Cruise Ship Passengers Catch Sickness Bug

Dozens of passengers on board a luxury 12-night cruise have fallen ill with a sickness and diarrhoea bug.

Around 130 people contracted a gastroenteritis-type illness on the Fred Olsen-operated Black Watch which sailed from Fife to Scandinavia and the Russian city of St Petersburg.

The cruise started on September 8 with 778 passengers, and 29 people were still ill when it returned to Rosyth on Friday.

Specialist cleaners and health inspectors have been on board to check and clean the ship.

A spokeswoman for Fred Olsen said: "Representatives from the local health authorities and Rosyth Port Health have been on board the ship this morning and have confirmed that they are satisfied with the containment and preventative measures being undertaken by the ship.

"It is frustrating that even with the extra preventative and containment measures that were put in place, a number of guests on board suffered from this illness which is common in hospitals, schools, hotels, cruise ships and other areas where people are in close proximity.

"Symptoms of the illness include a sudden onset of vomiting and or diarrhoea. Some people may have a temperature, headache and stomach cramps. The sickness usually abates within one or two days and there are no long-term effects.

"The health, safety and well-being of all our guests is paramount and we believe that our systems for preventing the spread of illness on board our ships are amongst the best within the industry."

Fred Olsen said passengers were due to set off on the Black Watch for an Iberian cruise on Friday night and have been informed of the situation.

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Plane Diverts To Stansted: Pair Arrested

Two men have been arrested after a plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted Airport.

The Sri Lankan Airlines A330 Airbus, which was carrying 267 passengers and crew, was due to land at Heathrow Airport but was diverted to the Essex airport just after 7.30pm on Friday.

Officers boarded the plane and arrested the pair on suspicion of endangering an aircraft, Essex Police said.

A spokesman for the force said: "The passengers have been removed safely and inquiries are ongoing."

The remaining passengers are being looked after at a reception centre at Stansted and are due to be transferred to Heathrow later this morning.

A spokesman for Stansted said last night: "Stansted Airport can confirm a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A330 diverted into Stansted at approximately 19.30 this evening.

"The aircraft, which was flying from Columbo to Heathrow, landed safely with Essex Police in attendance.

"The airport is open and flights are arriving and departing as normal."

In May this year, two men were arrested on board a plane from Pakistan carrying 297 passengers that was intercepted and diverted to Stansted by RAF typhoon jets.

Police later said the incident in May was being treated as criminal rather than terrorism-related.

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Kate McCann 'Suffered From Suicidal Thoughts'

The mother of missing Madeleine McCann had suicidal thoughts after a Portuguese police chief claimed she covered up her daughter's death, a libel trial has heard.

Psychologist Alan Pike gave evidence about the distress Kate McCann suffered after Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral published a book on Madeleine's disappearance.

He reportedly told Lisbon's civil court that following the publication of The Truth Of The Lie in July 2008, Mrs McCann "thought about not being around anymore".

Trauma specialist Mr Pike met Kate and Gerry McCann two days after their daughter's disappearance in May 2007 to offer them psychological support.

According to the AFP news agency, he told the court: "Kate talked about not being around anymore, and referred to killing herself as an option.

Madeleine McCann seen on the day before she went missing in May 2007

"I deduced it was an indication of how she felt rather than something she ever intended to do."

The McCanns have strongly denied accusations levelled against them in Mr Amaral's book that they hid their daughter's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction.

He also suggested the couple cashed in on £2m of public donations.

They say his claims damaged the hunt for Madeleine and exacerbated the anguish suffered by her relatives.

If the legal action is successful, they stand to gain around £1m in damages.

Kate and Gerry McCann seen with a computer-generated image of Madeleine

Mr Amaral, 56, was removed from the Portuguese investigation in October 2007 after criticising the British police.

The book was released just three days after the McCanns - made suspects over their daughter's death in September 2007 - had that status formally lifted by Portuguese police.

The former detective denies defamation and says his claims are already contained in police and court case files on Madeleine which have been made public.

Madeleine, who was then nearly four, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

British detectives launched a fresh investigation into her disappearance in July - two years into a review of the case - and believe she could still be alive.

The Portuguese investigation into Madeleine's disappearance is officially closed.

