Plane Diverts To Stansted: Two Men Held

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 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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Online Daters 'Need Protection' From Stalkers

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

Online dating sites are not doing enough to protect women from being targeted by stalkers and violent men, according to a new anti-stalking charity.

Paladin, which was set up two months ago, says it has been contacted by people who have been abused by men after meeting them on the internet.

A lack of regulation has meant those with a violent past have been able to join dating sites.

A new code of conduct and a kitemarking system is to be introduced to the industry to help boost client confidence.

Laura Richards, from charity Paladin, said more websites need to join up to the code.

She said: "I think there's a lot of them that are not taking it seriously enough, currently, and certainly with regards to stalking and other serious offences that may be committed by predatory individuals who are using these sites because they know that there are a pool of victims for them to fish within.

"I think the code of practice is definitely a step forward that the public know there is a standard that has to be met."

Sarah, not her real name, met her former boyfriend on a dating website but was unaware he had two previous convictions for violence.

She said: "He threatened me, followed me, made unwanted contact with me, it was extremely terrifying. When I finally left the relationship the harassment continued in an email sense."

Her ex-boyfriend was eventually convicted but Sarah says there was no interest when she initially tried to contact the dating website.

"They supposedly had buttons on there to report an abuser, block an abuser but they are not easy to find, and they generate these automatic responses. There was no help or assistance available at a time when I was completely frustrated and panicking about the whole situation."

Recent YouGov surveys show one if five relationships in the UK begin online with around nine million people using dating websites in total.

Figures from consumer website 'Which?' reveal that two in five people using dating sites have discovered fake profiles.

So far 13 online dating sites have signed up to the new Online Dating Association including eHarmony, The Dating Lab, Oasis, Match, My Single Friend, Guardian Soulmates, Love and Friends, Dating Factory, Christian Connection, Muddy Matches, Lovestruck, FreeDating and The Single Solution.

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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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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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Diet Pill DNP: Sarah Houston's Dad Warns Users

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

The father of a medical student who died a year ago after taking a diet drug has told Sky News he is devastated that lives are still being lost despite a promise of action from the Prime Minister.

Geoff Houston said three young people have been killed by the fat burner dinitrophenol, or DNP, since his daughter Sarah died last September at the age of 23.

Only last week an inquest heard how Chris Mapletoft, 18, a talented rugby player died after taking DNP to enhance his physique.

In April David Cameron vowed to "look carefully" at the problem.

But Sky News found the drug widely available online.

Keen horse rider Sarah Houston died at the age of 23 after taking DNP

Mr Houston said: "I think these are preventable cases and it's so sad another family has to go through the same grief we went through.

"I think it's so shocking that people can try and profit from this stuff - and if they have any sense of moral decency they should stop selling it.

"And I would also say to those people taking it - you are playing a game of roulette here."

DNP was originally developed as an obesity drug. But it was abandoned after it was found to cause the body to progressively overheat.

Chris Mapletoft died after taking the pills blamed for Sarah's death

Symptoms include a high temperature, rapid breathing, an irregular heartbeat and dizziness.

But it is still used by some overweight people, those with eating disorders and bodybuilders.

Sarah Houston suffered from anorexia and had been secretly taking DNP for up to two years. She had bought the yellow capsules online from a supplier in Argentina.

At least 66 people have died worldwide after taking the drug.

It is illegal to sell DNP for human consumption. But it can be distributed for use as a pesticide.

Sky News found DNP diet pills were widely available online

Mr Houston said capsules have no industrial use and should be banned.

"I would like to see a lot more done in the UK," he said.

"If it is banned as a capsule it will be so much more difficult for these young people to take it. It is morally repugnant for these people to sell it to these vulnerable people."

The Department of Health sent all GPs and A&E departments a letter earlier this month alerting them to the problem.

The Food Standards Agency said it is working with the police and local authorities to stamp out the sale of DNP to consumers.

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Briton Held In Spain 'For Helping 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.

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

Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were lured to their deaths

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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Hillsborough: Second Police Force Investigated

Hillsborough: Many Questions Remain

Updated: 4:49pm UK, Tuesday 17 September 2013

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent

The police watchdog says it has uncovered "differences" between early statements given by fans at Hillsborough and later accounts.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) now wants to hear from as many as possible of the 50,000 fans in the stadium that day so that a clearer picture of what happened can be drawn.

The force responsible for taking those statements was West Midlands Police - their methods, practices and procedures adopted back then then are now under scrutiny.

Although careful not to prejudge, the IPCC clearly has either hard evidence or strong suspicions - or both - to suggest that West Midlands Police didn't do their job properly when dealing with those crucial eyewitness accounts.

But the scale of the task ahead of the IPCC is potentially enormous and pressure to avoid a long, drawn out investigation equally so.

