bbcuk--2020-08-18--Tate Modern fall boy 'goes home for first time'

A boy who suffered catastrophic injuries when he was thrown from the balcony of the Tate Modern has been able to go home , his family has said .
Last August the boy , aged six at the time and visiting London from France with his family , fell 100ft ( 30m ) and suffered life-changing injuries .
Now , the boy 's family says he is `` happy to see his toys again '' .
Jonty Bravery , 18 , who threw the boy from the balcony , was convicted of his attempted murder and jailed , in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be named for legal reasons , spent time at Royal London Hospital before moving to a hospital in France .
During Bravery 's sentencing , the court was told the boy would require round-the-clock care support until at least 2022 .
His injuries included a bleed to the brain and fractures to his spine and he has been left needing the use of a wheelchair .
An update posted on a GoFundMe site , which has raised almost £250,000 for the boy 's medical care , said his parents were able to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` We took him to the sea and he was able to build sandcastles with a friend on the beach , '' the statement said .
`` He stays seated in one place , and we bring him what he needs to build .
He could n't swim , of course , mainly because he still ca n't move around without his splints .
`` He also returned at home for the first time and he was super happy to see his house and his toys again , even though he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room . ''
The parents thanked the public for their continued support and said their son 's reading , breathing and singing was improving `` little by little '' .
`` He still spends most of his day in a wheelchair and still can not walk on his own , '' the statement added .
`` But when we give him our hand , we do n't need to carry his weight anymore like before - it is mostly about helping him to find his balance .
`` He can walk a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manages to climb one or two steps , always with our help . ''
Bravery , of Northolt in west London , who was diagnosed with autism from a young age , was jailed at the Old Bailey for at least 15 years .
Hammersmith and Fulham Council has been carrying out a serious case review into Bravery 's care as the council was responsible for the handling of it .
• Teen threw boy from Tate Modern 'to be on TV' In a victim impact statement in February , the boy 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's actions were `` unspeakable '' .
`` Words can not express the horror and fear his actions have brought up on us , '' the couple said .
A spokesman for Tate Modern said : `` A full security review was undertaken , as would happen after any major incident , and we continue to follow best practice guidelines to keep the public safe . ''
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"He also returned at home for the first time and he was super happy to see his house and his toys again, even though he couldn't go upstairs to see his room."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Kent County Council has 'no capacity for more child migrants'

A council says it can not safely care for any more child migrants amid a rise in the number arriving alone in Kent .
Kent County Council said it does not have the capacity for additional unaccompanied asylum-seeking children .
More than 400 children , most of whom arriving in Dover across the English Channel by small boat , have entered the authority 's care so far this year .
Responsibility lies across England , the council says , while the government says the authority has had extra support .
Under-18s arriving in the county alone are passed into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small number later transferred to other councils that volunteer to help .
County council leader Roger Gough said he warned the Home Office his authority `` expected to reach safe capacity to meet its statutory duty of care this weekend '' .
The arrival of 13 more children in the past two days had `` tipped the balance and the council simply can not safely accommodate any more new arrivals , '' he added .
It is unclear what will happen should more children arrive in the coming days .
`` That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolved immediately , '' said Bridget Chapman , of Kent Refugee Action Network , which supports unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and refugees .
`` Our main priority is to ensure that vulnerable children are properly cared for and we urge the government to urgently work with Kent County Council to find a way forward , '' she added .
In May , the government increased the amount given to councils to care for asylum-seeking children after Mr Gough warned social services in Kent were at risk of being overwhelmed .
`` This is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly closely with Kent County Council to urgently address their concerns , '' the Home Office said .
`` We continue to provide Kent County Council with a high level of support , such as significantly increasing funding and reducing pressure on their services through a national transfer scheme .
`` We are also providing extra support with children 's services and we continue to work across the local government network on their provision for unaccompanied minors . ''
But Sue Chandler , cabinet member for children 's services , said the voluntary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandatory .
While some children had been moved to other areas in recent months , `` due to the continued high level of arrivals , it has not been enough to make a real difference to the numbers in Kent , '' she said .
Mr Gough has said the reduced amount of freight crossing the Channel due to coronavirus has led to an increase in the number of asylum-seeking children arriving in Kent by boat .
Last week , 23 lone migrant children were taken into the council 's care in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year .

While some children had been moved to other areas in recent months, "due to the continued high level of arrivals, it has not been enough to make a real difference to the numbers in Kent," she said.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Party links to Glasgow and Lanarkshire clusters

Covid-19 clusters in Glasgow and Lanarkshire have been linked to house parties .
A joint statement from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire said the two boards were working together on the outbreak .
A total of 14 linked Covid cases have been identified in north-east Glasgow in addition to eight North Lanarkshire cases .
Meanwhile , a pupil at a primary school in Paisley has also tested positive .
A contact tracing operation is now under way at Todholm Primary school .
Renfrewshire council said there was no current evidence the virus had been transmitted inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staff to attend .
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire confirmed on Monday that the cases in their areas were linked .
They also said that evidence of social gatherings with no social distancing was a factor in their investigation .
A spokesman for both organisations said : `` We can confirm there are links to cases across both health boards .
We work closely on cross-board issues on a regular basis , including on the current clusters , where investigations are ongoing .
`` There is currently no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is evidence that mixing socially , particularly around social gatherings in houses , without maintaining physical distancing measures can transmit the virus and is a factor in this investigation . ''
He said young people were meeting in numbers beyond what was allowed and with no physical distancing .
`` This our first real palpable example of [ house parties ] giving people positive infections of a virus that can make us very sick , '' he said .
Mr Leitch told BBC Radio Scotland 's Drivetime programme communication was a difficulty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be used to help get the message across to young people that house parties were helping spread the infection .
It emerged on Sunday that a pupil at Bannerman High in Baillieston , who had attended classes when the school reopened last week , had tested positive for the virus .
Several other pupils at Bannerman High had previously tested positive , but began self-isolating prior to the return to class last week .
Five pupils at nearby schools in North Lanarkshire have tested positive in recent days , including : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Coatbridge • One pupil from St Andrew 's High School in Coatbridge • One pupil from Caldervale High School in Airdrie There are also three further linked cases who are not pupils or staff at the schools .
Test and Protect is now tracing those who were in contact with the pupil at Bannerman High and Glasgow City Council has written to parents .
• Pupils from two Coatbridge schools test positive for Covid-19 • Covid-19 in Scotland : Where are the latest cases ?
Parents of a senior pupil at one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the BBC they were `` disappointed '' their son had to self-isolate after `` the selfish actions of others '' .
They did not want to be identified , but said they were informed their son was sitting close enough to one of the positive cases for more than 15 minutes and had to self-isolate .
His mother said : `` We 've done everything we can to protect our children during lockdown .
So we are really disappointed that the actions of others has resulted in this .
`` We got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our world turned upside down .
Test and trace phoned to advise that our teenage son had been identified as a contact of a positive pupil at Caldervale High .
`` Our son had already seen it via social media , he knew who the boy was and had sat next to him in a class .
And because he had sat next to him for over 15 minutes he has to get contacted by Test and Protect . ''
She added : `` He has to isolate until 27 August .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions of people having house parties .
`` We believe this has all stemmed from a house party at Coatbridge involving a large number of kids .
People who are encouraging young people to get involved in parties do not understand the implications on others . ''
The child 's father said he had to take his son to be tested at Ravenscraig on Monday morning .
He added : `` there were three cars in front and we had to do the test ourselves in the car .
By the time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with kids in them doing tests . ''
During the Scottish government coronavirus briefing on Monday , Nicola Sturgeon said : `` I am concerned about what appears to be a rising number or cases , albeit that many of these new cases we are seeing are linked to known clusters and outbreaks .
`` But nevertheless it 's a really sharp reminder for us that the threat of the virus has not gone away .
`` All of us need to be really , really careful , ultra-careful when it comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice . ''
She said people must be careful about the school connection as they are community outbreaks that involve school pupils but are not school outbreaks .
Dr Christine Tait-Burkard , assistant professor in infection and immunity at Edinburgh University told the BBC 's Good Morning Scotland programme she would not be surprised if young people meeting socially were spreading the virus .
She said : `` Kids are kids and they like to gather with each other and as we know from studies that came out from Public Health England last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus in similar amounts to adults .
The virus is going to spread and transmit in these gatherings .
`` The pupils themselves are at very low risk of severe disease but on the other hand , they are probably quite asymptomatic and can carry the virus into their families . ''
Under the current Scottish government rules no more than eight people from a maximum of three households are allowed to gather indoors .
Social distancing applies to anyone from separate households , unless they are under the age of 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest cases ?
• DEATHS : Who is dying and where ?
• RULES : What can I now do - and what are the rules ?
• QUIZ : Test your knowledge of the coronavirus restrictions • FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?