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Smoking Ban Considered For Prison Inmates

Inmates could soon be banned from smoking inside prisons in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has said.

A pilot scheme which will monitor how prisoners react to the move is being planned by the Government but sites have not yet been chosen.

A spokesman for the MoJ said: "We are considering banning smoking across the prison estate and as part of this are looking at possible sites as early adopters."

The pilot scheme is expected to launch in the South West in the spring of next year and if successful the ban would be rolled out across all prisons within 12 months, The Times newspaper has reported.

But there are fears the ban could cause disruption in prisons, with around 80% of inmates in England and Wales believed to smoke, according to the NHS.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, told The Times that introducing the ban would be difficult.

"There is no pretending otherwise," he said.

"It could cause disturbances but they have done it successfully in Canada and in young offender institutions in England and Wales."

He added:  "We welcome this move. It is our policy to have smoke-free prisons for our members.

"We will work with the ministry to make sure it works effectively."

Mr Gillan said that without a smoking ban the Prison Service risked legal action from a non-smoker claiming to suffer from the effects of passive smoking.

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Briton Held In Spain 'For Helping Dale Cregan'

A British man has been arrested on Spain's Costa Del Sol on suspicion of assisting jailed police killer Dale Cregan.

Briton Marvin Herbert was held on a European Arrest Warrant at a gym in Puerto Banus, near Marbella, by Spanish police.

He is now awaiting extradition proceedings from Madrid to the UK.

Herbert, , 41, who was born in Liverpool, is wanted on suspicion of conspiracy to assist Dale Cregan in the murders of father and son David and Mark Short.

Cregan, 30, killed Mark Short in a Manchester pub on May 25 last year but failed to kill his father, who was in the toilet.

On August 10, 2012, Cregan, with fellow killer Anthony Wilkinson, shot David Short outside his house in Clayton.

After killing the father and son, Cregan went on the run. He was hunted by police for 39 days before killing two unarmed officers on September 18 last year.

The one-eyed killer lured them to a house in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, with a hoax call. Within an hour he had gunned them down, then threw a grenade at the dying officers.

Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were lured to their deaths

Greater Manchester Police paid tribute to WPCs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, on the first anniversary of their deaths on Wednesday.

Two other men have also been charged with helping Cregan.

Samuel Willbye, 28, from Hannet Road, Manchester, and Jack Willbye, 57, from Chapel Street, Herne Bay, are accused of conspiring to assist an offender.

The pair have been remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court on September 25.

Cregan was jailed for life at Preston Crown Court in June, and was told he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Earlier this month, he was moved to maximum-security Ashworth Hospital - where Moors Murderer Ian Brady is serving his sentence - from Strangeways jail in Manchester because of his behaviour.

While in HMP Manchester, he was segregated from other prisoners for fear of reprisals. Reports suggested there is an underworld bounty of £20,000 on his remaining eye.

In protest, Cregan is said to have have started refusing food. He was put in the hospital wing at the jail before his transfer to Ashworth.

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Train Track Deaths: Rappers In Safety Campaign

By Harriet Hadfield, Sky News Reporter

Network Rail has launched a new online safety campaign as figures reveal a total of 270 people have lost their lives while trespassing on train tracks since 2008.

With young men aged between 16 and 24 making up four out of every 10 of these deaths, the campaign is hoping to reach a younger audience by featuring rapper Wretch 32 and George the Poet.

Kate Snowden from Network Rail told Sky News: "Around 40 people lose their lives every year and we want to reduce that number - particularly young men who think they are invincible."

The campaign is being backed by rappers Wretch 32 and George the Poet

Being struck by a train accounts for 77% of all trespasser fatalities over the last 10 years, while electrocution accounts for a further 15%.

The figures do not include suicides or accidents on level crossings.

The aim of the new campaign is to change the perception that it is easy to react to an incoming train.

Network Rail research shows just over a third of people think they would hear a train in time to move out of harm's way.

The video shows the two featured artists having their own hearing skills put to the test as they try to work out which direction a train is coming from as it travels towards them on a giant video projector at 80mph in the dark.

Rapper Wretch 32 said: "As soon as I stepped into the track test simulator and the normal sounds you'd expect to hear when you're on the tracks, like traffic noise, are added, I didn't make it across in time.

