Charges in £35m HBOS loans probe
Eight people are charged in connection with business loans worth £35m made through a branch of HBOS in Reading.
8 January 2013
Last updated at 20:39 GMT
Among those charged are former senior managers at HBOS, Lynden Scourfield, 50, and Mark Dobson, 52.
Thames Valley Police said the charges follow a large-scale investigation into corruption, fraud and money laundering.
HBOS business loans: Eight charged
Eight people have been charged in connection with business loans made through a high street bank to the value of about £35m.
The loans originated from the Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) branch in Reading, Berkshire.Among those charged are former senior managers at HBOS, Lynden Scourfield, 50, and Mark Dobson, 52.
Thames Valley Police said the charges follow a large-scale investigation into corruption, fraud and money laundering.
Flag protests policing costs £7m
8 January 2013
Last updated at 21:15 GMT
Policing has remained largely the same since, apart from a holiday lull.
The figure was revealed as police came under attack with petrol bombs and fireworks for a sixth night in east Belfast.
Bricks and bottles have also been thrown by loyalists in Templemore Avenue, off the Lower Newtownards Road.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it could not comment on the final cost because it did not have up to date figures.
A campaign of street demonstrations started just over a month ago, when Belfast councillors voted on 3 December to limit the days when the union flag flies over Belfast City Hall.
Earlier on Monday, Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said Northern Ireland was being "held to ransom by protesters".
She called for an end to all street demonstrations over flags - even peaceful protests - following a fifth night of rioting in east Belfast.
Rioters used hatchets, sledgehammers and petrol bombs to attack police and their vehicles on Newtownards Road.
The PSNI fired plastic bullets and used water cannon in response.
'Profoundly depressing' Speaking on BBC Radio, Ms Villiers said: "It's not acceptable that those who say they are defending a union flag are actually doing it by hurling bricks and petrol bombs at police. It's disgraceful, frankly."
The secretary of state described the continuing rioting as "profoundly depressing" and said she was "fully supportive of the great efforts the PSNI are making to crack down robustly on those who continue to break the law".
She called for the protests to "come off the streets" in order to allow local politicians to hold all-party talks over flags and emblems.
"We will not be able to get a solution if Belfast and Northern Ireland are being held to ransom by protesters," she said.
Three police officers were injured and eight people were arrested on Monday night, bringing the total number of arrests since the flag protests began to 104.
Four people were later charged in relation to the violence and appeared in court on Monday.
"All these protests have to stop altogether, even the peaceful protests are causing disruption and even they are making it far more difficult to have a proper dialogue to resolve these kinds of issues," Ms Villiers said.
'National security' She added: "Not only is it disgraceful in terms of injuries to police officers and people who live in the areas affected by the riots, it's also doing huge damage to Northern Ireland's image abroad".
The Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Vernon
Coaker said the riots had become a matter of "national security" after
the police said senior loyalist paramilitaries had been involved in the rioting.
Mr Coaker told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: "That makes it, as far as I'm concerned an issue of national security and I think we need, and the secretary of state will need, to make an assessment of what the chief constable has said about that and what needs to be done."
The Labour MP also said the Westminster government had a continuing responsibility to support the Northern Ireland peace process and he condemned the latest violence.
"People may disagree with decisions that are taken but in a democracy you cannot have violence on the streets as a way of trying to bring about change to those decisions.
"The first rule of any democracy, the first rule of any political leader is actually to say that violence is totally unacceptable and cannot be justified and in that sense in London, and indeed in Stormont, we stand with the PSNI and those who are trying to prevent the violence from occurring," Mr Coaker said.
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has again called for the protests and rioting to end.
"The disruption to traders not just in Belfast City Centre, but in East Belfast is becoming extremely serious," said NIIRTA chief executive Glyn Roberts.
"Many of the areas in east Belfast are crying out for new jobs and private sector investment which is not going to happen while rioting and violence continue.
"This is a political problem and can only be resolved by politics and we would urge all of our political leaders to go the extra mile to resolve the flag issue and other grievances and above all to take this problem off the street"
Water cannon have been used during a fifth night of rioting in east Belfast
Monday night was the first time the council met since the vote was passed in December.
Up to 400 people attended what police described as a "largely peaceful" protest outside the building between 18:00 and 19:00 GMT.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has designated 18 days on which the union flag is flown in Northern Ireland in 2013. It may also be flown during the opening and closing of Parliament by the Queen.
Union flag protests cost police over £7m
Julian O'Neill reports for BBC Newsline on a fifth consecutive night of rioting linked to flag protests in Belfast
The cost of policing flag protests in Northern Ireland since they began early last month is believed to be over £7m.