"Our son had already seen it via social media, he knew who the boy was and had sat next to him in a class. And because he had sat next to him for over 15 minutes he has to get contacted by Test and Protect."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Top civil servant to face Holyrood-Salmond inquiry

Scotland 's top civil servant is to be questioned by a panel of MSPs over the government 's botched handling of complaints against Alex Salmond .
Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans will be the first witness to appear before the Holyrood committee inquiry .
The former first minister successfully took the government to court over its investigation of harassment complaints .
Mr Salmond called for Ms Evans to quit after the judicial review saw him awarded a £500,000 expenses payout .
The permanent secretary insisted the government inquiry into two historical complaints against Mr Salmond had been let down by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been backed by her boss , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon , who is expected to give evidence to the committee in the coming weeks .
The Holyrood inquiry centres on an internal government investigation into two complaints from staff members against Alex Salmond , dating back to when he was in office as first minister of Scotland .
The Court of Session ruled that the investigation had been unlawful , `` procedurally unfair '' and `` tainted with apparent bias '' following a judicial review raised by the former SNP leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holyrood inquiry into the collapse of the government case , but it was put on hold for over a year after criminal charges were brought against Mr Salmond - which culminated in him being acquitted of 13 charges of sexual assault at the High Court in Edinburgh in March .
The group of MSPs , led by Deputy Presiding Officer Linda Fabiani , is to examine the development of the government 's harassment complaints procedure , the application of that procedure to the case of Mr Salmond , and the judicial review case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any complaints , but members are also to study the `` culture '' of government under both Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon - which has already led to civil service unions voicing concerns about `` bullying behaviour '' within both administrations .
Mr Salmond 's defence in the criminal trial claimed he was the victim of a political conspiracy - something Ms Sturgeon has dismissed as `` a heap of nonsense '' .
Ms Evans will be the first witness to appear before the committee when she gives evidence on Tuesday , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to follow .
Witnesses will provide testimony under oath .
Ms Fabiani has repeatedly clashed with the permanent secretary over documentation and written evidence being supplied by the government , voicing `` frustration and disappointment at the very limited amount of information the Scottish government has chosen to disclose '' about the judicial review .
Ms Evans issued an apology `` to all involved '' following the civil court case in January 2019 , but said the investigation had been flawed `` in one respect only '' - that the investigating officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with the complainers , potentially creating `` an impression of partiality '' .
• Alex Salmond trial : What is the political fallout ?
Mr Salmond called on the permanent secretary to `` consider her position '' over the `` abject humiliation '' the government suffered in court .
Ms Sturgeon insisted that the complaints handling procedure she ordered to be drawn up in the wake of the Me Too movement remained `` completely robust '' despite the `` deeply regrettable '' failure in the case of her predecessor .
She has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific application of this one element of the procedure '' , and has also triggered an independent review to decide whether she broke the ministerial code in her dealings with Mr Salmond .

She went on to say that lessons had been learned from the failure, but insisted that the Scottish government "is and remains ahead of many other institutions in designing and implementing a procedure to address harassment and particularly to address historical allegations of sexual misconduct".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Man in court accused of attempting to murder Met Police officer with pen

A man is due in court accused of trying to kill a Met police officer who was stabbed in the @ @ @ @ @ Edgware , north London .
Adrian Popa , 39 , of no fixed address , @ @ @ @ @ murder the female officer who was injured on Manor Park Crescent on Sunday .
He @ @ @ @ @ appear at Willesden Magistrates ' Court on Tuesday .
The Met said the officer was @ @ @ @ @ since been discharged .

A man is due in court accused of trying to kill a Met police officer who was stabbed in the face with a pen in Edgware, north London.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Dewsbury family 'devastated' by brothers' drowning in sea

The family of two brothers who drowned while on a trip to the Lancashire coast said they were `` absolutely devastated '' .
Muhammad Azhar Shabbir , 18 , and Ali Athar Shabbir , 16 , got into difficulties after they were cut off by the tide at St Annes on Saturday .
Their 15-year-old cousin was with them and managed to swim ashore but the brothers were found dead on Sunday .
The family , from Dewsbury , West Yorkshire , said it was an `` extremely difficult time '' .
`` Everyone is absolutely devastated by what has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' they said in a statement .
`` The boys were extremely well liked and a promising future has tragically been cut short . ''
• More stories from across Yorkshire The brothers had both studied at Upper Batley High School , with Ali due to pick up his GCSEs on Thursday and expected to get good results .
Head teacher Samantha Vickers said : `` We 're absolutely devastated as a community to lose two of our young men .
`` I 've been inundated with messages from staff and students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young men , intelligent , respectful , well-mannered and family oriented .
`` It 's a huge loss this , people are really reeling from the shock and finding it hard to believe . ''
The family were on a day trip when the three boys went into the water and got into difficulty .
The coastguard , RNLI and police called at about 18:40 BST and searches continued during the night and into the next day , using a drone and helicopter .
However , their bodies were found about a mile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
Nick Porter , a lifeboat coxswain with Southport Offshore Rescue Trust , said : `` What started off as a family outing to the seaside on a nice day has turned into a tragedy .
`` Our deepest sympathy goes out to them at this time . ''
Iqbal Bhana MBE , deputy lord lieutenant for West Yorkshire , said the incident showed why young people needed to be reminded how to stay safe around water .
`` We 've seen so many tragedies of such nature in our community where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out into the sea , into the lakes , '' he said .
The brother 's cousin , who has not been named , has been treated for hypothermia in hospital .
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"We've seen so many tragedies of such nature in our community where young men who feel they're indestructible go out into the sea, into the lakes," he said.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--NHS cannabis guidelines challenged in court

The parents of a three-year-old boy with severe epilepsy are going to court to mount the first legal challenge to the guidelines on prescribing cannabis on the NHS .
Charlie Hughes went from having up to 120 seizures a day to fewer than 20 , after receiving cannabis oil privately .
Although medical cannabis was legalised in November 2018 , almost no NHS prescriptions have been handed out .
A victory for the family could make the current guidance unlawful .
When the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( NICE ) produced guidance for the NHS , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommend cannabis-based medicines for severe , treatment-resistant epilepsy .
Nusrat Zar , a lawyer working with the Hughes family to campaign for policy change , says although the guidelines did not recommend against prescribing the drug , the lack of a `` positive '' recommendation meant NHS doctors did not feel confident to do so .
NICE said it would not comment on an `` ongoing legal matter '' .
Charlie has a rare form of treatment-resistant epilepsy called West syndrome which has left him with developmental delay .
He was given six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are from Norwich , saw no improvement in his condition .
His father , Matt Hughes , said he felt they were `` all out of options '' after trying all the usual medication , and even exploring brain surgery for which they were told Charlie was not a candidate .
After obtaining a private prescription for cannabis oil , the family said Charlie 's seizures reduced and his development started to speed up .
• The legal cannabis no-one 's been able to access He became more vocal , took an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed himself , they explained .
Brain scans also showed a significant reduction in `` chaotic brain activity '' associated with seizures , Mr Hughes said .
Charlie 's parents say they will only be able to afford another six months of the medication without an NHS prescription .
They have been paying between £1,000 and £3,000 a month for oil made from the whole cannabis plant .
A High Court judge has accepted the family 's application for a judicial review of the NICE guidance on two grounds .
The family 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an adequate consultation when producing the guidelines , and that it failed to take into account relevant evidence , including that compiled when medical cannabis was legalised .
Cannabis-based medicines were made legal at the end of 2018 , to be prescribed by specialists for patients who can not be helped by other available drugs .
Changing the law involved the government recognising that cannabis had some medicinal benefit .
The chief medical officer for England at the time , Dame Sally Davies , said there was `` conclusive evidence of therapeutic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonable evidence in several other medical conditions '' .
Epilepsy was on the list of conditions for which there was stronger evidence .
NICE contends that evidence for the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines is so far relatively weak and evidence for its safety is limited .
There have been few large-scale trials .
When the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs carried out a review ahead of the law being changed , while it agreed there was some evidence for its benefits , it pointed out that more research needed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer acting for the family in the judicial review , said although NICE left the option open to clinicians , its guidance was `` so cautious that the effect is children are n't getting medical cannabis '' .
Mr Hughes said : `` This is an important step in our ongoing fight for our son Charlie to receive the medicine he needs on the NHS .
`` NICE will now have to explain and justify in the High Court the guideline which prevents Charlie , and others like him , from being prescribed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his rare form of epilepsy . ''

When the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs carried out a review ahead of the law being changed, while it agreed there was some evidence for its benefits, it pointed out that more research needed to be done.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Restrictions on laxative sales in the UK to stop misuse