"No matter how much confidence you've got in your hearing and speed, when you're in the dark and a train is coming towards you at 80mph, confidence is not enough to get you across safely."

:: To view the Track Tests video along with a "behind the scenes" version, click here

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Retirement: One In Five Will 'Never Stop Work'

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

One in five Britons now fear that they will never be able to stop working because of shortfalls in their pensions and savings, according to a new report.

The survey, carried out by HSBC, warns that the UK is heading for an "Age of the Unretired", with pensioners in Britain more gloomy about their future prospects than those in other countries around the world.

The global survey, which questioned 16,000 people in 15 countries, shows that 19% of those asked in the UK expect that they will never be able to afford to retire fully.

In America the figure was 18%, in France and Hong Kong it was 12%, but in Brazil - one of the world's new fast-growing economies - only 5% think they will never retire properly.

It is also perhaps not surprising Brits are so downbeat, with nearly half of the British pensioners questioned saying their retirements had not turned out as they had planned, because they have less money to live on than hoped.

Darren Flip, from the National Association of Pension Funds, was not surprised so many are finding themselves short on funds later on in life.

He said: "The Government's own figures suggest that seven million people aren't saving enough for their retirement.

"Also people are living longer so any money they do save has to last longer and we know that the economic environment hasn't been great over the past years so investments in pensions haven't been what people expected.

"It's tough out there for people."

Christine Foyster, head of wealth management at HSBC, said: "Today's workers should prepare for retirement as early as possible to have some certainty for retirement. 

"Life is full of reasons to prioritise short term spending over longer term planning, but the sooner people start saving, the less likely they will have to rely on working in old age."

Raj Bhudia from London is 42 and works for a bank.

Despite working since he was 16 and financially planning for the future, he believes a restful retirement is some way off.

He told Sky News: "I think everyone is going to have to work beyond 65 or 70, because whatever little pensions we do have are not going to be enough to retire on and obviously the Government pension is not there either.

"My sons, they are going to university. They will be coming out with debts so hopefully we can help them, which means we won't have enough money to retire on and we'll have to work longer."

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Police Back Private 'Drunk Tanks' For Revellers

By Gerard Tubb, Sky News Correspondent

Police chiefs have backed privately-run drunk tanks where intoxicated revellers are kept overnight and made to pay for their stay.

Chief Constable Adrian Lee, the national policing lead on alcohol harm, said drunken individuals should be held in cells run by a commercial company.

He made his comments at the start of a week-long campaign to highlight the impact of alcohol on policing.

He said: "I do not see why the police service or the health service should pick up the duty of care for someone who has chosen to go out and get so drunk that they cannot look after themselves.

"We are not the experts on health. It is quite difficult to work out where the best place to put a drunk is. Is it a police station, or do they need to be at a hospital?

Police officers have called for binge drinkers to be billed for their care

"Accident and emergency departments are under huge pressure nationally, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.

"Why should we have drunks clogging up the A&E, causing further problems potentially? Why not put them somewhere safe where you could have private medical staff on hand?"

Sir Peter Fahy, vice president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), said binge drinking is putting "a massive strain" on police and health services.

"Cheap drink and later opening hours only adds to the problem," he said.

The "drunk tank" idea came as it emerged that bouncers in pubs and clubs across the UK will be trained to protect people who are too drunk to look after themselves.

The Home Office has told the Security Industry Authority to teach all 100,000 licensed door-staff how to prevent "vulnerable" people from coming to harm.

Bouncers, who must be trained by the SIA to work in licensed premises, will be given a checklist of actions.

Police say they should not be responsible for dealing with drunks overnight

These include re-uniting people with friends, helping them get a taxi home and, as a last resort, calling the police.

On the streets of Newcastle, where the new training for bouncers was developed, late night drinkers admitted they "pre-loaded" with cheap booze before coming out.

At 11pm, 34-year-old Donna Davison showed Sky News a half-litre bottle of vodka she had brought from home to top up her glass during the night.

She said: "I bought [a bigger bottle] at the corner shop, filled it up and brought it with us."

