a0 years on, there is then some hope that the long decline of this hidden heritage may be coming to an end. david sillito, bbc news, grimsby. the funeral of the comedian, sir ken dodd, is being held at liverpool cathedral this lunchtime. hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects — alongside some of the city's best known comedians — byjimmy tarbuck during the service as the "greatest stage comic" he had ever seen. time for a look at the weather. i mixed picture in the run—up to the easter weekend. as a lot of rain about this morning particularly in the south east. but that cloud is now moving east and you can see clearer skies following behind.

something a bit brighter through this afternoon for many but the rain taking some time to clear away from the far south—east. and while the brain lingering across the far north of scotland. that sticks around as we go through tonight. but many other places telling dry with clear skies and telling quite cold, quite widely dipping below freezing. but not as cold in the far south—west because some showers will be coming into the second half of the night. and during tomorrow the showers continued to move north. some of these will be happy and perhaps thundery. —— heavy. in between a decent slice of sunshine. temperatures generally a little below par for the time of year but we could get to 10 degrees in the best of the brightness. for the start of the easter weekend the

story dominated by low pressure put the frontal systems pushing north so on good friday we have a band of showery rain moving north. but not raining all day long. i had about a decent amount of dry weather and sunshine and behind it, it should brighten up again with some sunshine. the temperatures again a little bit low where we would want them for the time of year. any showers in the north could still be wintry over at the higher ground. so a mixed picture for the easter weekend. generally pretty cool but in between all of that some dry weather and sunshine. saturday not looking too bad, some showers beyond their and some wintry nith in the north but some sunny spells and maybe ten or ii north but some sunny spells and maybe ten or 11 degrees across parts of the south. then for sunday, is today, at this stage we're seeing a lot of dry weather with some spells

of sunshine but the wind picking up as well. temperatures generally still call and then the rain behind me looks like it will push north as we head into easter monday. more on that to come in the next few days. a reminder of our main story this lunchtime. a decision to release the serial sex offenderjohn worboys has been overturned by the high court. that's all from the bbc news at one — good afternoon. the note former australian cricket captain steve smith has been banned for 12 months for his role in the ball tampering scandal that marked the third test

with south africa. david warner has been banned for a year with cameron ba ncroft been banned for a year with cameron bancroft given a nine—month suspension. the chief executive james sutherland said three players we re james sutherland said three players were sad, disappointed and remorseful. it is with deep regret we are in this position, it gives us no joy. the process we are in this position, it gives us nojoy. the process cricket australia has worked through has been exhausted and has arrived at best we can add a decision that are representative of an appropriate measure, given the incident that took place in cape town on saturday. steve smith and cameron bancroft have been banned from captaining australia for two years whilst david warner has been told he would be considered for any team leadership positions in the future. we are in

johannesburg ahead of the fourth test and says there are still questions to be answered. there will bea questions to be answered. there will be a degree of debate whether the head coach should still be in his job, he will address the media later on today. some believe he should carry responsibility for the culture in this team. some people believe it is unrealistic or lee—smith and warner were aware of what cameron ba ncroft warner were aware of what cameron bancroft was up to. by acting quickly and by being relatively tough with these players, they can now move on. today's suspensions we re now move on. today's suspensions were handed down by cricket australia, a one—game ban was the sanction from cricket's ‘s world governing body the icc. with pakistan's players given far longer suspension terms, this man believes reform is needed. they were given by

icc massive bands. i think that's a massive inconsistency. mohammad asif got a ten year ban and mohammad amir got a ten year ban and mohammad amir got a ten year ban and mohammad amir got a five—year ban, to me that is no worse than what the australians we re no worse than what the australians were doing. manchester city and chelsea could make it to english clu bs chelsea could make it to english clubs into the women are's champions league for the first time. city carry a 2—0 lead —— lead. chelsea also have a two—goal lead from the away tie with montpellier.m also have a two—goal lead from the away tie with montpellier. it is the biggest night in the club's testily. every female player wants to aim for the big games, the big stages and challenges. i love playing in big games. i do love this club and it would be great to take this club in that direction. i think the team and

has built, we havejust seen it progress. that is all the sport. you can find more on those stories on the bbc sport website including a bad day for england's women as they suffered a record loss to australia. i will be back with more in the next hour. thank you very much. going straight no to liverpool cathedral we re straight no to liverpool cathedral were the funeral is taking place of sir ken who dodd died earlier this month. jimmy tarbuck is paying tribute. you've got to imagine the scene. the escalators stops at the gates of heaven and the figure steps out, he says his name kenneth dodd. he says,

oh, lord, he is here. doddy? wonderful. ask him, will he do five minutes? saint peters says he's never done five minutes and his life, he's not getting up here. how didi life, he's not getting up here. how did i meet him? it was injacob's club, they had a gala night 57 years ago and all the local comics got up and we got bookings from it. there was a comedian who had an unusual act with a dog, he sang in the dog's earand act with a dog, he sang in the dog's ear and the dog barked along. we are in the rehearsal room and she bursts, this lunatic with the hair. we wondered how long he would do, he

