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Labour’s leader in the Lords has denied behaving like a “dinosaur” over a bill to change the way MPs are elected, as peers faced another marathon debate.

Lord Hunt denied using delaying tactics, saying the bill had to be given “proper Parliamentary scrutiny.”

But Lords Leader Lord Strathclyde said Lord Hunt and “his dinosaur pals” were trying to prevent it from coming into force before the next election.

The third of the three days of debate is due to get under way at 1530 GMT.

It comes amid signs of a possible deal between the two sides.

The BBC’s Deputy Political Editor James Landale said there had been a “change of atmosphere” in the Lords after Monday’s all-night sitting, with “a sense that both sides are beginning to contemplate the possibility of pulling back from the brink”.

Labour and the coalition also agreed to end Tuesday’s debate earlier than expected, as private talks between the two front benches opened up again, he added.

He said the most likely compromise would be allowing the size of constituencies to vary by 10% rather than the 5% proposed in the bill.

Lord Hunt told BBC Radio 5 live: “The opposition stands ready to discuss the bill with the government,” adding: “Let’s hope in the next few days we can have some constructive discussions.”

But he appeared unwilling to give ground on Labour’s central demand for the part of the bill that would reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and redraw constituency boundaries, so that the they each contain about 75,000 voters, to be split off from the part dealing with an AV referendum and debated separately.

“We are not at all opposed to a referendum on the alternate vote in May but we do object to its linking to this second part of the bill, which is very much about trying to fix constituency boundaries to help the Conservative Party at the next election,” he said.

He denied Labour peers were behaving like “dinosaurs” by tabling more than 100 amendments, adding: “We are progressive, we want to see reform in Parliament but you have to have proper scrutiny and that is what we are giving it.”

Conservative peer Lord Strathclyde, the Lords Leader, said he did not believe “a word” of Lord Hunt’s claims.

“It’s right that the two issues should be in the same bill because they will affect the same general election, which will be the next general election.

“The only reason why Philip and his pals, his dinosaur pals, in the House of Lords, are so opposed to it is because they know that if they can delay then they know that the Boundaries Commission can not do the work in order to get it ready for the next general election.”

He insisted the proposed redrawing of constituency boundaries would create a “fairer” system and would not necessarily benefit the Conservatives at the next election, as Labour have claimed.

He accused Labour of “bringing the House of Lords into disrepute” with their delaying tactics.

For the referendum on the introduction of the Alternative Vote (AV) for Westminster elections to take place as planned on 5 May, the bill needs to be law by 16 February.

This is because the Electoral Commission needs a full 10 weeks, as set out in previous legislation, to fully prepare for a referendum.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Unemployment in Wales rises by 4,000 to 123,000 in the three months to November, figures reveal, although the number in work increased

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Tunisian prosecutors open an investigation into foreign assets of toppled president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his family, according to reports.

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Defending champion Roger Federer is pushed to five sets before beating Frenchman Gilles Simon to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

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The Queen’s annual Christmas message is to be produced by Sky News for the next two years, it is announced.

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Jeremy Hunt will promise a “voice” for communities

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to invite companies to run local TV stations and make the proposed new services a reality.

Addressing broadcasting executives at the Oxford Media Convention, he is due to say the initial schemes will be focused on “10 to 12” major cities.

He will ask firms to register an interest by 1 March.

Licences for local – rather than regional – television services are to be handed out before the end of 2012.

Mr Hunt has long championed the concept of US-style local television, where many cities, rather than wider regions, have their own local news and entertainment coverage.

In a speech to the convention, he will say: “To make this vision a reality I am today inviting existing and new media providers to come forward with suggestions as to how this network channel – or local TV ‘spine’ – could work.

“For consumers what this will mean is a new channel dedicated to the provision of local news and content. One that will sit alongside other public service broadcasters, offering a new voice for local communities, with local perspectives that are directly relevant to them.

“We will not be prescriptive. We will wait for the necessary technical assessment to be completed and we will listen to the commercially viable proposals that come forward.

“Our goal is to be able to award the relevant licences by the end of 2012, and for local TV to be up and running soon after.”

A panel set up to examine the idea said local television channels might start by broadcasting in only 10 to 12 areas, adding that it would take “significant effort” to make the plan a success.