Her friend Marie Thompson, 40, who claimed to have drunk a litre of vodka before arriving in the city centre at 9pm, described drink prices in clubs as "extortionate".

She said: "People on poverty who've got kids, it's not fair really, because they charge £6 for one single drink.

"We like to go out and have a good night, that's why we bring our own, it's cheaper."

Acting Superintendent Bruce Storey, from Northumbria Police, said the new training for bouncers had helped to reduce crime in Newcastle since being introduced earlier in the year.

He said: "If people have had too much to drink, quite clearly their inhibitions go, their ability to be aware of their surroundings tends to be diminished and the consequences of that are obvious."

Bouncer Chris Woodcock described the training as a form of customer service.

He said: "It's being aware of vulnerable people and making sure that everyone has a good night and they get to go home safely."

But his colleague Paul Faetz, 50, who has 32 years working on the doors in Newcastle, says binge drinkers have made the job unbearable and he is retiring.

He said: "It's been over the last five years (that) people have become more and more heavy drinkers.

"I don't really want to be around that. Now with drugs and drink, it's not a nice place to work."

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Muslim Woman Must Remove Veil In Court

Browne Lobs Conference Grenades

Updated: 3:34pm UK, Monday 16 September 2013

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Jeremy Browne, the Lib Dem Home Office Minister, was accused by one commentator of lobbing headline-grabbing "grenades" at the party conference.

His first hit was on Saturday after he compared immigration of Romanians into the UK with British retirees with villas in Spain or France.

This time he chose an even more controversial subject - whether Muslim girls should be banned from wearing the veil.

This is a contentious issue that pitches those who think freedom of expression should never be restricted against others who claim women subject to peer pressure are unable to make a free choice.

Mr Browne said he believed there should be a national debate about the issue, particularly regarding those under 18.

Society deemed children too young to make decisions over issues such as marriage, he said.

So how could it be sure that girls are making an informed choice about making the veil, he asked, and not being forced into the situation?

Nick Clegg was quick to response in a robust way, declaring it un-British to issue any central edict banning people from expressing their religion.

It is the obvious liberal position.

But it is interesting that the Deputy Prime Minister spoke of two possible exceptions.

He said that women should have to reveal their faces when passing through airport security, and he claimed there was an issue for teachers in the classroom.

Mr Clegg questioned whether covering a child's face might interfere with her education and that is an argument that is gaining traction.

The Prime Minister has already said he would support a ban on veils at a school attended by one of his children.

Others on his back benches want to go further.

Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston warns of "serious consequences" if women's faces are hidden from view in courts.

Facial expression is a key part of communication, she has claimed.

Coming after a college was forced to overturn a ban on the veil when it triggered widespread protests, all the politicians know that their views are controversial - not least Mr Browne.

He has called for a debate despite saying that his own instinct was against any legislation.

Did he simply want to make a story? And if so, what grenade might he lob next?

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Daniel Pelka: Missed Chances To Save Boy

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

Chance after chance was missed to intervene in the case of a tragic four-year-old boy who was beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.

A serious case review into the death of Daniel Pelka found repeated failures by agencies set up to safeguard children's welfare.

But it concluded that nobody could have predicted his death at the hands of an abusive mother and stepfather last year.

Daniel was brought up in a chaotic family where violence and heavy drinking was the norm. He was known to police, social services, teachers and doctors.

Magdalena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek were both jailed for life

But the report found that not one professional asked him what was going on at home.

Ron Lock, the independent author of the report, said: "He didn't speak good English.

"His self-esteem was so low, he was a very isolated little boy so people found it hard to engage him.

"His mother often spoke on his behalf, as did his older sibling, so rather than ask Daniel others were asked what he was thinking and to ask his mum and older sibling was not going to give the correct answers."

Daniel was terrorised at his home in Coventry by his mother Magdelena Luczak, and his stepfather Mariusz Krezolek.

The four-year-old had 40 injuries on his body when he died

He was starved, beaten and force-fed salt.

At school he rooted through bins for food and he once turned up with two black eyes. He later died from a serious head injury on March 3, 2012.

The review found that the couple misled authorities by lying about his injuries and pretending he had an eating disorder, rendering Daniel "invisible" to health professionals.

But it also highlighted how stretched children's services were in the city.