The UK government is imposing stricter regulations on the sale of laxatives , to help prevent their misuse .
The drugs , designed to treat constipation , will be sold in smaller packs that carry warnings about never using laxatives for weight control .
People will need to be 18 or older to buy them from pharmacies and supermarkets .
Rebecca Wojturska , who has overused the drugs in the past , welcomed the safeguards .
The 30-year-old , from Fife , said although eating disorders did not discriminate by age , many sufferers were younger than 18 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop selling them to people younger than 18 , '' she said .
`` It 's another barrier that could help . ''
The eating disorders charity Beat said its own research had found many sufferers who abused laxatives had bought them over the counter .
Parents and carers will still be able to buy stimulant laxatives for short-term use in children aged 12 and over .
But they should seek advice from a prescriber such as their GP if the child is younger than 12 or they are worried about their child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) says .
Laxatives are safe drugs when used as recommended - but overuse can cause diarrhoea , dehydration and imbalances that can lead to kidney failure .
And anyone with regular bouts of constipation is advised against the long-term use of stimulant laxatives - including products containing bisacodyl , senna or sodium picosulfate - which can result in damage to the digestive system , including chronic constipation and damage to the nerves and muscles of the colon .
Dr Sarah Branch , from the MHRA , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief to some people with occasional constipation .
`` And most people use these medicines safely .
`` However , there is evidence of misuse by people with eating disorders , and of long-term use by the elderly , as well as inappropriate use in children .
`` We believe these new measures are necessary to address the risks associated with misuse , while continuing to allow safe and appropriate access to these medicines without prescription to treat short-term constipation . ''
If you 've been affected by eating disorders , help and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Line .
Products available for general sale ( in shops and supermarkets ) will be limited to a pack size equivalent to two short treatment courses ( up to 20 standard-strength tablets , 10 maximum-strength tablets or 100ml solution/syrup ) .
This limit is to reflect that these medicines should be used for only short-term , occasional constipation .
Pharmacies will continue to hold larger packs of up to 100 tablets for use in adults and children aged 12 years or older , under the supervision of a pharmacist .
• SURVIVING THE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to catch-up '

And anyone with regular bouts of constipation is advised against the long-term use of stimulant laxatives - including products containing bisacodyl, senna or sodium picosulfate - which can result in damage to the digestive system, including chronic constipation and damage to the nerves and muscles of the colon.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Mother in court charged with murdering son in Acton

A mother has appeared in court charged with murdering her 10-year-old son who was found dead in a west London @ @ @ @ @ body was discovered in a property in Cumberland Park , Acton , after a woman @ @ @ @ @ in the early hours of Sunday .
Olga Freeman , 40 , of Cumberland Park @ @ @ @ @ ' Court and was remanded in custody .
The boy 's father , Dean Freeman @ @ @ @ @ `` beautiful , bright , inquisitive and artistic child '' .
He said he `` @ @ @ @ @ art galleries and swim '' .
`` I ca n't begin to comprehend his loss @ @ @ @ @ A spokesperson for Mr Freeman said the celebrity photographer had been in Spain `` when @ @ @ @ @ heart-breaking news , and is beyond devastated '' .
He is also the son of @ @ @ @ @ first five album covers for The Beatles .
Olga Freeman is due to next appear @ @ @ @ @ 19 August .

A spokesperson for Mr Freeman said the celebrity photographer had been in Spain "when he heard the shocking and heart-breaking news, and is beyond devastated".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Exams U-turn and socially-distanced salsa

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Monday evening .
We 'll have another update for you on Tuesday morning .
After days of anger from pupils and teachers about how A-level results were calculated , students in England , Wales and Northern Ireland will now be able to receive grades estimated by their teachers , rather than by an algorithm .
GCSE results , which come out on Thursday , will be awarded in the same way .
It comes after about 40 % of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools ' prior grades - with exams cancelled because of the pandemic .
The U-turn means some pupils will no longer lose out on university places - but for others it is too late .
With most pupils not in school for months , lockdown widened learning gaps between richer and poorer primary school children , an analysis of thousands of families in England suggests .
Children from poorer families did at least one hour less learning a day compared with those in richer families , the Institute of Fiscal Studies found .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to two years to bring some children back to their correct attainment level .
More than 100,000 people have signed up to take part in future NHS trials of a coronavirus vaccine - but researchers say more volunteers are needed .
They want as many people as possible to enrol , to speed up their efforts to find a safe and effective jab .
They are particularly looking for more volunteers from the `` high-priority groups '' disproportionately affected by the virus - those belonging to ethnic minorities or aged over 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked at how close we are to getting a vaccine here .
Ryanair has said it will cut capacity by 20 % in September and October following `` notably weakened '' bookings in recent days .
The airline said the drop was driven by `` uncertainty over recent Covid case rates in some EU countries '' .
It said cuts will mostly be in flight numbers as opposed to route closures and they will be `` heavily focused '' on countries where virus rates have led to the UK and Ireland re-imposing travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't necessarily something you would think could be compatible with social distancing .
But one dance teacher in Peterborough is giving it a go - with participants asked to stay within self-contained boxes rather than holding their partner .
Jessica Guastella admitted it was not ideal , but said it was better than having to hold classes entirely on video calls .
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Plus , find out how to get 50 % off your dinner this evening by reading our explainer on the government 's `` eat out to help out '' scheme .
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Use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • FOOD REVOLUTION : Is the way we produce and buy food set to change for good ?

After days of anger from pupils and teachers about how A-level results were calculated, students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will now be able to receive grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by an algorithm. GCSE results, which come out on Thursday, will be awarded in the same way. It comes after about 40% of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual, which used a formula based on schools' prior grades - with exams cancelled because of the pandemic. The U-turn means some pupils will no longer lose out on university places - but for others it is too late.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--A-levels and GCSEs: How did the exam algorithm work?

Why did some schools feel they had been treated unfairly ?
Why did it benefit private schools ?
Private schools @ @ @ @ @ better-funded - and in most years will perform well in terms of exam results .
@ @ @ @ @ performance will put students from these schools at an advantage compared with their state-educated equivalents @ @ @ @ @ in place ?
What happens next ?
Grade inflation is when grades increase substantially , @ @ @ @ @ one year with another .
This can cause problems , because students from this year @ @ @ @ @ previous years for jobs , apprenticeships or university places .

A-levels and GCSEs: How did the exam algorithm work? Published 20 August 2020
Image source, Reuters
GCSE students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are receiving results based on teacher assessments, after a last-minute change to the system.
They were originally due to receive marks worked out in a mathematical model, or algorithm, but this was abandoned following an uproar over last week's A-level results.
It follows a similar change in Scotland.
How were GCSE and A-level grades originally decided?
Students in the UK did not sit exams this year because schools were closed following the coronavirus lockdown.
In England, they were given grades by the official exam regulator, Ofqual.
Teachers were asked to supply for each pupil for every subject:
An estimated grade
A ranking compared with every other pupil at the school within that same estimated grade
These were put through an algorithm, which also factored in the school's performances in each subject over the previous three years.
The idea was that the grades this year - even without exams - would be consistent with how schools had done in the past.
The teachers' rankings would decide which pupils received the top grades in their particular school.
Ofqual said this was a more accurate way of awarding grades than simply relying on teachers' assessments.
It argued that teachers were likely to be more generous in assigning an estimated mark, and this might lead to grade inflation - a much higher number of pupils getting the top grades.
Similar algorithms were applied for pupils in Wales and Northern Ireland. They were also used in Scotland for the Scottish Higher qualification, which is broadly comparable with A-levels.
What happened?
When A-level grades were announced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 13 August, nearly 40% were lower than teachers' assessments.
There were similar issues in Scotland.
In England, 36% of entries had a lower grade than teachers recommended and 3% were down two grades.
What's more, the downgrading affected state schools much more than the private sector.
The prime minister defended the system as "robust", but there was widespread criticism from schools and colleges, as well as from the opposition and some Conservative MPs.
Why did some schools feel they had been treated unfairly?
Ofqual said that its objective for A-level results was to ensure that national results were "broadly similar to previous years".
However, by basing it so much around previous school performance, a bright student from an underperforming school was likely to have their results downgraded through no fault of their own.
Likewise, a school which was in the process of rapid improvement would not have seen this progress reflected in results.
In Scotland, figures showed that the Scottish Higher pass rate for pupils from the most deprived backgrounds was reduced by 15.2 percentage points, compared with only 6.9 percentage points for the wealthiest pupils.
Why did it benefit private schools?
Private schools are usually selective - and better-funded - and in most years will perform well in terms of exam results. An algorithm based on past performance will put students from these schools at an advantage compared with their state-educated equivalents.
There was a further factor at work according to statisticians Philip Nye and Dave Thompson of FFT Education Datalab. They said class sizes in independent schools are usually significantly smaller than in state schools.
Where there were fewer than five pupils studying a subject at a school, their grades were decided only on the basis of teachers' estimates.
Where there were between five and 15 entrants for a subject, teachers' assessments would still be given more weight.
When did the government change its mind?
On 17 August, the government announced that A-level results would be changed to reflect the original teachers' estimates - the so-called centre assessed grade or CAG - rather than the result produced by the algorithm.
The only exception would be if a student had received a higher grade from the algorithm than the CAG.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged "significant inconsistencies" in the grading process and apologised for the "distress" caused.
He also announced that GCSE results would be decided according to teacher assessments.
What happens next?
This year has seen a considerable amount of grade inflation as a result of the last week's events.
Universities now have to deal with a rush for places by students who had previously been downgraded.
Alistair Jarvis, the head of the university body Universities UK, says there are "challenges" ahead, such as capacity, staffing and facilities.
Many universities will be able to accept extra students, particularly now the government has withdrawn its cap on the numbers each institution can admit.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the government is "absolutely looking at" also lifting the cap on the number of places to study medicine.
But there could be logistical problems for some oversubscribed universities or courses.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--BTec Nationals: Who are the students who didn't just do A-levels?

