The OFT has opened a consultation on an amendment to commitments offered by a number of motor insurance companies designed to address competition law concerns about the potential exchange of pricing data between competitors.

An OFT investigation raised concerns that, by subscribing to an analysis tool, seven insurance companies were able to access not only the pricing information they themselves provided to brokers through the software, but also pricing information supplied by competing insurers. The analysis tool was provided to insurers by an IT company, using information supplied to it by a second IT company.

The OFT warned the firms that, because of the nature of the information exchanged, there was an increased risk of price coordination.

Following its investigation, the OFT announced in January 2011 that it was minded to accept commitments as a means of addressing its concerns, and opened a consultation on draft commitments. As a result of the consultation, the OFT is now minded to accept an amendment to the draft commitments which will reduce the age of the data that can be exchanged via the analysis tool from 36 months to six months. The OFT believes this less restrictive duration will ensure that a certain level of information remains available to potential new competitors, in particular small competitors, and will thus encourage entry into and healthy competition in this market.

However, the OFT remains of the view that all other requirements of the commitments offered by the insurer parties are necessary to remove the OFT’s competition concerns, including the requirements that pricing information must (i) be anonymised and aggregated across at least five insurers; and (ii) not be supplied to insurers until prices are already ‘live’ in policies sold by brokers.

The OFT is now consulting on the proposed amendment to the commitments, formal acceptance of which would result in the OFT ending its investigation.

The consultation on the amended commitments will close on 28 October 2011.

A new ‘media literacy’ teaching pack to help children understand how the media often alter images and the impact these have on self esteem, was backed by Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone today.

The teaching materials developed by not-for-profit company Media Smart mark an important contribution to the government’s ongoing Body Confidence campaign.

Primary school teachers will be able to download the materials to structure a lesson specifically tailored to the 10-11 age group – an important stage in a young person’s development.

Pupils will be guided to look carefully at the images they see in order to gain a more realistic perception of what is real and what is not. The lessons will explore how and why idealised images in advertising and the media are used to construct particular messages and make people feel a certain way.

Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said:

“Young people are being set an impossible standard by the images they are confronted with on a daily basis from the media and advertising and there is evidence to suggest this has a negative impact on self esteem.

“I want children to recognise from an early age that their value is worth so much more than just their physical appearance.

“I am delighted to have worked with Media Smart to produce this important work.”

Media Smart Chairman Paul Jackson said:

“Media Smart develops lessons to help children think critically about the advertising and media they see on an everyday basis. We were delighted to work with Lynne Featherstone and her team to develop a lesson around such an important and topical issue.

“In trials of the lesson we found that children responded really well when they realised that most of the images they see have been altered in some way and are aspirational but not realistic.”

Psychoanalyst, writer and convenor of campaign group Anybody, Susie Orbach said:

“Body confidence is a society wide issue. A lack of it can erode children’s self worth.

“Enabling children, their parents and teachers to recognise how images in the media and advertising are altered and the often negative impact this has on all of our self esteem is crucial.

“Giving primary school children the tools which allow them to see the differences between the real and the fantastical is part of helping them develop a sense of self worth and confidence from an early age.”

Mumsnet co-founder and Chief Executive Justine Roberts said:

“In recent years we’ve seen many discussions on Mumsnet about the pressure on children to conform to impossible stereotypes, and the impact this might have on their self-esteem.

“I’m sure many Mumsnetters will welcome this really useful tool, which should help children understand that the kind of bodies reflected in the media are often manipulated to present a distorted view of perfection.

“Enabling children to ‘read’ these marketing images is empowering – and will build the confidence they need to be happy in their own bodies.”

A year on from the launch of Liberal Democrats Abroad, branches have been established in Brussels, Hong Kong, Germany, the Channel Islands and Spain. Further branches are expected to be announced shortly.

The organisation aims to ensure Liberal Democrat members and supporters living overseas can stay in touch with the party in the UK and that the party understands their concerns.

Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, patron of Liberal Democrats Abroad, said:

“We have made terrific progress in our first year. It shows what I always thought – as an internationalist party to our core we have many supporters overseas who want to be involved.

“Lib Dems Abroad gives us this chance. I hope it goes from strength to strength.”

Responding to a report from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and the Government’s Advocate for Access to Education, Simon Hughes, said the body must be given the power to punish universities that fail to offer places to enough students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Simon Hughes said:

“This is further confirmation of how many English universities are failing to advance social mobility. This report confirms why the new Government has been right to make widening access to higher education a priority for this parliament.

“The spotlight is now well and truly on our top academic institutions and from now on they will have nowhere to hide.

“In my report to the Prime Minister in July, I made clear that the powers of OFFA should be strengthened in the higher education bill that will be coming soon. OFFA must be given the power to use sanctions against those institutions which do not deliver more places to young people from less privileged backgrounds. In every region of England, all universities should also co-ordinate outreach so that no secondary school or college student does not know the opportunities and benefits of going to university.