It describes overworked staff who were "naive", who were not "inquisitive", who assumed others were "intervening" and were not prepared to "think the unthinkable".

It noted missed opportunities to help Daniel, including 27 reports of domestic violence to police.

In January 2011 he went to hospital with a broken arm - a spiral fracture suggested twisting -  but professionals were too ready to accept it was accidental.

In September - when Daniel started school - teachers noticed a pattern of injuries which they failed to record or act on.

In February 2012 he saw a community paediatrician - his weight loss was not recognised and child abuse was not even considered.

A few weeks later the four-year-old was dead. He had 40 injuries - a doctor said he looked like a concentration camp victim.

Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council, said: "Professionals didn't have the whole picture. Daniel's voice wasn't heard at all.

"Arguably they are basic errors but we have to put this against a backdrop of social care workers, police, health colleagues working every day making what some would argue are impossible judgment calls on child protection so I think our key now is how do we learn from those issues."

The review, by the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, has published 15 recommendations aimed at preventing such a failure happening again.

Luczak and Krezolek, both originally from Poland, were convicted of Daniel's murder in a trial earlier this year and are now both serving minimum 30-year terms in prison.

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British Climber Killed In 2,000ft Fall

A British man has been killed after falling around 2,000ft while climbing in New Zealand.

Robert Buckley, 32, was climbing to a small hut on Mount Sefton in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park on Saturday, police said.

He was wearing crampons but was inexperienced, local police inspector Dave Gaskin said.

His body was recovered by a team of rescuers on Sunday afternoon after previous attempts proved unsuccessful.

Three climbers who were with Mr Buckley were rescued after spending the night on the mountain. They were also released after being examined by medics.

Mr Gaskin said: "There was a lot of snow and ice in very steep conditions.

"It appears as if the party were insufficiently equipped and inexperienced for the climb they had undertaken."

Mr Buckley's death came a day after 36-year-old Duncan Raite died when he slipped and fell around 200ft from a ridge in the same national park.

The New Zealand-born man, who lived in Australia, had been dropped off by helicopter and was walking to a hut when he fell in the Tasman Glacier area.

Mr Gaskin said the deaths were a reminder that climbers needed to use extreme caution.

He said: "I can't speak for the first death, but in this case it looks like to be a lack of experience."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the death of a British man in New Zealand. We are providing consular assistance at this time."

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Benefit Cheats Face Up To 10 Years In Jail

Benefit cheats will face increased jail terms of up to 10 years in a crackdown on those who "flout the system", Britain's most senior prosecutor has said.

Keir Starmer QC warned it was time for a "tough stance" against the perpetrators of benefit and tax credit fraud as he set out new guidelines for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The Director of Public Prosecutions said the £1.9bn annual cost of the crime to the taxpayer should be at the "forefront of lawyers' minds" when considering whether a prosecution was in the public interest.

Suspects can now be charged under the Fraud Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the CPS said.

In the past, benefit cheats have often been pursued under specific social security legislation which carries a maximum term of seven years.

A financial threshold which prevented benefit fraud cases of less than £20,000 from being sent to crown court will also be abolished, the CPS said.

Keir Starmer says the CPS saw more than 8,600 prosecutions last year

"It is a myth that 'getting one over on the system' is a victimless crime: the truth is we all pay the price," Mr Starmer said.

"It is vital that we take a tough stance on this type of fraud and I am determined to see a clampdown on those who flout the system."

Under the new guidelines, prosecutors in England and Wales will be told to seek tough penalties in cases with aggravating features such as multiple offences, abuse of position or substantial loss to public funds.

Professionally planned frauds, the use of a false or stolen identity and cases involving attempts to dispose of the evidence will also be targeted.

Benefit fraud of less than £20,000 was previously automatically allocated to magistrates courts, which can hand out maximum sentences of only 12 months.

The financial threshold will now be abolished, bringing the prosecution of benefit fraud in line with the prosecution of other fraud cases, the CPS said.

Last year, the CPS saw more than 8,600 prosecutions in benefit and tax credit cases, along with 4,000 in the first five months of this year, Mr Starmer said.

The current conviction rate is 89.7%, he added.