As A-level students learn that grades will be awarded by teacher estimates rather than by an algorithm , many BTec students are still waiting for their marks .
So what is being done to make sure vocational students are treated fairly ?
Studied over one or two years , BTec Nationals are vocational qualifications which provide work-based skills across areas including business , healthcare and engineering .
They are assessed over the course of the qualification through exams , practical coursework and often placements .
They can be used to attend university ( similar to A-levels ) , although many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skills for a specific occupation .
Currently , only A-level students have been affected by changes announced on Monday .
However , Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said : `` We 're very much hoping that this will be encompassing BTecs - we 're just working with the awarding authorities to make sure that that 's the case . ''
It is currently up to individual vocational exam bodies to decide how to mark students .
• How will exam results day be different this year ?
For BTec National students , grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted results for those assessments that did n't happen .
These will then be adapted , based on whether the predicted grades are higher than usual for a particular college .
This is similar to how A-level students were marked .
However , BTec students do far more graded assessments throughout the year , meaning predicted grades were more similar to previous years , according to Pearson , the company which runs BTecs .
Ofqual has said that , where vocational qualifications are being used to progress to university , they should try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than insist on further assessments .
However , some courses which rely on practical assessments , such as lab work or childcare , have been adapted .
For example , by using video calls to allow assessments to be done while still complying with social distancing rules .
Why do some students not have results ?
Some BTec National students are still waiting for results , which were due on Thursday 13 August .
Pearson , the company which runs BTecs , has apologised for the delay .
Pearson did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is offering to speak to universities on behalf of affected students .
If your BTec National marks were calculated based on completed assessments and predicted grades , you can appeal to your education provider .
They can then take your case to Pearson , the body that runs BTecs .
It might also be possible to complete your assessments in the autumn , although you should check based on the type of course you 're on .
Who takes BTecs and why ?
It was estimated just under 250,000 students completed BTec Nationals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who sat A-levels in 2018 .
BTec Nationals can be sat by any age group - in fact , most are taken by those over the age of 22 , as they develop practical skills for their careers .
The most popular subjects in 2019 were business , sport and health and social care .
About 20 % of university students in England are accepted after studying only BTec Nationals .
Another 10 % are accepted into higher education with a combination of A-levels and BTecs .
BTec Nationals are particularly popular among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Social Market Foundation ( SMF ) think tank .
In 2016 , 31 % of this group who were accepted into higher education had studied just BTec Nationals .
Students from ethnic-minority backgrounds are also more likely to have these qualifications , including 37 % of black students .
What BTec subjects are there ?
There are more than 2,000 different courses .
These provide practical experience of everything from aeronautical engineering to hairdressing and forensic investigation .
BTecs are awarded by a private organisation , the education and training company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Ireland have BTecs , Scotland has its own Scottish Vocational Qualifications .
How do BTecs compare with other qualifications ?
However , other BTecs include those equivalent to a GCSE ( BTec Firsts ) and the first year of university ( BTec Higher Nationals ) .
What about other vocational qualifications ?
According to Ofqual , there are currently more than 12,000 vocational qualifications at all levels , offered by more than 150 awarding organisations .
Beyond BTec , other organisations , such as City and Guilds and the OCR ( Oxford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also offer vocational qualifications .
And students can have a wide range of courses in a single subject from which to choose .
There are currently 34 qualifications alone for those aiming for a career in plumbing .
However , in July 2016 then Prime Minister Theresa May announced plans to slash the number of courses available .
It said this would help avoid confusion for students and employers and to redress what it considered to be an imbalance between post-16 technical and academic qualifications .
So , the autumn of 2020 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new qualification , the Technical or T-level .
These new two-year courses will follow on from GCSEs and be equivalent to three A-levels .
Do you have a question about your exam results ?
Use the form to send it to us .
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .

BTec results 2021: What are they and when are results out? Published 9 August 2021
Image source, Getty Images
Hundreds of thousands of students are due to receive their BTec results this week.
These exams are aimed at people interested in working in a particular industry, such as engineering, hospitality and childcare.
How will results be decided this year?
BTec students will receive teacher-assessed grades this year - no external assessments or algorithms will be used. This is the same as GCSE and A-level students.
The exception to this is BTec students taking qualifications that can only be required through practical assessment, such as an electrician. In these instances, external assessments will still be used to check skills. They were adapted to allow for social distancing.
Students will receive their results on the same days as A-level and GCSE students, which will be 10 and 12 August respectively.
What are BTec Nationals and BTec Firsts?
BTecs - which stand for the Business and Technology Education Council - are practical qualifications that are aimed at specific job or career sectors.
Construction, electrical engineering and art and design are just some of the many BTec qualifications that are available.
Courses are assessed through exams, practical coursework and often, placements.
Other vocational qualifications such as City and Guilds are also available.
BTec Nationals are studied over one or two years and are similar to A-levels. Many students take a combination of BTecs and A-levels. BTecs can be used to get into university, although many use them to have occupation-specific skills.
BTec Firsts are equivalent to one or more GCSEs, and are often taken alongside them. They can be helpful for people trying to get into further education colleges.
What do I do if I'm unhappy with my grades?
You can ask your school or college to appeal to the organisation running your BTec.
You can also appeal directly.
The awarding organisation will review the result and send you a final report.
If you're still not satisfied you can make a complaint to the regulator Ofqual.
It might also be possible to complete your assessments in the autumn, although you should check based on your course.
Image source, Getty Images
Who takes BTec Nationals and why?
It was estimated just under 250,000 students completed BTec Nationals in 2019, compared with about 245,000 who sat A-levels.
A further 200,000 are estimated to sit BTec Firsts and other BTec qualifications.
BTec Nationals can be sat by any age group - in fact, most are taken by those over the age of 22, as they develop practical career skills.
The most popular subjects in 2019 were business, sport and health and social care.
About 20% of university students in England are accepted after studying only BTec Nationals. Another 10% are accepted into higher education with a combination of A-levels and BTecs.
In 2016, 31% of this group who were accepted into higher education had studied only BTec Nationals.
Students from ethnic minority backgrounds are also more likely to have these qualifications, including 37% of black students.
What criticism has there been of vocational qualifications?
According to Ofqual, there are currently more than 12,000 vocational qualifications at all levels, offered by more than 150 awarding organisations.
Beyond BTec, other organisations, such as City and Guilds and the OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations), also offer vocational qualifications. There are 34 different qualifications available for plumbing alone.
Image source, Getty Images
Ofqual has raised concern about inflation in BTec grades.
Between 2005 and 2015, the proportion of students receiving top grades for the "old style" BTecs increased from 21% to 61%. In 2016, a new-style BTec replaced the qualification which had seen the inflation take place.
Grade inflation can mean that employers and universities do not have like for like comparison between different years of students.
What are T-levels?
The government is now introducing a new T-level qualification, which it hopes will redress a potential imbalance between technical and academic qualifications for over-16s.
These new two-year courses will follow on from GCSEs and be equivalent to three A-levels. The first two-year T-level courses started in September 2020 but most of them will be introduced in 2023.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--The algorithms that make big decisions about your life

