches because trains

are too expensive. It is split between rail payer and taxpayer.

Because the amount paid by passengers over the past four years

has gone up from �5 billion to �6.6 billion, the amount contributed by

taxpayers has been able to drop from �6.3 billion to �4 billion.

This is a difficult decision. It is a decision we wish we didn't have

to take. We simply didn't have a choice. If we were going to deliver

the improvements passengers are calling for and that in a way which

does not jeopardise our plan for reducing the deficit we had to ask

passengers to pay more. Labour argues the Government is cutting

the deficit too far and too fast. And if it wasn't fares could have

gone up by less. Large-scale rail investment projects like Crossrail

and Thameslink have been safeguarded by these rises. As the

campaigners point out the fare rises are happening now where as

the projects will not be ready until the ends of the decade. As

the report suggested there, the fare increases have been blamed on

rising inflation. Let's look in more detail at those figures. Our

chief economics editor is here. What do the figures show us?

rail fares are linked to RPI. There is another, the official one for

the Government known as CPI, the consumer prices index. Let's look

at where that was in July. That showed an inflation rate of 4.4%,

up from the previous month. That is way ahead, more than double the

target set by the Government for the Bank of England, which is at

just 2%. It has been well above that target for some time now. In

fact, it's been above 3% for 19 consecutive months. When it's that

high the Governor of the Bank of England has to write to the

Chancellor explaining why. He sent another letter today saying it is

down to factors such as energy prices. He is warning it could go

higher yet, above 5% in the coming months because of utility bill

increases, gas and electricity due for next month and for October. So

the squeeze on consumers is set to intensify. If it is any consolation

the bank says inflation should fall back next year. Police in England

and Wales may be given tougher powers to try and prevent future

riots T Government says curfews could be improzed on -- imposed on

people in a specific area. Critics say it is more police that are

numbered and that proposals to cut police numbers should be shelved.

So they tried to rip out the cash machine? This is what the police

were not able to stop, despite their best efforts.

Today, senior officers went to Salford to see some of the business

owners whose stores were ransacked in the rioting. I couldn't believe

this. I don't know who's done it, people local or from outside.

the aftermath of the violence, the Government is considering new

powers for the police, including the ability to impose curfews.

Should it be possible to impose a curfew and should we have extra

powers to have curfews for people under 16. The proposals attracted a

good deal of support in Salford. There was a noticeable divide in

opinion between the generations. All you see now is young kids now

on corners with bottles and drinking and that. You didn't see

that years ago. What do you think of the idea of a curfew? I don't

think it should happen. But if things are being smashed up.

stick up for the police. I'm not sticking up for the police. The

police are there to do a job. week that job was difficult.

Greater Manchester Police say they had the powers and the people to

stop the trouble. I don't think they gave one thought as to whether

they needed more powers. Now going forward, yes, as I said, we will

work with the Government to consider any new powers that may be

required. What is more important to you, new powers or keeping police

officers on the front line? For me it is about keeping police officers

on the front line. Many forces in England and Wales say Government

cuts will reduce police numbers. Ministers insist that shouldn't

affect the frontline, because bureaucracy could be cut. Officers

say much of that work has already been done. The response office, the

idea is they go out and deal with the job and then arrest somebody

and hand them over to get back on the streets quicker. The Government

grant for policing in England and Wales is expected to fall by more

than �1.3 billion over the next four years. That's around 14% of

the budget and could mean up to 16,000 frontline posts are lost.

They want to cut the police down now, so it will get worse. It will

not get better, is it? Government insist the cuts are

needed. It is promising to get tough. Saying in future it will not

be army cadets made to clean up areas damaged, it will be the

troublemakers themselves. So far almost 1,300 people have

appeared before the courts on charges relating to the

disturbances. In Ealing a 16-year- old boy has been charged with the

murder of a pensioner who was attacked as he tried to stamp out a

fire during the London riots. Richard Mannington Bowes, 68, died

in hospital after he was attacked during Monday's unrest. The

teenager has been charged with violent disorder and four separate

burglaries of commercial premises. His mother has been charged with

perverting the course of justice. Police have arrested a man on

suspicion of attempted murder after two police officers were mown down

while chasing rioters during the riots. The 31-year-old was detained

after he handed himself in at an East London police station this

morning. The Government is to set up an

independent panel to hear from people affected by the riots, the

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said those caught up should have

Our top story tonight: new evidence from a News Of The World's former

royal editor says that phone hacking was widely discussed in the

offices of the paper. And coming up, the Olympic Park has

seen its first sporting action ahead of next year's Games.