“Top universities must work much harder to increase their number of students from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds.

And in the next few weeks, everyone who is doing A-levels next year- whatever their background- should consider Cambridge and Oxford as well as every other university, and to rule nowhere out. “

Copies of the full access report can be found at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/hughes-report

Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles, the Chair of the influential Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, has accused fellow Conservative and Labour MEPs of undermining the economic stability of the Eurozone and UK for their refusal to back tighter fiscal rules for euro members.

Ms Bowles, who was heavily involved in the negotiations on the economic governance package adopted by the European Parliament today, said:

“The UK is not an island in economic terms. Our economic fate is closely linked to what happens to the Euro. It is in the UK’s interest to make sure that economic policy coordination across the Eurozone improves and quick and automatic sanctions are put in place for euro members flaunting fiscal rules.”

“I’ve just returned from the IMF where there was fear of a global meltdown similar to that following the collapse of Lehman brothers, if the Euro crisis is not solved.”

“Against this background Labour and Conservative MEPs who refused to back this common sense package have acted in a very irresponsible manner. Threatening the stability of the Eurozone is threatening economic recovery, and worse, in the UK.”

Ms Bowles also accused Conservative MEPs who voted against the new rules for actively undermining the UK Government, which strongly supported the package adopted today in the Parliament.

She added: “How can George Osborne credibly call for better economic governance and tighter fiscal rules in the Eurozone when Conservative MEPs vote against such measures.”

John Hemming has linked to the BBC report on the numbers of babies adopted from care. There have always been very few of these as they are basically the babies that are abandoned at birth.

John Hemming writes in his blog:

“I am not sure myself that the Government are right to regret that fewer babies are abandoned at birth. I would think that it would be better if they were not abandoned. However, that is the government’s view.

“Similarly it is not enough to just look at the figures for adoptions. We need to look at what happens with the children. There has been a movement away from children returning to their parents, perhaps this is being reversed. We don’t know.

“Hence really there is not a lot that anyone who fully understands the care system should say. That, of course, does not stop Martin Narey from saying:
“The numbers are disappointing, but the tide is turning.”"

NHS Choices has developed a health check service that can be found at http://ow.ly/6Idqv which makes it easier to make healther choices.

The site suggests ways that you can substitute different products to cut the calories, saturated fat,and sugar in your trolley and boost your 5 a day.

You can also use the tool on mysupermarket.co.uk to carry out an independent price comparison for your shopping.

You can learn more by clicking HERE

As the European Parliament meets for a second time this month in Strasbourg, UK Liberal Democrat MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, European Parliament Vice-President responsible for Democracy and Human Rights, is calling for a spending stop for all building projects concerning the Parliament until a comprehensive analysis of the real costs of all its three working places has been conducted.

Mr McMillan-Scott, who co-chairs the Single Seat campaign determined to bring an end to the European Parliament’s historic three working places arrangement in Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels, said:

“After a year of internal studies and research showing the financial, environmental and physical costs of travelling between Brussels and Strasbourg, it is time to step up the pressure on Member States to reform the system.

“Liberal Democrat MEPs will vote against any money being spent on buildings for the European Parliament in all its meeting places at least until the real costs of working in three different locations are revealed.

“At a time of economic crisis it is indefensible to let Member States get away with dictating to the European Parliament where and when it has to meet.”

Responding to the news that BAE Systems will be making redundancies in the UK, Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“This news from BAE Systems will be a serious knock to the individuals and communities affected.

“My officials and the BIS local teams are already in touch with the company, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to make sure that everything possible is done to help those affected at Brough, Warton, Samlesbury and other sites.

“Last year I set up the Skills and Jobs Retention Group, chaired by Allan Cook, to help skilled workers find new jobs in UK manufacturing. The Group will ensure that the shortage of engineers in UK manufacturing is not exacerbated by the loss of talented people from companies like BAE Systems.

“The Group has set up a new national web based system to make it easier for companies to recruit skilled workers who have been made redundant and the JobCentre Plus Rapid Response Service is also on hand to provide a range of support measures.”

Almost 900,000 workers in the UK will get a pay rise when the minimum wage rises above the £6-an-hour barrier for the first time this weekend.

The new rates for adult workers will be increased by 15p to £6.08 from Saturday, by 6p to £4.98 for 18 to 20-year-olds, and up by 4p to £3.68 for 16 and 17-year-olds, and the apprentice rate will increase by 10p to £2.60.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said estimates suggested that the 2.5% increase in the adult minimum wage will benefit the public finances by £230 million as tax and national insurance rates increase and the benefits bill falls.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said:

This rise will put extra cash in the pockets of the UK’s lowest-paid workers when they can ill afford to have their pay squeezed by inflation.

“Cuts in public services and benefits are hitting the working poor the hardest and this increase is not enough to protect them from falling living standards.

“The minimum wage has already helped hundreds of thousands of families without causing significant job losses and its success has shown that despite much scare-mongering from some employers, sensible labour market regulation is good for business.”