Thousands of students in England are angry about the controversial use of an algorithm to determine this year 's GCSE and A-level results .
They were unable to sit exams because of lockdown , so the algorithm used data about schools ' results in previous years to determine grades .
It meant about 40 % of this year 's A-level results came out lower than predicted , which has a huge impact on what students are able to do next .
GCSE results are due out on Thursday .
There are many examples of algorithms making big decisions about our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or when they do it .
Here 's a look at some of them .
In many ways , social-media platforms are simply giant algorithms .
At their heart , they work out what you 're interested in and then give you more of it - using as many data points as they can get their hands on .
Every `` like '' , watch , click is stored .
Most apps also glean more data from your web-browsing habits or geographical data .
The idea is to predict the content you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works .
And those same algorithms that know you enjoy a cute-cat video are also deployed to sell you stuff .
All the data social-media companies collect about you can also tailor ads to you in an incredibly accurate way .
But these algorithms can go seriously wrong .
They have been proved to push people towards hateful and extremist content .
Extreme content simply does better than nuance on social media .
And algorithms know that .
Facebook 's own civil-rights audit called for the company to do everything in its power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people toward self-reinforcing echo chambers of extremism '' .
And last month we reported on how algorithms on online retail sites - designed to work out what you want to buy - were pushing racist and hateful products .
Whether it 's house , car , health or any other form of insurance , your insurer has to somehow assess the chances of something actually going wrong .
In many ways , the insurance industry pioneered using data about the past to determine future outcomes - that 's the basis of the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author of Big Data : Does Size Matter .
Getting a computer to do it was always going to be the logical next step .
`` Algorithms can affect your life very much and yet you as an individual do n't necessarily get a lot of input , '' she says .
`` We all know if you move to a different postcode , your insurance goes up or down .
`` That 's not because of you , it 's because other people have been more or less likely to have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or whatever . ''
Innovations such as the `` black box '' that can be installed in a car to monitor how an individual drives have helped to lower the cost of car insurance for careful drivers who find themselves in a high-risk group .
Might we see more personally tailored insurance quotes as algorithms learn more about our own circumstances ?
`` Ultimately the point of insurance is to share the risk - so everybody puts [ money ] in and the people who need it take it out , '' Timandra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfair world , so any model you make is going to be unfair in one way or another . ''
Artificial Intelligence is making great leaps in being able to diagnose various conditions and even suggest treatment paths .
A study published in January 2020 suggested an algorithm performed better than human doctors when it came to identifying breast cancer from mammograms .
• a tool that can predict ovarian-cancer survival rates and help determine treatment choices • artificial intelligence from University College , London , that identified patients most likely to miss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all this requires a vast amount of patient data to train the programmes - and that is , frankly , a rather large can of worms .
In 2017 , the UK Information Commission ruled the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust had not done enough to safeguard patient data when it had shared 1.6 million patient records with Google 's AI division , DeepMind .
`` There 's a fine line between finding exciting new ways to improve care and moving ahead of patients ' expectations , '' said DeepMind 's co-founder Mustafa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and machine learning have the potential to revolutionise policing .
In theory , algorithms have the power to deliver on the sci-fi promise of `` predictive policing '' - using data , such as where crime has happened in the past , when and by whom , to predict where to allocate police resources .
But that method can create algorithmic bias - and even algorithmic racism .
`` It 's the same situation as you have with the exam grades , '' says Areeq Chowdhury , from technology think tank WebRoots Democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual based on what other people have historically done ?
The same communities are always over-represented '' .
Earlier this year , the defence and security think tank RUSI published a report into algorithmic policing .
It raised concerns about the lack of national guidelines or impact assessments .
It also called for more research into how these algorithms might exacerbate racism .
Facial recognition too - used by police forces in the UK including the Met - has also been criticised .
For example , there have been concerns about whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the algorithm racist .
The charge is facial-recognition cameras are more accurate at identifying white faces - because they have more data on white faces .
`` The question is , are you testing it on a diverse enough demographic of people ? ''
Areeq says .
`` What you do n't want is a situation where some groups are being misidentified as a criminal because of the algorithm . ''

"That's not because of you, it's because other people have been more or less likely to have been victims of crime, or had accidents or whatever."


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Families of victims call for full independent inquiry

A support group for people who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 is calling on Boris Johnson to hold an @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Lobby Akinnola and Leigh Morgan Jones of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice say @ @ @ @ @ are learned , and applied in the event of a second wave of the disease @ @ @ @ @ 's Brian Wheeler , Lobby said he believed black and ethnic minority communities were being @ @ @ @ @ father should have gone to hospital sooner and that NHS 111 were too slow to @ @ @ @ @ to these criticisms , an NHS spokesperson said : “ GPs , nurses , paramedics @ @ @ @ @ working in the 111 phone and online service have played a key role in helping @ @ @ @ @ right care and advice – whether for coronavirus or any other urgent medical needs .
@ @ @ @ @ promised that an inquiry will be held into the pandemic `` in the future '' @ @ @ @ @ the `` right moment '' .

A support group for people who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 is calling on Boris Johnson to hold an immediate public inquiry into the pandemic.
Lobby Akinnola and Leigh Morgan Jones of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice say it's vital that lessons are learned, and applied in the event of a second wave of the disease.
Speaking to the BBC's Brian Wheeler, Lobby said he believed black and ethnic minority communities were being neglected.
Leigh thought her father should have gone to hospital sooner and that NHS 111 were too slow to spot symptoms.
He had collapsed a number of times but her mother had been told three times that he did not need to be hospitalised.
"111, for me, let Dad down and they let him down badly," said Leigh.
In response to these criticisms, an NHS spokesperson said: “GPs, nurses, paramedics and other health service staff working in the 111 phone and online service have played a key role in helping millions of people get the right care and advice – whether for coronavirus or any other urgent medical needs."
The prime minister has promised that an inquiry will be held into the pandemic "in the future" but that now is not the "right moment".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--RSPCA calls for more regulation in pet industry

Home footage has captured a dog walker hitting a pet in her care , as campaigners call for more regulation @ @ @ @ @ .
Not all local authorities require dog walkers , trainers and groomers to have qualifications @ @ @ @ @ say the RSPCA , and this can lead to some animals being put at risk @ @ @ @ @ Jones reports on cases where people have caused dogs harm while hired to look after @ @

Home footage has captured a dog walker hitting a pet in her care, as campaigners call for more regulation and licensing across the industry.
Not all local authorities require dog walkers, trainers and groomers to have qualifications and licences to operate, say the RSPCA, and this can lead to some animals being put at risk.
The BBC's Claire Jones reports on cases where people have caused dogs harm while hired to look after them.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--GCSE and A-level exams: Williamson 'incredibly sorry for exams unfairness'

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said it was `` the right thing to act '' when it became clear that @ @ @ @ @ were unfair .
He said that although the government had worked to ensure a broad-ranging @ @ @ @ @ now be given the grades estimated by their teachers .

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said it was "the right thing to act" when it became clear that the A-level and GCSE results were unfair.
He said that although the government had worked to ensure a broad-ranging appeals process, students would now be given the grades estimated by their teachers.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Students to be awarded teacher predicted grades

The head of Ofqual has apologised to students for the distress caused by results produced by an algorithm .
The @ @ @ @ @ students whose results were downgraded will now be given grades estimated by their teachers .
@ @ @ @ @ was clear that the system might have had `` technical merit but it simply has @ @ @ @ @ '' .

The head of Ofqual has apologised to students for the distress caused by results produced by an algorithm.
The government has announced that A-Level students whose results were downgraded will now be given grades estimated by their teachers.
Roger Taylor said that it was clear that the system might have had "technical merit but it simply has not been an acceptable experience".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Poorer children's education could take 'over a year' to recover

The BBC has gained access inside a school in St Helens , in which more than 60 % of pupils @ @ @ @ @ Children and their parents spoke about the educational struggles they face and the ways coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ The CEO of the Three Saints Academy Trust , Kirsty Tennyson , says the gap @ @ @ @ @ grown hugely during lockdown .
She says it will take well over a year – @ @ @ @ @ cases – to bring poorer children back to the academic level they should be at @ @ @ @ @ figures show that primary school children from the poorest families in England were doing over @ @ @ @ @ day in lockdown , compared with children from richer families , according to the Institute @ @ @ @ @ Department for Education said a £350m tutoring scheme would help disadvantaged pupils , and that @ @ @ @ @ more than 200,000 laptops and tablets to vulnerable children and those preparing for exams .

The BBC has gained access inside a school in St Helens, in which more than 60% of pupils receive free school meals.
Children and their parents spoke about the educational struggles they face and the ways coronavirus has made these worse.
The CEO of the Three Saints Academy Trust, Kirsty Tennyson, says the gap in educational inequalities will have grown hugely during lockdown.
She says it will take well over a year – and even longer in some cases – to bring poorer children back to the academic level they should be at.
This comes as new figures show that primary school children from the poorest families in England were doing over an hour less learning each day in lockdown, compared with children from richer families, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies.
The Department for Education said a £350m tutoring scheme would help disadvantaged pupils, and that during lockdown the government provided more than 200,000 laptops and tablets to vulnerable children and those preparing for exams.
Correspondent: Ed Thomas
Camera: Stephen Fildes
Editing: Nick Woolley
Producer: Claire Kendall


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Newspaper headlines: Exams U-turn after 'Williamson caves in'

`` Williamson shifts blame on to exam watchdog '' is the Daily Telegraph 's take on the story .
It @ @ @ @ @ resign after apologising to students .
But it says he has blamed Ofqual , and @ @ @ @ @ been `` constantly reassured '' by senior officials at the regulator that the system was @ @

Smartphones can tell when a user is tipsy and could soon be used to warn people against potentially "risky behaviour", the Sun reports. Researchers at Stanford University in California have found motion sensors in modern phones can spot the changes in the way someone walks after having even a small amount of alcohol. They hope to use this to set up alerts to stop people undertaking dangerous behaviour like driving under the influence.


