Breast Implants: Plan For Industry Regulation

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

A national register logging every breast implant operation carried out in England is to be set up in a bid to prevent a repeat of the PIP scandal.

The Government has published provisional plans to improve the cosmetics industry in the wake of the scandal.

Nearly 50,000 British women unknowingly bought industrial-grade silicone from French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), with hundreds suffering ruptures.

The UK cosmetics industry is rapidly expanding. The industry was worth an estimated £2.3bn in 2010, and is estimated to rise to £3.6bn by 2015.

In response, Sir Bruce Keogh was commissioned to carry out a review. The Government will today announce that it supports many of his recommendations, including:

:: To pilot a new register to record what breast implants are used.

:: The Royal College of Surgeons will create new qualifications and standards for cosmetic surgery.

:: A clampdown on advertising to ensure no more breast implants are awarded as competition prizes or time-limited deals.

:: Legislation will ensure that surgeons have to compensate for an injuries caused.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter told Sky News: "For too long, the cosmetics industry has been completely unregulated and there are too many tales of women who have been exploited, and of lives ruined by rogue cosmetic firms and practitioners.

PIP company boss Jean-Claude Mas has been jailed for four years in France

"This has to change, so we are taking robust action to clamp down on the cosmetic cowboys in order to properly protect women and the public.

"In January, we shall be setting out detailed plans about how to implement the recommendations made in last summer's cosmetics industry review by Sir Bruce Keogh."

While the industry is in support of the recommendations, Rajiv Grover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and President of BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) said things would only improve if the register is made compulsory.

He said: "The implant register introduced into this country is only going to work if (it is) implemented and is made compulsory.

"Because only then can women be reassured there is no possibility that if a clinic becomes bankrupt or something closes that their implants will be register and they will know exactly what is inside them."

And Tim Goodacre, from the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said: "We have been pushing for the creation of a compulsory register for breast implants.

"It is good the Government has announced its commitment to the breast implant registry pilot but in order to protect all women and avoid any future health scares it must quickly become a permanent infrastructure that all cosmetic providers have to use."

Jean-Claude Mas of PIP was found guilty of fraud after using industrial-grade silicone in thousands of breast implants sold worldwide.

The 74-year-old man, dubbed the "sorcerer's apprentice of implants" by prosecutors, plans to appeal, according to his lawyer.

The scandal first emerged in 2010 after doctors noticed abnormally high rupture rates in PIP implants.

A global health scare erupted in 2011 with some 300,000 women in 65 countries believed to have received the faulty implants.

About half the 30,000 French women given PIP implants have had them removed. Only 607 women in Britain have had them removed by the NHS.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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CBI: Firms Must Boost Pay After Long Squeeze

The director general of the CBI has called on businesses to improve pay levels as the Labour leader Ed Miliband charts what he sees as the "biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation".

In his New Year message, Mr Miliband signalled his determination to keep up the pressure on the Government over the squeeze on living standards, despite growing signs the economy is finally beginning to pick up strength.

He sought to counter the increasing optimism of the Conservatives about the state of the economy by accusing them of ignoring the fact that many people were still no better off.

He said: "People are thinking they have made the sacrifices - and the Government keeps telling them that everything is fixed. But it does not seem fixed to them. Surely we can do better than this as a country.

"The Tories want to change the conversation from the cost of living crisis. They will talk about anything else. Inherent in their vision is not a solution to the cost of living crisis, but the problem."

Ed Miliband says living costs must be fair for all famlies

He said the party would use the coming year to show how it would make "big changes" to the economy to enable the country to "earn and grow our way to a higher standard of living for people.

"People do not want the earth. They would much prefer some very specific promises, specific things about what a government will do - whether it's freezing energy bills, taking action on pay day lenders, or tackling issues around childcare which lots of working parents face.

"All of this is adding up to a programme for how we can change things. It's clearly costed, it's credible and it's real."

John Cridland wants the spoils of recovery to filter to all workers

Families have been facing a squeeze on living standards as levels of pay increases fail to match the speed of rising prices.

As Mr Miliband outlined his attack on the Government, the CBI's John Cridland said firms face a challenge to make sure economic growth filters through to the workforce as economic recovery takes root.