The families of the 96 people who died at Hillsborough want answers. They also want any wrongdoing to be punished.

They fear that appealing for thousands of people to come forward can only mean one thing - another long inquiry.

The deputy chair of the IPCC, Deborah Glass, told me that they've had "constructive talks" with the families and that they understand the sense of frustration.

"We cannot ignore the mistakes of the past but we must be thorough now," she said.

It's hard to argue with both views.

We know from last year's Independent Panel report into the disaster that police and ambulance statements were altered to paint the police in a better light.

What we don't know yet is how many accounts from the fans themselves were altered, changed or even rewritten.

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Duggan Inquest Told Of Police Officer's Fears

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The police officer who shot Mark Duggan believed his target was aiming a gun back at him, an inquest has heard.

It has been two years since Mr Duggan was shot dead by police officers on Ferry Lane in Tottenham, north London, in a killing that sparked the London riots.

The 29-year-old was travelling in a minicab when it was stopped by team of Metropolitan Police officers investigating gang activities involving firearms and nightclubs.

Mark Duggan's death in Tottenham sparked riots in August 2011

Counsel to the inquest, Ashley Underwood QC, told the jury that the police believe Mr Duggan had travelled to Leyton in east London to pick up a gun.

As he was returning to Tottenham that evening three police vehicles performed a "hard stop" of the minicab.

Mr Underwood explained to the inquest jury that: "The idea of a hard stop is to shock people into submission.

"The whole purpose of police officers coming in hard and fast, stopping the car is to shock and awe people into not doing things."

Mr Duggan got out of the minicab and an armed officer known as V53 then shot him twice.

The first shot hit Mr Duggan in the arm, the second fatal wound punctured his aorta.

One bullet ended up lodged in a police radio, the second was recovered from the minicab.

An image of his blood-stained jacket was shown in court, at the same time there were gasps from the public gallery.

Mr Underwood revealed that the officer V53 believed that Mr Duggan had been holding a gun wrapped in a sock in his right hand at the time of the shooting and was aiming it at the officer.

He explained how police officers expected to find the gun beneath Mr Duggan but it was actually found 10-20ft away.

Mr Underwood said the handgun had been modified at some point but added: "It could fire, this gun was entirely capable of lethal force."

The shooting sparked a peaceful protest in Tottenham that escalated into rioting and looting across London and quickly spread to cities around England in August 2011.

Many different theories about the shooting have been put forward over the last two years as Mr Duggan's family have waited for answers. 

His brother has said how they feel they've been "fobbed off" in their pursuit of the facts. 

Many of Mr Duggan's family members and loved ones were in court for the second day of the inquest which is due to last between eight and 10 weeks. 

His Honour Judge Keith Cutler, the judge overseeing the inquest, has told the jury they are "on a quest to find the truth".

The jurors will be taken to Tottenham later this week to help them understand the scene of the shooting. 

The inquest has been adjourned for the day.

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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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Daniel Pelka: Calls For Child Protection Law

Almost 50,000 people have signed a petition calling for new legislation to help protect children from abuse in the wake of Daniel Pelka's murder.

The petition has been launched by Manchester mother-of-two Paula Barrow in an attempt to highlight the need for mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Ms Barrow says the lack of a legal requirement for people working with children in the UK to report suspected abuse represents a "critical hole" in current legislation.

Her petition calls on Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling and Education Secretary Michael Gove to consider the need for legislative change.

Four-year-old Daniel was beaten, starved and poisoned by his mother and her partner, who hid the abuse by claiming he had an eating disorder.

Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek

Medical experts said Daniel's emaciation was "unprecedented" in Britain and likened him to a concentration camp victim.

He weighed around 10kg when he died.

Magdelena Luczak and her partner, Mariusz Krezolek, were jailed last month for a minimum of 30 years.

A serious case review is currently investigating how education authorities and social services failed to detect the abuse Daniel suffered.

The review's findings will be considered by Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr Clegg, Mr Grayling and Mr Gove.

Daniel was laid to rest in Poland earlier this month

Introducing her petition on the website change.org, Ms Barrow said it is "incomprehensible" that authorities did not do more to help Daniel.

"We need to ensure that adults in regulated activities come to the aid of vulnerable children, in this case to the aid of a child who could be seen to be literally struggling to survive," Ms Barrow said.

"If those around Daniel had been legally obliged to report his abuse, then perhaps the system would not have let him down him as it so tragically did.

"One way in which we can help better protect children is to make those around them legally responsible.

"Legislation is needed which requires staff working in regulated activities - schools and early years etc - to report concerns."

Mandatory reporting is already in place in countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland and the United States.

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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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Schools Told To Cut Hefty Costs Of Uniforms

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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