Later on the News Channel, inflation rises again, thanks to

higher prices for clothing and footwear. And disappointing figures

on the German economy as French and German leaders begin key talks on

In less than 10 years' time, up to a quarter of an hour electricity is

supposed to come from offshore wind power. But building and directing

1,000 of Turbine out at sea is difficult and expensive. There are

fears that electricity bills could rise even more -- 1,000. Our

Science Correspondent reports from Britain's newest wind farm at

Ormonde of the Cumbrian coast. Forests of wind turbines are rising

of Britain's shores. This is the Government's great hope for green

energy. But building these things is a real challenge. You need a

special best all like this that can stand on the seabed and lift itself

up -- the vessel. We watched the process unfold. A crane winches

each component into place. At this is a section of the tower. Waiting

for it are construction workers, with the huge bolts that will hold

it in place. All of this make planting of wind turbines out at

sea very expensive. The machines are more out of the way back on

land and the cost gets passed on to consumers already facing rising

bills. It is true to say that a generation of boccia wind is

expensive. It will come down in the next 10 or 20 years. One of the

great benefits is home-grown electricity. The work just keeps

coming as they enter a critical phase. Lifting of the giant set of

blades off the deck and then out, angling be sued rota, so it is in

the right position to be hoisted right up and fitted to the top of

the tower -- a huge of rota. 100m up, a tiny figure League -- leans

out as it gets close. A ban on the deck, they cling to the tip of the

blade. The biggest danger, ironically, is a sudden gust of

wind. Then the final approach. This is one of the largest turbine is in

the world and just before midnight, the job is done. Off the coast of

Cumbria, this wind farm has 30 turbine is, but when they are this

big, you still need 200 of them to match the electricity can --

produced by a conventional power station, and only when the wind

blows. Here goes. With one of the longest the ladders in history, I

am sure. Inside, it is a very long journey

to the top. I am hooked on for safety, but the technicians who

work in here have to be specially trained and need a head for heights.

When you are this high up and this far out in the ocean, it is

generally pretty windy, like today. It is ideal when this installation

is complete, for shifting these giant blades and making electricity.

But when you look at this year size of this great structure, you think

about the cost and the challenge of building it, the question is, is

the Government right to 1,000 more of these things right around our

shores -- to want thousands more. This is an expensive way to reduce

it carbon emissions. Let's get serious about climate change and

global warming. Let's not pretend that lots of offshore wind farms

will be a major contribution. Government says that pioneering

wind technology at sea will create jobs, cut carbon can -- emissions

and take advantage of being an island nation. But the price will

be high and it has only just started.

To find out more about just how complicated it is to erect these

giant wind turbines out at sea, including an interactive map of the

docks where the whole process begins, just go to the BBC news

website. Npower has become the latest energy

company to announce a price increase. It will rage -- raise

average gas Paris by 15.7% and electricity by 7.2% by October. The

company more than doubled its profits and the first part of the

year and says it is investing billions of pounds in energy for

the future. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel

and the French President Nicolas Sarkozy met this afternoon to

discuss the financial crisis in the euro-zone. It comes as figures

reveal the German economy grew by just 0.1% in the months from April

to June. Gavin Hewitt is in Paris. I think everybody was rather hoping

that the German economy would Paul his recovery in Europe behind it. -

- track this recovery. Germany is the bigger engine room

of the European economy but indications that they are that it

is slowing, much more than people expected. Last week, the French

economy was revealed to have pretty much stalled. What this indicates

to me is that these two big European economies are in a weaker

position to help those countries that may be in difficulty. Today,

Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy met in the palace behind me and

agreed are much further integration, much closer control over the 17

eurozone countries. They even spoke about an economic government with a

President over those countries. Much of the details remain to be

revealed, but another detail that we do know, they want all of those

17 countries to enshrined in law that they will balance their

budgets by 2012. What was missing today was no plan to help those big

economist like Italy, with high debts and low growth, if they got

into trouble, what is the plan? Whereas the rescue plan? What about

making a nation's debts into common European debt? None of that was

available. Those questions remain to be answered.

The oil company Shell says it has discovered a second league under

one of its platforms and the North Sea. It comes after the company

managed to stem the flow from the original spill. 300 barrels of oil

have escaped over the past week. James Cook has the details.

More than 100 miles out in the North Sea, ribbons of oil are

streaking the surface. From the air, a small slick appears to be

breaking up. On the seabed, these pictures, shot on Sunday, showed

bobbles of oil rising from a grating. This is at the heart of

the problem. Gannet Alpha. The Shell platform has been drilling

for two decades. From the surface, a pipeline drops 310 ft to the

seabed and snakes along for seven miles, funnelling oil back to the

surface. The leak is a short distance from the well head. Shell

says 1,300 barrels of oil had escaped. It took until Friday to

gain access to where the leak is occurring. We took the pressure

away from that line, which caused substantial reduction in this Bill,

and now we have a very minor, or relatively minor leak -- the spill.