In his own New Year message he said that businessmen and women have a "spring in their step" compared with a year ago and firms "must support employees in every part of the country to move up the career ladder, while also giving a helping hand to young people taking their first tentative steps into the world of work".

Mr Cridland said: "As the financial situation of many firms begins to turn a corner, one of the biggest challenges facing businesses is to deliver growth that will mean better pay and more opportunities for all their employees after a prolonged squeeze."

He said it was positive news that jobs were being created, adding it was shaping up to be a full-time recovery with the majority of new jobs being permanent.

For the first time since the start of the recession, 2014 will see most firms increasing the size of their workforce, boosting their graduate intake and the number of apprentices they take on, he predicted.

"The good news is that wages will pick up in the year ahead as growth beds down and productivity improves.

"But there are still far too many people stuck in minimum wage jobs without routes to progression, and that's a serious challenge that businesses and the Government must address."

Mr Cridland spoke of the importance of skills, calling for a Ucas-equivalent vocational system to help raise awareness and parity of esteem for alternative routes to higher skills.

"If 2013 was the year that business trust took a hammering on a range of issues from corporate taxation to energy prices, then 2014 must be the year that business leaders take action to rebuild that trust," he said.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Breast Implants: Plan For Industry Regulation

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

A national register logging every breast implant operation carried out in England is to be set up in a bid to prevent a repeat of the PIP scandal.

The Government has published provisional plans to improve the cosmetics industry in the wake of the scandal.

Nearly 50,000 British women unknowingly bought industrial-grade silicone from French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), with hundreds suffering ruptures.

The UK cosmetics industry is rapidly expanding. The industry was worth an estimated £2.3bn in 2010, and is estimated to rise to £3.6bn by 2015.

In response, Sir Bruce Keogh was commissioned to carry out a review. The Government will today announce that it supports many of his recommendations, including:

:: To pilot a new register to record what breast implants are used.

:: The Royal College of Surgeons will create new qualifications and standards for cosmetic surgery.

:: A clampdown on advertising to ensure no more breast implants are awarded as competition prizes or time-limited deals.

:: Legislation will ensure that surgeons have to compensate for an injuries caused.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter told Sky News: "For too long, the cosmetics industry has been completely unregulated and there are too many tales of women who have been exploited, and of lives ruined by rogue cosmetic firms and practitioners.

PIP company boss Jean-Claude Mas has been jailed for four years in France

"This has to change, so we are taking robust action to clamp down on the cosmetic cowboys in order to properly protect women and the public.

"In January, we shall be setting out detailed plans about how to implement the recommendations made in last summer's cosmetics industry review by Sir Bruce Keogh."

While the industry is in support of the recommendations, Rajiv Grover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and President of BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) said things would only improve if the register is made compulsory.

He said: "The implant register introduced into this country is only going to work if (it is) implemented and is made compulsory.

"Because only then can women be reassured there is no possibility that if a clinic becomes bankrupt or something closes that their implants will be register and they will know exactly what is inside them."

And Tim Goodacre, from the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said: "We have been pushing for the creation of a compulsory register for breast implants.

"It is good the Government has announced its commitment to the breast implant registry pilot but in order to protect all women and avoid any future health scares it must quickly become a permanent infrastructure that all cosmetic providers have to use."

Jean-Claude Mas of PIP was found guilty of fraud after using industrial-grade silicone in thousands of breast implants sold worldwide.

The 74-year-old man, dubbed the "sorcerer's apprentice of implants" by prosecutors, plans to appeal, according to his lawyer.

The scandal first emerged in 2010 after doctors noticed abnormally high rupture rates in PIP implants.

A global health scare erupted in 2011 with some 300,000 women in 65 countries believed to have received the faulty implants.

About half the 30,000 French women given PIP implants have had them removed. Only 607 women in Britain have had them removed by the NHS.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Volkswagen Camper Van Reaches End Of The Road

By Greg Milam, US Correspondent

One of the most iconic vehicles in motoring history has finally reached the end of the road.

The last ever Volkswagen "Type 2" - more commonly known as the VW Camper, kombi or bus - rolls off the production line on December 31.

It is being retired after 64 years in continuous production because it cannot be adapted to meet modern safety regulations.

The last kombi will be made in Brazil, the country which has produced them for 56 years and where they are a vital thread in the fabric of everyday life.