bbcuk--2020-08-18--£50m M49 junction at Bristol unused as link road unbuilt

A new £50m motorway junction near Bristol has yet to open because developers have not built a link road to it , the BBC has found .
The new route on the M49 at Avonmouth was due to connect to a distribution centre with the motorway network .
The junction was completed in late 2019 .
Despite it being complete for more than eight months , traffic is yet to use it .
South Gloucestershire Council said it was `` working to influence '' the developers to build the link road .
Major companies using the distribution park include Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DHL and The Range .
Royal Mail also has a distribution centre on the park .
But currently any drivers that used the motorway junction would reach a fenced-off dead-end from which they could see the Amazon warehouse but not be able to drive to it .
A former worker at the distribution park , James Long , accused the government of `` messing up '' and said the situation was a `` disgrace '' and `` insult '' , claiming the business park owners were `` holding the public to ransom '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nearby village of Pilning , said `` thousands '' of lorries were instead using a nearby A road to access the motorway network .
The new junction would be the only one on the short M49 route , which links the M5 at Avonmouth with the Prince of Wales Bridge that crosses the River Severn .
Two companies are named as the landowners - Severnside Distribution Land and Delta Properties .
Neither have responded to requests for comment from the BBC .
A not-for-profit firm , SevernNet , which represents businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidently disappointing for all parties that the new junction can not be used yet '' .
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said `` responsibility for building the link road ... lies solely with the landowner '' and the council was working to `` influence and help facilitate construction '' of the road in a `` timely manner '' .
Highways England , which built the junction , said : `` South Gloucestershire Council is currently working towards [ building the road ] with developers . ''

But currently any drivers that used the motorway junction would reach a fenced-off dead-end from which they could see the Amazon warehouse but not be able to drive to it.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Coronavirus: Asylum seekers in Glasgow may be in hotels until end of year

The company responsible for housing asylum seekers in Glasgow is likely to still be using hotels for accommodation at the end of this year , BBC Scotland has learned .
Mears moved about 350 asylum seekers from flats into hotels at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic .
It did start moving some asylum seekers back into flats last month .
However , BBC Scotland has seen an email which said it will still be using hotels at the end of the year .
Charities have repeatedly raised concerns about the mental health of asylum seekers living in Glasgow hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Adnan Elbi is believed to have taken his own life and the following month Badreddin Abadlla Adam stabbed six people before he was shot dead by armed police at the Park Inn Hotel in the city .
Mears has said it will continue to do all in its power to end the use of hotels and ensure everyone has a home of their own .
However , an email from the company which has been leaked to BBC Scotland said it would depend on what was available .
It read : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procurement we will still be in hotels by the end of this year . ''
Mears took over the contract in Glasgow following controversy about its predecessor Serco .
Serco had embarked on a campaign of changing locks on flats occupied by asylum seekers whose leave to remain in the UK had been refused .
Shafiq Mohammed , from the Asylum Seeker Housing Project , said `` kettling so many vulnerable people together was a recipe for disaster '' .
He said he was `` appalled '' at the decision , which put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Mr Mohammed urged Mears to reconsider its decision to use the hotels , adding this approach provided the possibility for other asylum seekers to be `` tipped over the edge '' at the prospect of staying in hotels until the end of the year .
He said `` very unwell people with serious mental health issues '' - including those with severe anxiety , depression and insomnia - were being accommodated in these hotels `` with next to no support '' .
Mr Mohammed said he was concerned that their mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come .
Responding , a spokesman for Mears said : `` We currently do not have sufficient accommodation to move all of the people accommodated in hotels out .
`` The major constraint is the availability of suitable vacant accommodation ... Mears will continue to do all in its power to end the use of hotels and ensure everyone has a home of their own . ''
BBC Scotland understands the number of asylum seekers in hotels is now less than 250 across the city .
The Mears spokesman added NHS staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hotels to provide support and refer anyone who needed it for mental health support .
He added : `` We recognise that being in a hotel for a long period is difficult for service users and we have prioritised moves to dispersed accommodation for people who have been in hotels for longest , or where there are specific health or welfare concerns .
`` We are working with the Home Office and Glasgow City Council to review and improve the awareness and support around mental health issues amongst asylum seekers .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The use of hotels as asylum accommodation is a temporary measure in response to the unprecedented public health emergency .
`` We are working with local authorities to secure the suitable longer-term accommodation needed . ''
He added : `` We provide all destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and support whilst their application for asylum is being considered , including free meals , access to healthcare and a 24-hour helpline run by an independent charity .
`` This is paid for by the taxpayer so there is no cost to the individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latest cases ?
• DEATHS : Who is dying and where ?
• RULES : What can I now do - and what are the rules ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?

He added: "We recognise that being in a hotel for a long period is difficult for service users and we have prioritised moves to dispersed accommodation for people who have been in hotels for longest, or where there are specific health or welfare concerns.


bbcuk--2020-08-17--Exam results: NI education minister in U-turn on A-level grades

A-level and AS-level students in Northern Ireland will be awarded the highest grade either predicted by their teacher or awarded officially last week .
Education Minister Peter Weir made the announcement on Monday , hours after announcing GCSEs would be based solely on teacher predictions .
The U-turn follows widespread criticism of the way way A-levels were graded .
The Stormont Assembly will meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue .
About 28,000 pupils across Northern Ireland received their A-level results last Thursday .
More than a third of estimated grades allocated by teachers to A-level and AS level students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking at Stormont on Monday , Mr Weir said CCEA was working to release the revised results to candidates `` as quickly as possible '' .
He said : `` My prime concern is to ensure that young people in Northern Ireland are in no way disadvantaged in comparison to their peers elsewhere .
`` Portability and comparability of qualifications is critical for students , particularly in Northern Ireland .
`` In the challenging situation in which we find ourselves , there are no perfect solutions .
`` I hope today 's decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] to go forward positively into higher education , employment or training . ''
A-level and GCSE students in England and Wales will also given grades estimated by their teachers , rather than by an algorithm .
While the proportion of A* to A A-level grades awarded in NI last Thursday rose by 2.3 % , 37 % of estimated grades were lowered ; 5.3 % were raised .
• A third of NI A-level grades lower than predicted Last year , 45.8 % of estimated grades provided by schools matched the student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked to give predicted grades but then other data was used by exams body CCEA to standardise the results .
Standardisation aims to prevent a situation where a school could give all of its pupils unrealistically high marks .
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill welcomed the decision , saying standardisation was `` flawed from the beginning '' .
She said : `` Many students have been through a tough number of days .
Today is a win for them . ''
SDLP assembly member ( MLA ) Daniel McCrossan said he welcomed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regretted `` the anxiety and distress this has caused for our young people over the last number of days '' .
Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler said it was a `` fair and just resolution '' saying he was glad the Department for Education `` accepted that it is right to place trust in teachers to grade students ' A-level work '' .
Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry MP said it was the `` correct '' decision but that it brought `` major implications for local universities and colleges '' .
NUS-USI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge relief '' to students who `` have faced months of uncertainty already '' .
She said : `` This victory belongs to students who would not accept their futures being decided by an unjust algorithm .
`` We 've seen students mobilise and protest in NI , Scotland , Wales and England to force four U-turns from each respective government . ''
No minister likes being forced into a U-turn , especially one they had repeatedly said they would not make .
But in the end it seems the decision was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of changes to A-level results for students in other parts of the UK .
The minister conceded he had finally moved because NI 's 16 , 17 and 18-year-olds could not be the only ones left with standardised grades .
But there 's still the question of timing .
While there will be relief for students , teachers and parents alike , some will argue the past five days of debate and stress could have been avoided altogether .
Mr Weir is n't out of the woods yet and will face more questioning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the assembly tomorrow .
The pressure may have eased as a result of today 's move , but it has n't subsided completely .
On Tuesday morning , Mr Weir said GCSEs taken with exams body CCEA - which provides about 97 % of GCSE exams in Northern Ireland - would be not be subject to standardisation .
Following the cancellation of exams in March , CCEA was instructed by Mr Weir to ensure the calculated results in 2020 were broadly in line with performance in recent years .
CCEA asked teachers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then rank them in order within their class .
It then used other data to standardise the results .
For A-levels , the model used pupils ' AS-level results and resit data .
By Sunday night , representatives from all parties had signed an SDLP motion , representing Sinn Féin , the Ulster Unionists , Alliance , People Before Profit , the Green Party , Traditional Unionist Voice and independent MLAs Claire Sugden , Trevor Lunn and Jim Wells , who no longer holds the DUP whip .
Speaker Alex Maskey agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate the issue , although this was decided prior to Mr Weir 's U-turn .

Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler said it was a "fair and just resolution" saying he was glad the Department for Education "accepted that it is right to place trust in teachers to grade students' A-level work".


bbcuk--2020-08-17--GCSEs and A-levels grades U-turn: 'A triumph for Welsh students'

Students have spoken of their `` massive relief '' after they were given the A-Level results they were fighting for .
The Welsh Government announced a U-turn on Monday and said those and GCSE results estimated by teachers would now be used , rather than those produced by an algorithm .
There had been outrage after 42 % of A-level grades in Wales were downgraded because of the system .
For some students , the change means future plans are no longer in tatters .
Universities said they were `` working hard to place applicants on the course of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Llangorse , near Brecon , was devastated to learn her dreams of a career in medicine were in jeopardy after being awarded A* , B , C and D instead of her predicted A* , A , A , B .
She said the announcement over centre-assessed grades was `` an absolute triumph for all Welsh students '' .
• Teacher estimates to be used for Welsh exam grades • How will unis cope with extra students ?
And other questions • How did the A-level algorithm work ?
The Crickhowell High School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Liverpool University , said : `` I burst out crying straight away .
I do n't think I 've ever been so happy in my life .
`` Not just for me , but for everyone .
These A-levels are for life , they are the most important things to get you on your next steps from school to university . ''
But she added she might have some difficult decisions to make , as the universities had filled so many places .
`` Fingers crossed it 's a place in Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit me in or next year if I have to defer , or a place this year at Southampton University , also for medicine , '' Ms Gould said .
`` As soon as I heard the news I was on the phone to Liverpool , speaking to them about the next steps .
`` It 's still going to be a struggle for all the universities to try to get all the places , fit all the students in . ''
But , for now , she can celebrate getting the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know if I 've ever been so stressed in my life .
Opening the results ... then finding out it was n't what I wanted .
`` It 's not something anyone wants to go through .
I am so , so relieved , '' she added .
Riley Mann , from Cardiff , had been predicted A* , A , A but got a B , B , C .
He was heartbroken when his dreams of studying physics at Bristol University seemed over , but things are now looking hopeful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was on Thursday , I can tell you that , '' he said .
`` It 's looking like everything 's heading in the right direction and I will be going to the uni that I want to go to and the uni I deserve to go to . ''
What will happen with universities ?
Universities Wales , which represents institutions in Wales , advised students to discuss their options with universities .
`` Every effort will be made by universities to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` Universities admissions teams have been working hard to place applicants on the course of their choice , and they will look at the circumstances of each applicant who has had their results improved as a result of today 's announcement , to ensure that wherever possible they can start a course this term .
`` Our advice to students would be to contact their first-choice university who will be happy to discuss their options .
They also have the choice of applying to courses through clearing , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than ever before . ''
What happened with the initial results ?
Exams were cancelled across the UK after schools shut in March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Last week 's results in Wales were produced by a system known as standardisation - designed to ensure grades were `` as fair as possible '' and consistent with previous years .
Teachers had estimated grades but they were then processed by an algorithm .
The system was criticised by students and politicians for producing unfair grades for individual students after 42 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The U-turn also affects AS-levels , skills challenge certificates and the Welsh Baccalaureate .
But students who received higher grades than those predicted by teachers will keep them .
GCSE results in Wales are due to be published on Thursday .
What has the first minister said ?
Despite the U-turn , on Monday Wales ' First Minister Mark Drakeford defended the original process .
In an interview with BBC Wales , Mr Drakeford said the original process , was `` fairer '' than that used elsewhere in the UK , and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he said the decision to award estimated grades instead was taken because `` we heard early in the day that things were moving elsewhere '' in the United Kingdom .
`` We were determined that we would have a level playing field where our young people were not disadvantaged , '' he said .
What about the rest of the UK ?
Students in England and Northern Ireland will also have their results based on teacher estimates , in decisions taken on Monday .
Pupils in Scotland had their exam results upgraded @ @ @ @ @ @

"Universities admissions teams have been working hard to place applicants on the course of their choice, and they will look at the circumstances of each applicant who has had their results improved as a result of today's announcement, to ensure that wherever possible they can start a course this term.


bbcuk--2020-08-18--A-levels: Gavin Williamson 'incredibly sorry' for exam distress

Gavin Williamson says he is `` incredibly sorry for the distress '' caused to pupils after having to make a U-turn in how A-levels and GCSEs are graded .
The education secretary refused to say if he will resign amid a fresh scramble to secure university places .
`` My focus is making sure youngsters get the grades that they deserve , '' he said .
Institutions are dealing with a surge of demand for places from students rejected due to their original results last week .
The University of Oxford said it now had `` many more offer-holders meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and as a result faced `` significant capacity constraints both within our colleges and on our academic courses '' .
Alistair Jarvis , chief executive of Universities UK which represents vice-chancellors , said that many more students now had the grades to get into their first-choice university .
He said this will `` cause challenges at this late stage in the admissions process - capacity , staffing , placements and facilities - particularly with the social distance measures in place '' .
Ministers in England , Northern Ireland and Wales all decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results were issued - to revert to teacher assessed grades rather than an algorithm designed to moderate them .
It followed an outcry after 40 % of A-level results were downgraded by exams regulator Ofqual , which used a formula based on schools ' prior grades .
• Exam results : Where did it go wrong and what happens next ?
• How will universities cope with extra students ?
And other questions • A-levels and GCSEs : How did the exam algorithm work ?
`` I would like to start off by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young people who 've been affected by this .
This is something none of us expected to see and none of us wanted to see , '' Mr Williamson told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
Mr Williamson said it had been the common view of the government , Ofqual , and the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland of different political parties that the system in place was more robust and `` significantly better '' than that in Scotland , after an earlier U-turn there .
But after the release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it `` became increasingly apparent that there were too many young people that quite simply had n't got the grade they truly deserved '' .
The `` exact same challenge '' would have remained had there been a U-turn earlier , he said , and `` we would still be faced with the challenge of the fact of how do we expand the capacity within the university sector '' .
He refused to address questions about his future as education secretary during interviews on Tuesday morning and he declined to offer explicit support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collier , to stay in her job .
Mr Williamson later told LBC : `` We ended up in a situation where Ofqual did n't deliver the system that we had been reassured and believed that would be in place . ''
Labour 's shadow higher education minister Emma Hardy told Breakfast it appeared Ofqual had been `` thrown under the bus '' by the government despite it working to ministers ' instructions during the pandemic .
Ofqual 's algorithm came under fire for its perceived unfairness after data showed poorer students ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off pupils .
• NI : Assembly recall over exam results to go ahead The government 's U-turn means teachers ' assessments will also be used for all GCSE results - except for any cases where the algorithm adjustment actually suggests a better grade .
It is still unclear what the climbdown will mean for students taking vocational qualifications , including BTecs , with students telling BBC Radio 1 's Newsbeat : `` We 've been forgotten about . ''
Mr Williamson said he hoped they would also be subject to teacher-assessed grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with awarding authorities to ensure this happened .
As part of the changes to grading , Mr Williamson has suspended a cap on student numbers for universities - effectively allowing institutions to accept unlimited numbers this year .
• 11 August : Gavin Williamson announced A-level students would be able to use their results in mock tests to appeal if they are unhappy with the grades they are given , calling it a `` safety net '' .
Earlier in the day Scotland 's government decided to switch to teachers ' predicted grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools minister for England , acknowledged the government was `` concerned '' about what had happened in Scotland but insisted the system in England remained `` robust '' • Thursday 13 August ( results day ) : Mr Williamson ruled out following the Scottish government in reversing position , telling Sky News : `` You 've got to have a system that has checks and balances '' .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the results were a `` robust set of grades '' • Saturday : Mr Williamson told the Times there would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grading system , saying Scotland had ended up with `` a system where there are n't any controls '' and had `` rampant grade inflation '' • Sunday : Mr Williamson defended Ofqual 's grading method in the Sunday Express , saying the calculated grade `` makes certain that everyone can be confident that these qualifications carry the same weight as previous years '' • Monday : Mr Williamson announces a move to teacher-assessed grades for A-levels and GCSES saying `` we now believe it is better '' Dr Tim Bradshaw , chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 leading universities , said there were `` limits to what can be done by the university sector alone to address that uncertainty without stretching resources to the point that it undermines the experience for all '' .
Some students are now anxiously waiting to find out if they will now be accepted on to their courses .
Zainab Ali , 18 , from London , was initially rejected from her first-choice of Queen Mary University of London .
`` I felt like I 've been really let down .
It was really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Emily King , from Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire , said being downgraded from a C to a U in her A-level biology had `` really knocked her confidence '' and meant she had been rejected by the University of Lincoln .
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
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• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our experts have answers • THE R NUMBER : What it means and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durham , Sheffield and Liverpool stopped offering places through the clearing system that matches students to unfilled courses on Monday .
Bristol later said it would accept all applicants who now met the terms of an offer and Sheffield said it would do so `` wherever possible '' .
Ucas was unable to say how many students had not been able to take up places due to their results being downgraded .
Neither it nor universities have yet been granted access to upgraded results .
It said its latest figures early on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been placed at their first choice university since the results were released last week , slightly up on the same point last year • 45,300 candidates had accepted a place at a back-up choice university , and a further 25,190 candidates had found a place through clearing .
• This means that a maximum of around 60,000 students could have accepted offers at lower-choice universities due to the exam results chaos - although it is likely to be less than that as some would still have fallen short of the grades needed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have not got into their first-choice institution should seek advice from their parents or teachers before contacting the university .
Sam Freedman , who was a senior policy adviser to the Department for Education between 2010 and 2013 , said it `` beggared belief '' that the secretary of state had said he was only aware of problems over the weekend .
`` I ca n't think of many other education secretaries who would n't have already resigned , '' he said .
Meanwhile Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of these results sums up their handling of this pandemic : incompetent . ''
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But she said the U-turn "does feel like it's a bit too late" and added: "I kind of wish the government had done this on Thursday." She is now waiting to hear if her first choice, the University of Liverpool, will accept her to study this year.