In an interview at last year’s Edinburgh International Television Festival, Mr Hunt described the UK media as “chronically over-centralised”.

He said: “It is crazy that a city like Sheffield, for example, does not have its own television station like it would have in most other developed countries.”

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Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs reports $2.39bn net income in the fourth quarter, down by half from a year ago.

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Fluoridation supporters say the move would reduce tooth decay

A decision to add fluoride to tap water in Southampton will go before the High Court later.

Resident Geraldine Milner began a legal challenge against the decision made in 2009 by the South Central Strategic Health Authority (SCSHA).

The SCSHA, which believes the move will improve dental health, gave the go-ahead despite a public consultation showing 72% opposed the idea.

The judicial review will decide if SCSHA properly considered the views.

During the consultation opponents had voiced concerns over the impact fluoride may have on people’s health.

But SCSHA said it was “satisfied that, based on existing research, water fluoridation is a safe and effective way to improve dental health”.

Stephen Peckham, chairman of Hampshire Against Fluoridation, said: “Local anger about the SCSHA’s decision has grown since 2009.

“People feel that fluoridation is being imposed on them without their consent or approval.

“If Ms Milner had not taken this action the SHA would have just steam-rolled ahead with a total disregard for the evidence and local opinion.”

Southampton City Primary Care Trust first proposed the move to increase the level of fluoride in water to one part per million.

Dr Jeyanthi John, consultant in dental public health for the trust, said: “Water fluoridation schemes have been in place in this country for some 40 odd years and shown to have proven benefits.

“About five-and-a-half million people in this country have been drinking fluoridated water.”

Professor Michael Lennon, who chairs the British Fluoridation Society, said: “Tooth decay remains in some parts of our country quite a substantial problem.

“If we take Southampton, in an average year more than 500 young children will be admitted to hospital for dental extractions… that is quite a traumatic experience.

“[If fluoride was added to the water] it would reduce tooth decay in children by about 40%, in adults by 30% and [we] would start to see a difference within three years.”

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The reforms were first set out in a white paper published last summer

The government is preparing to publish details of the biggest overhaul of the NHS in England in more than 60 years, amid mounting criticism of the changes.

The Health and Social Care Bill, which will be laid before Parliament later, paves the way for GPs to get control of most of the NHS budget by 2013.

Unions warn the plans could undermine the health service, while MPs say they have taken the NHS by “surprise”.

But the government argues the changes will improve care and accountability.

This will be the key message the Department of Health stresses as the bill is unveiled.

After spending the past week defending the plans from attacks by unions, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley wants to stress the positives by detailing how he believes they will transform the NHS for the better.

Speaking ahead of the publication of the draft legislation, he said: “Our ambition is simple – to deliver care for patients which is the best of anywhere in the world on the NHS.”

The reforms were first set out in a white paper published last summer and will lead to a radical overhaul of the health service.

Managers working for primary care trusts (PCTs) are currently responsible for planning and buying local services from hospital care to district nursing, but under the changes consortia of GPs will take on responsibility for this from 2013.

Pilots are already starting and once the process is complete, two tiers of management – PCTs and the 10 regional health authorities – will be scrapped.

The bill has been eagerly awaited by those in the NHS to see just how much power will be devolved to doctors, how they will be held accountable and what safeguards will be put in place.

In the lead up to its publication, fears were voiced by the NHS Confederation that hospitals could go bust as the plans include opening up the NHS to “any willing provider”.

Critics have also questioned whether GPs have the experience and skills to handle such huge budgets – they will have control of about 80% of the budget.

On Tuesday, the Commons health committee criticised the scale and speed of the reforms, saying the NHS had not been able to plan properly.

A host of unions, including the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing, have expressed their “extreme concerns” that greater commercial competition in the NHS would end up undermining care.

The government has responded by saying it is all part of a managed transition to devolve decision-marking closer to the patient so services are designed in a better way.

Ministers have also been quick to point out that despite the criticisms from unions, more than 140 groups of GPs have put themselves forward for the pilots, covering more than half the population of England.

The timing of the reforms has also been questioned. While the NHS will be getting small funding rises in the next four years, it is still being asked to making savings – £20bn by 2014.

Peter Carter, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “This reform programme could come off the rails, as people concentrate on saving money rather than delivering quality care.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.