A vehicle that came to symbolise the counter-culture in much of the world - as the van of choice for hippies and surfers alike - remains very much a mundane staple in Brazil.

It seems that everyone you talk to learned to drive in one and everywhere you turn they are being used to sell, deliver or provide shelter.

Labourers work on a Volkswagen assembly line in Brazil this month

Angelisa Stein is making a movie to mark the passing of the kombi. She told Sky News: "It is a car that is in touch with a lot of generations here. It will not be the same to have just another car."

The kombi is being phased out because modern requirements such as anti-lock brakes and airbags cannot be fitted into a frame that has changed little in 50 years.

A run of 600 last edition kombis - priced at £25,000 each - has sparked a rush among collectors and nostalgic fans.

Driving one of the last ones - with no air conditioning and "stirring custard" gear box - is remarkably reminiscent of driving one from the 1970s. Even down to the feeling of being behind the wheel of something special.

Of course, with a production run of around 10 million kombis, there are plenty that will be around for many years to come.

At a classic car rally in Rio, owners proudly showed off customised vans and talked of their sadness at the end of the kombi era.

Mechanic Adriano Godinho told Sky News: "It is a car which has represented a lot for us in this country.

"It has been used to transport goods, it is a workman's car, it is a family car, so it is something that's in us. It is part of the family."

The van was originally named the "Type 2" as it was only the second vehicle the company made after the Beetle.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Breast Implants: Plan For Industry Regulation

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

A national register logging every breast implant operation carried out in England is to be set up in a bid to prevent a repeat of the PIP scandal.

The Government has published provisional plans to improve the cosmetics industry in the wake of the scandal.

Nearly 50,000 British women unknowingly bought industrial-grade silicone from French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), with hundreds suffering ruptures.

The UK cosmetics industry is rapidly expanding. The industry was worth an estimated £2.3bn in 2010, and is estimated to rise to £3.6bn by 2015.

In response, Sir Bruce Keogh was commissioned to carry out a review. The Government will today announce that it supports many of his recommendations, including:

:: To pilot a new register to record what breast implants are used.

:: The Royal College of Surgeons will create new qualifications and standards for cosmetic surgery.

:: A clampdown on advertising to ensure no more breast implants are awarded as competition prizes or time-limited deals.

:: Legislation will ensure that surgeons have to compensate for an injuries caused.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter told Sky News: "For too long, the cosmetics industry has been completely unregulated and there are too many tales of women who have been exploited, and of lives ruined by rogue cosmetic firms and practitioners.

PIP company boss Jean-Claude Mas has been jailed for four years in France

"This has to change, so we are taking robust action to clamp down on the cosmetic cowboys in order to properly protect women and the public.

"In January, we shall be setting out detailed plans about how to implement the recommendations made in last summer's cosmetics industry review by Sir Bruce Keogh.

"While the industry is in support of the recommendations, Rajiv Grover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and President of BAAPS said things would only improve if the register is made compulsory.

"The implant register introduced into this country is only going to work if (it is) implemented and is made compulsory.

"Because only then can women be reassured there is no possibility that if a clinic becomes bankrupt or something closes that their implants will be register and they will know exactly what is inside them."

Jean-Claude Mas of PIP was found guilty of fraud after using industrial-grade silicone in thousands of breast implants sold worldwide.

The 74 year old, dubbed the "sorcerer's apprentice of implants" by prosecutors, plans to appeal, according to his lawyer.

The scandal first emerged in 2010 after doctors noticed abnormally high rupture rates in PIP implants.

A global health scare erupted in 2011 with some 300,000 women in 65 countries believed to have received the faulty implants.

About half the 30,000 French women given PIP implants have had them removed. Only 607 women in Britain have had them removed by the NHS.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Volkswagen Camper Van Reaches End Of The Road

By Greg Milam, US Correspondent

One of the most iconic vehicles in motoring history has finally reached the end of the road.

The last ever Volkswagen "Type 2" - more commonly known as the VW Camper, kombi or bus - rolls off the production line on December 31.

It is being retired after 64 years in continuous production because it cannot be adapted to meet modern safety regulations.

The last kombi will be made in Brazil, the country which has produced them for 56 years and where they are a vital thread in the fabric of everyday life.

A vehicle that came to symbolise the counter-culture in much of the world - as the van of choice for hippies and surfers alike - remains very much a mundane staple in Brazil.

