Daily roundup 22 October: 'Sugar tax', secure training centre, and taxis

A report by Public Health England calls on government to impose a “sugar tax” and crack down on the marketing of unhealthy products to children and two-for-one deals in supermarkets in a bid to tackle childhood obesity. According to The Guardian the delayed report sets out a range of tough policies that need to be taken to reduce the consumption of sugary foods and drinks.


The government paid £1.1m to private company Serco for running an empty secure children’s unit for seven weeks, according to figures obtained by charity Article 39. The Guardian reports the contract for Hassockfield secure training centre in County Durham expired last September and was extended before closing on 20 November. But Serco continued to be paid until 9 January this year.


More than £70m of public funds has been spent in the past four years taking children to school in taxis in Wales. Walesonline reports that the information emerged following a freedom of information request by the Liberal Democrats.


A paedophile doctor was able to abuse 18 young cancer patients by manipulating hospital rules to avoid detection, a inquiry has found. The Guardian reports that 42-year-old Myles Bradbury had taken advantage of the hospital’s appointments systems and a chaperone policy for young patients, which allowed him to abuse children behind a curtain while their parents were in the room.


An academy school linked to the “Trojan Horse” affair did not teach boys about safe sex, a misconduct panel has heard. The BBC reports five senior staff at Birmingham’s Park View School have been accused of unacceptable professional conduct.