It has been confirmed that the cost of policing protests and
dealing with disorder during the first two weeks, from 3 to 17 December,
was £3.8m.Policing has remained largely the same since, apart from a holiday lull.
The figure was revealed as police came under attack with petrol bombs and fireworks for a sixth night in east Belfast.
Bricks and bottles have also been thrown by loyalists in Templemore Avenue, off the Lower Newtownards Road.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it could not comment on the final cost because it did not have up to date figures.
A campaign of street demonstrations started just over a month ago, when Belfast councillors voted on 3 December to limit the days when the union flag flies over Belfast City Hall.
Earlier on Monday, Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said Northern Ireland was being "held to ransom by protesters".
She called for an end to all street demonstrations over flags - even peaceful protests - following a fifth night of rioting in east Belfast.
Rioters used hatchets, sledgehammers and petrol bombs to attack police and their vehicles on Newtownards Road.
The PSNI fired plastic bullets and used water cannon in response.
'Profoundly depressing' Speaking on BBC Radio, Ms Villiers said: "It's not acceptable that those who say they are defending a union flag are actually doing it by hurling bricks and petrol bombs at police. It's disgraceful, frankly."
The secretary of state described the continuing rioting as "profoundly depressing" and said she was "fully supportive of the great efforts the PSNI are making to crack down robustly on those who continue to break the law".
She called for the protests to "come off the streets" in order to allow local politicians to hold all-party talks over flags and emblems.
"We will not be able to get a solution if Belfast and Northern Ireland are being held to ransom by protesters," she said.
Three police officers were injured and eight people were arrested on Monday night, bringing the total number of arrests since the flag protests began to 104.
Four people were later charged in relation to the violence and appeared in court on Monday.
"All these protests have to stop altogether, even the peaceful protests are causing disruption and even they are making it far more difficult to have a proper dialogue to resolve these kinds of issues," Ms Villiers said.
'National security' She added: "Not only is it disgraceful in terms of injuries to police officers and people who live in the areas affected by the riots, it's also doing huge damage to Northern Ireland's image abroad".
Ms Villiers said the situation was having a "devastating impact on Northern Ireland's image abroad"
Mr Coaker told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme: "That makes it, as far as I'm concerned an issue of national security and I think we need, and the secretary of state will need, to make an assessment of what the chief constable has said about that and what needs to be done."
The Labour MP also said the Westminster government had a continuing responsibility to support the Northern Ireland peace process and he condemned the latest violence.
"People may disagree with decisions that are taken but in a democracy you cannot have violence on the streets as a way of trying to bring about change to those decisions.
"The first rule of any democracy, the first rule of any political leader is actually to say that violence is totally unacceptable and cannot be justified and in that sense in London, and indeed in Stormont, we stand with the PSNI and those who are trying to prevent the violence from occurring," Mr Coaker said.
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has again called for the protests and rioting to end.
"The disruption to traders not just in Belfast City Centre, but in East Belfast is becoming extremely serious," said NIIRTA chief executive Glyn Roberts.
"Many of the areas in east Belfast are crying out for new jobs and private sector investment which is not going to happen while rioting and violence continue.
"This is a political problem and can only be resolved by politics and we would urge all of our political leaders to go the extra mile to resolve the flag issue and other grievances and above all to take this problem off the street"
Water cannon have been used during a fifth night of rioting in east Belfast
Up to 400 people attended what police described as a "largely peaceful" protest outside the building between 18:00 and 19:00 GMT.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has designated 18 days on which the union flag is flown in Northern Ireland in 2013. It may also be flown during the opening and closing of Parliament by the Queen.
DESIGNATED DAYS FOR FLYING THE UNION FLAG* |
|
|---|---|
|
*Source Department of Culture, Media and Sport and subject to review |
|
|
9 January |
Birthday of The Duchess of Cambridge |
|
20 January |
Birthday of The Countess of Wessex |
|
6 February |
Her Majesty's Accession |
|
19 February |
Birthday of The Duke of York |
|
10 March |
Birthday of The Earl of Wessex |
|
11 March |
Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March) |
|
17 March |
St Patrick's Day (in Northern Ireland only) |
|
21 April |
Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen |
|
9 May |
Europe Day |
|
2 June |
Coronation Day |
|
10 June |
Birthday of The Duke of Edinburgh |
|
15 June |
Official Celebration of Her Majesty's Birthday |
|
21 June |
Birthday of The Duke of Cambridge |
|
17 July |
Birthday of The Duchess of Cornwall |
|
15 August |
Birthday of The Princess Royal |
|
10 November |
Remembrance Day (second Sunday) |
|
14 November |
Birthday of The Prince of Wales |
|
20 November |
Her Majesty's Wedding Day |
|
Opening of Parliament by HM The Queen |
|
|
Closing of Parliament by HM The Queen |
|
Network Rail unveils £37.5bn plan
Network Rail unveils £37.5bn investment plan
Dave Higgins, chief executive of Network Rail: ''We
haven't invested to meet demand (in the last 50 years) and playing
catch up is always more expensive''
A £37.5bn plan to develop the UK's railway infrastructure over five years has been announced by Network Rail.