It seems that everyone you talk to learned to drive in one and everywhere you turn they are being used to sell, deliver or provide shelter.

Labourers work on a Volkswagen assembly line in Brazil this month

Angelisa Stein is making a movie to mark the passing of the kombi. She told Sky News: "It is a car that is in touch with a lot of generations here. It will not be the same to have just another car."

The kombi is being phased out because modern requirements such as anti-lock brakes and airbags cannot be fitted into a frame that has changed little in 50 years.

A run of 600 last edition kombis - priced at £25,000 each - has sparked a rush among collectors and nostalgic fans.

Driving one of the last ones - with no air conditioning and "stirring custard" gear box - is remarkably reminiscent of driving one from the 1970s. Even down to the feeling of being behind the wheel of something special.

Of course, with a production run of around 10 million kombis, there are plenty that will be around for many years to come.

At a classic car rally in Rio, owners proudly showed off customised vans and talked of their sadness at the end of the kombi era.

Mechanic Adriano Godinho told Sky News: "It is a car which has represented a lot for us in this country.

"It has been used to transport goods, it is a workman's car, it is a family car, so it is something that's in us. It is part of the family."

The van was originally named the "Type 2" as it was only the second vehicle the company made after the Beetle.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Pound Hits Two-Year High Against Dollar

The pound has hit its highest level against the US dollar for nearly two-and-a-half years amid Britain's buoyant economic recovery.

Sterling rose to 1.65 dollars, a level not seen since August 2011, as strong economic figures continue to provide a boost and spur expectations that the Bank of England will move to raise interest rates earlier than expected.

A report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) on Thursday predicted the UK would become Europe's largest economy within two decades, overtaking France and Germany.

The UK recovery has been picking up pace in recent months and official figures saw growth data revised higher last week.

Figures correct at 16:06 GMT Friday December 27

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said growth in 2012 was 0.3%, up from a previous estimate of 0.1%, while the figure for the first quarter of this year was revised up from 0.4% to 0.5% and for the second quarter from 0.7% to 0.8%.

A stronger pound is good news for tourists, as it boosts their spending power.

UK holidaymakers have up to 28% more spending money for their trips as a result of the pound's recent strength, according to a Post Office Travel Money survey.

It has also helped bring down UK inflation, by making it cheaper for Britain to import goods and services.

But the gains in sterling could provide a headache for manufacturers and exporters, as a stronger pound makes products more expensive for overseas buyers and therefore could dampen demand.

The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee recently warned that a significant increase in the pound's strength could pose risks to the recovery, while it could also dent the Government's aims to rebalance the economy towards manufacturing and exports.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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NatWest 'Hit By Fourth Online Banking Glitch'

NatWest has been hit by a 'cyber attack', leaving customers unable to access online accounts.

The bank's online banking service was disrupted after it was deliberately bombarded with internet traffic.   

Twitter users tweeted to say they could not access their bank accounts to pay bills or transfer money.

@TomGilchrist wrote: "Do other banks computer systems/services go down as much as NatWest? I assume not. Time to move banks I think."

@AleexReid tweeted: "Just joined Santander. Fed up with NatWest. Another computer failure tonight. #welldone."

A NatWest spokesperson said: "Due to a surge in internet traffic deliberately directed at the NatWest website, some of our customers experienced difficulties accessing our customer web sites this evening.

"This deliberate surge of traffic is commonly known as a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack.

"We have taken the appropriate action to restore the affected web sites. At no time was there any risk to customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused."

At the beginning of December all of RBS and NatWest's systems went down for three hours on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

The group chief executive Ross McEwan described that glitch as "unacceptable" and added: "For decades, RBS failed to invest properly in its systems.

"We need to put our customers' needs at the centre of all we do. It will take time, but we are investing heavily in building IT systems our customers can rely on."

RBS and NatWest also came under fire in March after a "hardware fault" meant customers were unable to use their online accounts or withdraw cash for several hours.

A major computer issue in June last year saw payments go awry, wages appear to go missing and home purchases and holidays interrupted for several weeks, costing the group £175m in compensation.

This latest problem is the fourth time in 18 months RBS and NatWest customers have reported problems with the banks' services.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Britain's Economy 'Could Overtake Germany'

Britain could overtake Germany to become Europe's largest economy, according to new research by an economic think-tank.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicts the UK's GDP will move ahead of France by 2018, then leapfrog Germany by 2030.

