Review of the Papers, Friday 25 May

Households that fail to recycle most of their rubbish will face a "fine" of £30 a year under Government plans to cut waste unveiled yesterday.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/25/nbins25.xml

 

Ministers were accused yesterday of letting business off the hook after announcing proposals for a “pay-as-you-throw” household rubbish scheme to boost recycling. David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, presented plans to let councils charge residents extra for throwing out excessive black-bin waste with rebates for those recycling more.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1837982.ece

 

Britain could opt out of a key provision of European human rights laws to impose house arrest on terrorist suspects after three more went on the run. John Reid, the Home Secretary, told MPs he might trigger existing powers to "derogate" from Article Five of the European convention which prohibits detention without trial.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/24/ncontrol124.xml

 

The Government is considering the privatisation of Britain's canal system as part of a wide-ranging review of the future funding of the nation's inland waterways. British Waterways confirmed yesterday that selling its 2,200 miles of canals will be an option in the review, raising fears that the network will be purchased piecemeal.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/25/ncanal25.xml

 

A campaign by MPs to remove themselves from open government laws in order to protect the privacy of their constituents has been seriously undermined by the UK's information watchdog.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article2581227.ece 

 

Councils should decide how NHS budgets are spent locally, the former health secretary Alan Milburn has proposed. The prominent Blairite believes the idea is in line with Gordon Brown's plans to devolve power and create an "enabling state" to answer the Tory charge that he is a centraliser who will run a "Big Brother" government when he succeeds Tony Blair next month.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2581250.ece

 

The Conservative Party has unveiled plans to tighten immigration rules to prevent people's spouses being allowed to live in Britain unless they can speak English.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2581255.ece