The plan, covering the five years up to 2019, promises faster
journeys, 170,000 more peak-time commuter seats and improved
reliability, but depends on making savings and rising fares. Consumer group Passenger Focus welcomed investment but said it was important to keep travel costs "under control".
Network Rail said it needed to invest now to create a more resilient railway.
Its plans include:
- Spending £600m protecting tracks and bridges against floods and heatwaves and adding 1,000 miles of new electrified lines including the Great Western and Midland Main Lines
- Seeing 225 million more passengers per year and 355,000 more trains in service - the highest numbers ever
- Providing 20% extra morning peak seats into central London and 32% into large regional cities in England and Wales
- Providing 700 more trains a day linking key northern England cities and a 10-minute reduction in journey times between Manchester and Leeds
- Spending £1bn to improve the network in the South and South West
- A move away from more than 800 signal boxes to 14 major operations centres
- Station improvements at Birmingham New Street and Reading, Berkshire, and some £4bn improvements for Scotland including reopening 31 miles of railways closed nearly 50 years ago
Resilient railway However, the plans will be affordable only if Network Rail manages to make these savings. It also assumes fares will keep rising by more than inflation every year to help pay for it.
Continue reading the main story
This is an ambitious wish-list that could make a real difference to train passengers, but money is going to be an issue.
For starters, Network Rail needs to save £3.1bn between 2014 and 2019.
Swapping 800 old signal boxes for 14 swish new operating centres is one plan which they say will save £250m a year, without, they insist, compulsory redundancies.
Then there is safety. The old way of checking a track was to have 30-odd people walking along it, now they have computerised trains carrying two or three people.
Still, saving that kind of cash is a major challenge and they will be under intense pressure not to compromise on safety or jobs to achieve it.
Raising the money depends on inflation staying low, passenger demand staying high, the commercial property market remaining steady and the next government sticking to the current fares policy of yearly, above-inflation rises.
In the current climate none of that is certain, which means some of these fancy new plans might get mothballed if something goes wrong.
Analysis
For starters, Network Rail needs to save £3.1bn between 2014 and 2019.
Swapping 800 old signal boxes for 14 swish new operating centres is one plan which they say will save £250m a year, without, they insist, compulsory redundancies.
Then there is safety. The old way of checking a track was to have 30-odd people walking along it, now they have computerised trains carrying two or three people.
Still, saving that kind of cash is a major challenge and they will be under intense pressure not to compromise on safety or jobs to achieve it.
Raising the money depends on inflation staying low, passenger demand staying high, the commercial property market remaining steady and the next government sticking to the current fares policy of yearly, above-inflation rises.
In the current climate none of that is certain, which means some of these fancy new plans might get mothballed if something goes wrong.
BBC transport correspondent
Richard Westcott said that could mean at least six more years of big
price rises, on top of the 10 years passengers have already experienced.
Network Rail chief executive David Higgins told BBC Radio 4's
Today programme: "We have an amazing railway which is performing out of
its socks, but it is still an old, Victorian railway which costs money
to maintain because it is old and at a very, very high level of
capacity, so getting access to the railway is really difficult."But we have made huge progress. The costs of maintaining and operating the railway in the 10-year period to 2014 have come down by 50%. We have to invest to save. We have to spend now to increase capacity, create a more resilient railway."
Anthony Smith, of consumer group Passenger Focus, said passengers would be pleased to see Network Rail and the train companies "planning together to keep investing to meet key passenger priorities as shown by Passenger Focus research".
However, he added: "Getting costs under control is also a key industry priority to help keep the lid on future rises."
Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: "Early clarity from government on the franchising and regulatory framework for rail will be vital in allowing train companies, Network Rail and our suppliers to deliver the best possible deal for passengers and taxpayers."
Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union said rail passengers had already suffered enough above-inflation fare rises.
"They should not now be expected to face another six years of even higher fares. No-one expects motorists to pay more for new roads or air passengers to pay for new runways." he said.
Network Rail's business plan was unveiled just days after rail fares for season ticket holders in England, Wales and Scotland rose by an average of 4.2% as the annual price hike, announced in August, came into effect.
Overall, ticket prices increased by 3.9%, although rises varied between train operators.
It prompted the TUC to claim that average train fares had risen nearly three times faster than average incomes since 2008.
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