But still the worst for a decade. Here in Europe's oil capital, there

is no panic. Since the 1970s, this harbour has bustled with ships and

Aberdeen has grown rich on well. But the latest finds are deeper and

trickier to extract, so does that mean there will be more spills?

costs are very high. The environmental effects of anything

going wrong are very high. But technology has advanced over time

and will continue to advance. Compared to this, the Gulf of

Mexico disaster, the latest leak is tiny, and experts do not anticipate

scenes like this being repeated in Scotland. The most vulnerable are

sea birds, no doubt about that. Oil gets into their feathers, they lose

insulation as a result and lose the waterproofing of the feathers. It

is bad news for sea birds. But the area up the slick is very small, so

the chances of many seabirds being affected is small. So there is

plenty of black gold at the end of this rainbow, but getting it out is

a dirty business. London's Olympic Park has seen its

first competitive sporting action today. Six teams, including Great

Britain, have been competing in a basketball tournament. It is one of

several trial event being held to test the facilities and the

transport system ahead of next year's games. Our sports editor is

that the Olympic Park now. Basketball has no great tradition

in Great Britain, but despite that, as you can see, an enthusiastic

response to this test event, a complete sell-out. It is the first

competitive action at the Olympic Park and the first big test for

organisers. London's latest iconic Olympic

venue. The basketball arena. Open for competitive action for the

first time today. For the 3,000 fans who have paid for the

privilege, it was the first real taste of what next year's Games

will feel like. This is what creature upon arrival at the

Olympic Park. Airport-style security with metal detectors, back

scans and body searches. Security officials say they don't want to

spoil the fan experience, but with the Olympics such an obvious target

for terrorists, security has to be a priority. It is no different from

airport or anything else and I am reassured the security is there.

must be a stressful job, because you have a lot of people coming in

in a small amount of time. This event is also unfamiliar territory

for Great Britain's basketball players. Next year will be the

first time since 1948 that the country has entered a team. But

London promised not to leave any white elephants, so this �42

million a reader will be dismantled and sold off once the Games are

over -- arena. It will be exciting to actually be on this court,

playing in front of my friends and my family. Playing in my backyard

is a big deal, so it will be an emotional time. Basketball is the

latest sport to be filed with a year to go. Over the last month,

equestrian, sailing, road cycling, they have all hosted major test

events. For London 2012, this dry run is crucial for planning for

next summer. So how does the man in charge think it has gone? I am very

confident that what we have tested will be able to move from a seven

out of 10-289 or eight 10 out of 10. Of course, there are many things

that you cannot test -- to a nine out of 10. China and Australia made

history per day, being the first two teams to play. But all of this

won't matter if organisers missed the target for next year.

The test events are going well, but this time next year, more than a

quarter of a million people will be coming on to the Olympic Park at

the same time, and planning for a one-off is one thing of but running

26 Olympics bought in one city at one time is quite another.

-- sport. Time for the weather now with Matt

Taylor. Hello, this summer is turning out

to be more changeable than the spring and tonight, we head back to

the clear and cool conditions across many parts of the country.

Temperatures taking a tumble as the grey skies of earlier break-up.

Still some cloud in Scotland with outbreaks of rain for a time. Heavy

outbreaks of rain for a time. Heavy bursts in the north and the East,

isolated elsewhere. Temperatures will start to fall away and we will

see some mist patches. 8-10 degrees in towns and cities by the morning.

As we go into Wednesday morning, the biggest difference from the

sunny skies will be the cloud in the South West, producing some

patchy rain and drizzle through Devon and Cornwall initially which

will develop further northwards as we go through the afternoon. It

could be potentially damper on the south coast of Wales, but most

places will be tried and the further north, the brighter

conditions will be -- dry. Isolated showers possible in Northern

Ireland, light winds and temperatures up to 18 degrees.

Scotland should have a fine day for the vast majority, better than the

moment. Any showers will be few and far between and slow-moving thanks

to a light breeze. Sunny spells through northern England, but the

sunshine will turn hazy in the Midlands had a fair amount of cloud

through East Anglia and the South. Still a bit of brightness to be had,

at the rate will be very light and patchy. Wet on the ground in many

areas, in the South West, rain all day. Heavy rain anywhere for a

South West Wales on Thursday at the Lincolnshire. South-east of that,

the potential for some heavy downpours but drier for the North