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STORY

More than 400 additional prison places are being delivered across HMP Norwich and HMP Wayland as part of the Government’s plan to expand capacity in the prison estate. Ministers said the project formed part of the drive to create 14,000 extra places nationwide by 2031.

The development includes 170 additional places at HMP Norwich, with modern security features including reinforced windows intended to address threats such as drones. The Government said 3,100 places had already been added since July 2024.

Ministers have argued that expanding prison capacity is necessary to keep the public safe and avoid running out of jail space. The policy comes amid continued pressure on the justice system, with overcrowding and sentencing policy both central to the wider political debate.

STORY

The Government has begun the roll-out of new Experts at Hand teams to provide specialist support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Ministers said the service would help families access support without always needing a formal diagnosis first.

The teams are intended to bring specialist expertise into schools and communities, reducing the need for families to navigate lengthy assessment routes before help is available. The Government said the programme was backed by a wider £1.8 billion investment in SEND support.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (in photo) said the aim was to end the postcode lottery faced by families seeking help. Guidance for local areas has been published, alongside the appointment of a national panel of experts to help shape the new system.

STORY

The Government has launched a consultation on strengthening legal protections for unmarried couples when relationships end. Ministers said the review would invite views from the public, legal professionals, academics, charities and other interested groups.

The consultation will run for 10 weeks and is intended to consider whether the law provides fair outcomes for cohabiting couples. The Government said many people incorrectly assume that long-term unmarried partners already have similar rights to married couples or civil partners.

The issue affects millions of people across England and Wales and has been the subject of repeated calls for reform. Ministers said the consultation would help determine whether changes are needed to provide clearer and fairer protections when relationships break down.

STORY

The Foreign Secretary has completed a three-day visit to China and India, with the Government saying the trip strengthened UK links with two major global powers. Ministers said the visit focused on security, economic resilience and the UK’s role in international diplomacy.

In India, the Foreign Secretary held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The discussions covered maritime security, supply-chain resilience, critical minerals and the impact of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz on international shipping.

The UK also co-launched a Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence with India. The Government said the centre would support work on maritime security and resilience, while helping to deepen cooperation under the UK-India Vision 2035 framework.

STORY

The Government has announced a new partnership with industry and trade unions to support young people into entry-level jobs as artificial intelligence changes the labour market. The Early Careers Jobs Alliance will bring together employers, unions, Government and young people to examine how first jobs can be protected and reshaped.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Work and Pensions said 400,000 young people in disadvantaged schools across the UK would receive AI and technology training. New AI bootcamps will also be rolled out in England, beginning with a pilot in the North West this summer.

Ministers said the scheme was intended to help young people move into further education, training or work, while ensuring that technological change does not close off routes into skilled careers. The announcement forms part of a wider focus on youth employment and skills.

STORY

A Labour MP has called for Reform UK to expel Karl Catchpole, a Reform UK councillor in Norfolk, following allegations about social media posts and comments attributed to him. Ben Goldsborough, the MP for South Norfolk, said he had written to Reform UK urging the party to remove Catchpole, who was elected for the Long Stratton division on Norfolk County Council with 1,517 votes.

The allegations include claims that Catchpole called Enoch Powell “one of the greatest visionaries of the last 50 years”, praised Tommy Robinson as “a caring family man” and shared a post about David Lammy which described him as “like some corrupt African official”. The remarks have prompted criticism from political opponents, with Goldsborough arguing that the posts were unacceptable and that Reform UK should take disciplinary action.

The row adds to wider scrutiny of Reform UK’s vetting of candidates following the local elections, after several councillors around the country faced allegations over past comments, social media posts or political associations. Reform UK has previously said it investigates allegations against candidates and councillors, but Goldsborough has accused the party of failing to act in this case. Reform UK said that they were not planning to expel Catchpole and were unable to make any further comment.

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Sir Keir Starmer is reported to be considering reductions in capital spending across Whitehall to help fund the Government’s defence ambitions. Reports suggest departments could face a 1% cut in capital investment, with net zero and transport budgets potentially facing deeper reductions.

The savings would be intended to support commitments linked to the Strategic Defence Review and the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan. Ministers are under pressure to show how new equipment, infrastructure, military housing and wider defence capabilities will be funded over the coming years.

The issue is politically sensitive because it places defence spending against other Government priorities, including infrastructure and the transition to clean energy. The debate is likely to intensify before the NATO summit, when the Government has promised to set out the investment plan.

STORY

The Public Accounts Committee has warned that the Government’s delay in publishing the Defence Investment Plan has damaged the UK’s credibility with allies and industry. The committee said the absence of the plan had undermined confidence in the Ministry of Defence and weakened the Government’s ability to set out how the armed forces will be modernised.

The report said the delay risks squandering the opportunities created by technological change, including lessons from Ukraine’s battlefield experience. It warned that smaller defence companies were particularly exposed because they need clearer demand signals before investing in capacity and innovation.

The committee said the Ministry of Defence had not yet settled which capabilities, infrastructure and personnel it requires to put the armed forces on a warfighting footing within the available budget. The Government has said the plan will be published before the NATO summit in July.