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Dewani Uncle Criticises BBC Over Documentary

The uncle of murdered honeymooner Anni Dewani has accused documentary makers of interfering in the justice system ahead of a programme raising questions about the case against her alleged killer.

Ashok Hindocha, the uncle of Anni Dewani who was killed in South Africa in November 2010, said it is up for a court to look at allegations against her former husband Shrien.

He is accused of ordering the murder of his new bride, who was shot in the neck as the couple travelled in a taxi in the outskirts of Cape Town.

A team from BBC series Panorama has obtained police files concerning the prosecution case against Shrien Dewani and has asked forensic experts to examine them.

A BBC spokesman said the experts' findings have exposed "fundamental failings" in the police investigation, and it is in the public interest for them to be aired.

Shrien Dewani is fighting extradition to South Africa

The programme is due to be broadcast next Thursday.

But Mr Hindocha told Sky News that the BBC should pull the programme, and instead hand over the documents to Dewani's defence.

"What the BBC is doing is not correct. This programme should not be run before the trial.

"Justice should be served in a court of law. Let's cross-examine, put the evidence on the table, let everyone see.

"Has all the evidence been presented to the BBC? I don't know.

"The case should be done in a court of law, not in a studio somewhere with public funding. No, that is very wrong."

In July District Judge Howard Riddle ruled that Dewani should be extradited to face trial in South Africa, now that the 33-year-old has recovered sufficiently from mental health problems.

Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe

But lawyers acting for Dewani immediately announced their intention to appeal, and are expected to continue with their legal fight next month.

A BBC spokesman said: "BBC Panorama has obtained the secret police files which make up the prosecution case against Shrien Dewani and has commissioned leading forensic experts to review all the evidence.

"Their findings expose fundamental failings in the police investigation.

"Panorama strongly believes it is in the public interest for these matters to be aired.

"We understand that the programme may be difficult viewing for Anni's family and have approached it sensitively, including contacting her uncle, as the representative of the family, in advance, to let him know that it would air on September 19.

"We received replies from Mr Hindocha which did not raise these objections.

"The police evidence we have obtained is neither manufactured nor stolen, nor did we pay for it."

Dewani has undergone treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression at psychiatric hospitals near Bristol since his wife's death.

It emerged that he has been allowed to position a camper van in the grounds of Fromeside hospital, where he spends hours at a time, and is also allowed unregulated access to a laptop and visits to his nearby home every day.

A spokesman for Dewani family told Sky News: "Shrien was committed to clearing his name in a court of law when he was fit and well enough to travel."

So far three men have been convicted over Mrs Dewani's death.

Last year South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting her.

Prosecutors claimed that he was a hitman hired by Dewani to kill his wife, something that Dewani has consistently denied.

Taxi driver Zola Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the killing, and another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, also pleaded guilty to murder and was handed a 25-year prison sentence.

The programme calls into question their testimony.

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School Uniform Costs 'Must Be Cut' - Minister

Schools are being urged to avoid branded uniforms to cut costs for cash-strapped parents.

Schools minister David Laws said the cost of clothing was often "unnecessarily high" at a time when family budgets were being squeezed.

An Office of Fair Trading investigation last year suggested that three quarters of schools placed restrictions on where uniforms could be bought.

That typically added £5 to the price tag for each item, leaving parents an estimated £52m a year worse off.

Speaking as the Liberal Democrat conference gets under way in Glasgow, Mr Laws announced new guidance for schools.

Exclusive single supplier contracts should not be used, unless regular tendering processes are run to ensure firms provide value for money.

They should also not enter into 'cashback' agreements with shops.

Compulsory items of uniform should be available relatively cheaply, and branding should be kept "to a minimum", under the guidelines.

Schools are urged to avoid changing specifications frequently.

Mr Laws said: "Costs at the start of a school term can quickly add up, particularly for families with several school age children.

"School uniforms can be an important sign of identity and pride, but at a time when many family budgets are squeezed parents should not be forced to spend more than they need to.

"We will send a strong signal to schools that it is vital to secure value for money for parents before changing or introducing new school uniforms.

"Parents need to be able to shop around to find the best deal.

"I want to see fewer schools using single suppliers and branded items, which keep costs unnecessarily high."

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