bbcuk--2020-08-18--M&S to cut 7,000 jobs over next three months

Marks & Spencer is cutting 7,000 jobs over the next three months across its stores and management .
It said the coronavirus pandemic had made it clear there had been a `` material shift in trade '' .
In-store sales of clothing and home goods were `` well below '' 2019 , although online and home deliveries were strong .
M & S said it hoped a `` significant proportion '' of the cuts - about a tenth of its workforce - will be voluntary redundancy and early retirement .
In a statement , M & S said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where a new post-Covid sales mix will settle .
We must now act to reflect this change '' .
But the retailer said operating during the pandemic had showed it could work `` more flexibly and productively '' , with more staff multi-tasking and moving between food , clothing and home departments .
M & S said total sales in its hard-hit clothing and home arm plunged 29.9 % in the eight weeks since shops reopened , with store sales tumbling 47.9 % and online surging 39.2 % .
At the height of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rowe said customers might `` never shop the same way again '' after the coronavirus crisis .
And last month the retailer announced 950 store management and head office jobs were at risk because it needed to accelerate its restructuring .
• Shopping may never be the same again , says M & S Alongside Tuesday 's announcement of more job cuts Mr Rowe said : `` In May we outlined our plans to learn from the crisis , accelerate our transformation and deliver a stronger , more agile business in a world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever .
`` Three months on and our 'Never the Same Again ' programme is progressing ; albeit the outlook is uncertain and we remain cautious .
He said the proposals to `` further streamline store operations and management '' were an `` important step in becoming a leaner , faster business set up to serve changing customer needs '' .
Retail Economics chief executive Richard Lim said the cuts represented a `` massive reduction '' in the M & S workforce .
The retailer was `` desperately attempting to reposition the business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` Retailers were already battling with the pace of structural change facing the sector but the impact of the pandemic has been a step-change for the industry . ''
He said retailers remained in `` survival mode , preserving cash and hanging on for more sustainable levels of demand to return '' .
`` But the way we shop has changed on a permanent basis for many parts of the sector almost overnight .
`` The reality is that many more retailers will fail and the number of job losses will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is the calm before the storm . ''
In recent weeks , several retailers have announced job cuts , among them John Lewis , which warned 1,300 jobs could go , Boots , which said 4,000 were at risk , and WH Smith , which may shed 1,500 jobs .
Dave Gill , national officer of the shopworkers ' union Usdaw , said Tuesday 's announcement was `` yet another devastating blow for M & S staff and yet another bombshell for our High Streets .
The government has a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the High Street go to the wall , or do they want to help save it '' ?
Marks and Spencer has been in the throes of a big reorganisation of one sort or another for most of the past two decades .
Successive management teams have struggled to come to terms with rapid shifts in consumer behaviour - but none so rapid as what has happened over the past four months .
M & S had already begun what looked like it most serious restructuring in years before the pandemic struck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales - notably with a partnership with Ocado - and to close underperforming stores .
But those plans , drawn up by Chairman Archie Norman and Chief Executive Steve Rowe , have been accelerated by the coronavirus .
The bigger question now is whether the drastic action now being taken is enough to cope not only with the sudden decline in sales brought about by the pandemic , but the longer-term shifts that have so vexed M & S management in the past .
The size of the job cuts suggests that M @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats seriously .
M & S employs almost 78,000 people , most of them in the UK .
The bulk of the latest job cuts are expected to come among shop floor workers , with about 12 % of customer assistant roles going .
Cuts will also be made at head office and in regional management .
However , the company is shifting resources and recruiting towards areas that are expanding - online and food .
M & S said online clothing and home goods sales had been performing strongly since the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last eight weeks had accounted for 41 % of its total clothing and home goods sales .
In the last 13 weeks M & S 's total food sales increased by 2.5 % .
On Tuesday , the latest Kantar grocery index showed that as a whole , the market expanded by 14.4 % in the 12 weeks to 9 August .
Sales at Morrisons increased the most , rising by 16 % over that period .
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Dave Gill, national officer of the shopworkers' union Usdaw, said Tuesday's announcement was "yet another devastating blow for M&S staff and yet another bombshell for our High Streets. The government has a clear choice: do they want to see the High Street go to the wall, or do they want to help save it"?


bbcuk--2020-08-18--Bestival death: Ceon Broughton manslaughter conviction overturned

A rapper who gave his girlfriend drugs at a music festival and filmed her as she died has had his conviction for manslaughter overturned .
Ceon Broughton , 31 , was jailed for eight-and-a-half years in 2019 over the death of Louella Fletcher-Michie , 24 .
The daughter of Holby City actor John Michie died after taking the hallucinogenic class A drug 2-CP at Bestival in Dorset in 2017 .
Three judges at the Court of Appeal ruled to overturn the conviction .
Miss Fletcher-Michie was found dead in woodland , 400m from the festival 's hospital tent in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day she was due to turn 25 .
During Broughton 's trial , the jury was shown video shot by the rapper - who used the stage name CeonRPG - in which Miss Fletcher-Michie became `` disturbed , agitated , and then seriously ill '' .
Broughton , of Enfield , north London , was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence and supplying a Class A drug at Winchester Crown Court in March last year .
Delivering the Court of Appeal 's ruling , Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fletcher-Michie 's surviving if she had she received treatment sooner was `` not capable of establishing causation to the criminal standard '' .
He added : `` In respectful disagreement with the judge , we conclude that the appellant 's main argument , that the case should have been withdrawn from the jury , is established .
`` Taken at its highest , the evidence adduced by the prosecution was incapable of proving causation to the criminal standard of proof .
`` The appeal against conviction for manslaughter must be allowed . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the conviction was quashed said : `` The Court of Appeal has today found that Louella 's death occurred not as a result of criminal negligence but was instead a tragic accident .
`` He has always wished that he could have done more to save her .
`` He loved Louella and she him , but he knows that no words will ever be sufficient to convey his sense of responsibility for what happened or to begin to remove the pain that others have been caused . ''
The Court of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retrial for the manslaughter conviction - which accounted for seven years of Broughton 's sentence .
His conviction for supplying his girlfriend with the class A drugs stands .

Given that the criminal standard of proof requires jurors to be sure "beyond reasonable doubt", Lord Burnett said the expert's evidence was "not enough" and therefore the issue of whether Broughton caused death by gross negligence should not have been for the jury to decide.


bbcuk--2020-08-18--Depression doubles during coronavirus pandemic

Twice as many adults in Britain are reporting symptoms of depression now compared with this time last year , Office for National Statistics figures suggest .
One in five people appeared to have depressive symptoms compared with one in ten before the pandemic .
The conclusions are based on a survey of more than 3,500 adults followed up over a 12-month period .
They were asked the standard set of questions used to assess depression .
People were asked to consider the previous two weeks and say how often they had experienced a range of symptoms , including changes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest and pleasure in doing things , and difficulty concentrating .
Almost 20 % of people met the threshold for depression , based on their responses , in June 2020 compared with just under 10 % in July 2019 .
While the measure of depression used is a well-known screening questionnaire though , Prof Elaine Fox at the University of Oxford , said : `` It is important to remember that this does not give a diagnosis but rather an indication of everyday depressive feelings and behaviours '' .
A small number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvement in their symptoms .
But 13 % of people surveyed had newly developed symptoms of `` moderate to severe '' depression over the survey period .
People under 40 , women , people with a disability and those who said they would struggle to meet an unexpected cost of £850 were the groups most likely to show symptoms of depression .
Of those surveyed who were experiencing some level of depression , people reported feeling most bothered by feelings of stress or anxiety .
Dr Charley Baker , an associate professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said : `` It 's unsurprising to see these rates of low mood and depressive symptoms emerging ...
The people highlighted as struggling the most are those who are already more vulnerable to low mood , anxiety and poorer wellbeing .
`` It 's important though to avoid over-pathologising what might be seen as reasonable responses to the current pandemic , '' she said .
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"If you notice changes to your thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are affecting your daily life, last longer than two weeks, or keep returning - talk to someone you trust, like your GP. A GP should be able to let you know if you might have a common mental health problem, like depression and anxiety, and signpost you to support."