Douglas McWilliams, the CEBR's chief executive, told The Daily Telegraph that Britain could become even stronger outside the European Union.

"My instinct is that in the short-term, the impact of leaving the EU would undoubtedly be negative," he said.

"My suspicion is that over a 15-year period, it would probably be positive."

But the report says Britain is also forecast to fall behind the accelerating economies of India and Brazil.

The UK's GDP will grow from more than £1.59 trillion in 2013 to £2.6 trillion in 2028, compared with China, which is predicted to be in top position with a GDP of £20.5 trillion, ahead of the US with an estimated £19.7 trillion

Japan will fall from its steady position in the global league of third to fourth by 2028, overtaken by India and followed by Brazil, Germany and the UK.

A treasury spokesperson said Britain's "hard work is paying off" with positive growth and job creation, but warned there is still work to be done. 

The spokesperson said: "The economy is growing, the deficit is falling and jobs are being created and while this report is encouraging, the job is not yet done. So the government will go on taking the difficult decisions needed to secure a responsible recovery for all."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Bargain Hunters Flock To Boxing Day Sales

Bargain hunters flock to the high streets in their thousands as shops open for the Boxing Day sales.

Keen shoppers started queuing before dawn to ensure they were first in line when the shops opened.

Harrods provided mugs of hot chocolate, smoked salmon canapes and blankets to keep people warm in the queue, while other stores provided entertainment for the eagerly-awaiting shoppers.

Hundreds of people crowded outside Selfridges on London's Oxford Street, with queues snaking around the block. 

There were separate queues for different brands and a large security presence to help manage the crowd before the doors opened at 9am.

A spokeswoman for Selfridges said 3,500 were lined up outside the store, with the first people arriving before midnight last night. 

Shopping habits are changing, according to analysts

Sue West, retail director at Selfridges, said Boxing Day was a "a very big day" as the store only had two sales per year. 

Department store Liberty offered designer goods at a fraction of their usual price, while both Next and Marks & Spencer boasted discounts of up to 50% on sale items.

Early figures show those venturing out for the sales was up 8 percent on last year. 

In the hours leading up to 10.00am, footfall to UK high streets increased by 3.4 per cent year on year, to retail parks by 5.7 per cent and shopping centres by 22 per cent, according to retail data experts Springboard.

However, online sales started early this year, on Christmas Eve, and were predicted to steal away some of the crowds. 

House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams and John Lewis were among those to launch their sales ahead of Boxing Day.

A survey by Barclaycard found that almost a third (31%) of shoppers had planned to scour the web for bargains on Christmas Day, but only 27% are expected to make the trip to the stores on Boxing Day.

Consumer expert Jasmine Birtles, from Moneymagpie.com, said it's an act of "desperation" that large brands are clamouring for Boxing Day sales.

She said: "I think it's a mark of desperation that even the big names are going, 'look, we're on sale now, come and spend your money with us before you spend it anywhere else'.

"Because I think the shops are very aware that people have limited budgets now and they want a piece of that budget before anyone else does." 

Some 117 million visits to retail websites were estimated to have been made on Wednesday in the UK, with Boxing Day's figure set to rise to over 118 million.

Experian predicts that between December 24 and 26, some 45 million hours would be spent shopping online.

By the end of December, it is estimated there will have been three billion visits to retail websites in the UK, which will set a new single-month record.

Today's online sales alone are expected to bring in around £472.5 million.

Robert Goodman, Bluewater's general manager, said the shopping centre had prepared for a "bumper Boxing Day" this year.

"With the strongest retail offer to date, and with 50 new brands launching with us this year, we are expecting visitor numbers to be on a par with Boxing Day last year.

"This will begin what is likely to be our busiest six days of the year."

James Murray, digital insight manager at Experian, said: "Christmas 2013 has consistently outperformed 2012 on virtually every single shopping day this December, with online visits from Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day up from last year, a record-breaking Cyber Monday and the emergence of the even busier Middle Cyber Monday.

"Shopping habits are changing, with Christmas Day becoming a significant shopping day during the period.

"As a result, we anticipate a more sustained shopping pattern during this period, moving away from the traditional peaks and troughs usually evident during holiday season."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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