Daily roundup 8 March: Domestic abuse, class sizes, and modern slavery

Suspected domestic abusers could be electronically tagged under government proposals for England and Wales. The BBC reports that other measures in the draft Domestic Abuse Bill include tougher sentences for child abusers and more protection for victims who testify in court. There is a new definition of economic abuse - if people are denied access to jobs or money, or forced to take loans. Prime Minister Theresa May said the bill could "completely transform the way we tackle domestic abuse".


Funding cuts have forced up class sizes in secondary schools across England, according to leading education unions, as schools balance their budgets by cutting staff. The Guardian reports that using official figures published by the Department for Education, the coalition of unions found that 62 per cent of state secondary schools had larger classes last year than two years before.


A quarter of women rescued from modern slavery in the UK are pregnant and facing "shocking" levels of danger and deprivation, a charity has warned. The BBC reports that Hestia, which runs safe houses, says pregnant women can escape or be abandoned by traffickers and left to sleep rough without any healthcare. The charity says "urgent action" is needed to help such vulnerable women.


MPs have launched an investigation into energy drinks and their popularity with young people in the UK, amid growing concerns about negative health outcomes due to their high caffeine and sugar content. The Guardian reports that the science and technology select committee will question why, when most UK supermarkets have introduced a voluntary ban on their sale to under-16s, there are no similar restrictions in many convenience stores, newsagents and smaller retailers.


Nearly £10m of proposed cuts to early help services in Surrey have been approved by county councillors as part of a draft strategy. Get Surrey reports that the draft Early Help Strategy for 2018 to 2022, aimed at identifying when a child needs support at the earliest opportunity, includes savings of £9.71m because reduced government funding means cost cutting is needed.