won't be long. he was on, he was on and he was on. another comedian said, you are out of order. he said, it didn't seem too long to me. he said, how long were you on for? he said, how long were you on for? he said, the dog has died! laughter and ijust laughter and i just fell in laughter and ijust fell in love with him. laughter and ijust fell in love with himli thought, how can you do that? just come in the dressing room and have the dressing room in uproar with eve ryo ne the dressing room in uproar with everyone rolling laughing and everybody out there. they wouldn't let him off. he sang happiness because he gave happiness. was he a it? noel. he was better than that. he was the greatest stage comedian i've ever seen in my life. and especially when he was at the palladium, they hadn't seen him down

in the south. ijust palladium, they hadn't seen him down in the south. i just said, palladium, they hadn't seen him down in the south. ijust said, weight and you see this fellow. and he came down, ladies and gentlemen, and he just paralyse them. i am so proud. he said, it went all right, didn't it? it was an honour to watch him. it was a joy to see how broke jokes. and live on the stage, he set a standard which no one has remotely approached since. and this song was one of the great dodd's favourite. he called ken dodd the greater stage, key has ever seen. now live to the house of commons. for all

victims who have suffered as a result ofjohn worboys‘s hideous crimes. i want to set out in greater detail than i have previously been able to the reasons why i did not bring judicial review. as i told the house on the 19th of january, i looked carefully at whether i could challenge the decision. it would have been unprecedented. the parole board is independent mac by department is responsible. i took expert leading advice whether i should bring a challenge. the bar forjudicial review is set high, i considered whether the decision was illegally rational, in other words a decision which no reasonable parole board could have made. the advice i received was such an argument was highly unlikely to succeed. this argument did not succeed. the victims succeeded in a different

argument, the that while ministry of justice officials opposed to release, they should have done more to put forward the relevant to material. the highlighted significant failures on the part of the parole board to make all the necessary enquiries and fully take into account wider evidence about john worboys‘s offending. i received advice on the failure, and was advised this was not one that i would have been able to successfully advance. the victims were better place to make this argument and those of the argument on which they have won their case. it is right the action of the parole board in this important and unusual case have been laid open tojudicial important and unusual case have been laid open to judicial scrutiny. important and unusual case have been laid open tojudicial scrutiny. i have always said i fully support the rights of victims to bring this action. i've been very concerned not to do anything to hinder the victims right to challenge and to bring

their evidence before the court. the judgment suggested that had i brought the case, the standing of the victims may have been compromised. the court's findings give rise to serious concerns. the court has found the credibility and reliability of warboys's account in relation to his previous offending behaviour was not probed to any extent if at all by the parole board and that although the parole board is entitled to make enquiries of the police in relation to his offending, it did not do so. these are serious failings which need serious action to address. in these circumstances, i have accepted nick hardwick‘s resignation as chair of the organisation. i am also taking the following actions, instructing my officials to issue new guidance that all relevant evidence of past offending should be included in the dossier submitted to the parole

board including police evidence so it can be robustly tested in each pa role it can be robustly tested in each parole board hearing. putting in place procedures to check every dossier sent by hm pps to the parole board contains dossier sent by hm pps to the parole boa rd contains every dossier sent by hm pps to the parole board contains every necessary piece of evidence, including sentencing remarks are other relevant material from previous trials or other civil legal action. boosting the role of the secretary of state's roller pa role the secretary of state's roller parole hearings, they should be present for those are complex cases we re present for those are complex cases were hm prison and probation service is arguing strongly against... working with the parole board to review the composition of panels so the parole board includes greater judicial expertise for high—profile cases, particularly for there are multiple victims involved or dispute between witnesses as to the suitability for release. the

judgment also found the blanket ban on the transparency of parole board proceedings as unlawful. i accept the finding of the court and will not be challenging this. it was my view from the beginning very good reasons we should continue with a law that doesn't allow any transparency. when i addressed the house in the january, i said it had commissioned a review into how victims were involved with parole board decisions, and on whether there should be a way of challenging pa role there should be a way of challenging parole board decisions, that work has been continuing for these past 2.5 months. given the very serious issues, i can announce i intend to conduct further work to examine the pa role conduct further work to examine the parole board conduct further work to examine the pa role boa rd rules conduct further work to examine the parole board rules in their entirety. as a result of the work that has been completed to date, i have decided to abolish rule 25 and will do so as soon as possible after

the easter recess. this will enable us the easter recess. this will enable us to provide for the parole board to make available summaries of these assertions they make her victims. i will bring forward decisions for pa role will bring forward decisions for parole board decisions to be challenged through an internal review mechanism would a separate panel will look again at cases which meet designated criteria. i intend to consult on the details of the proposals by april alongside other proposals by april alongside other proposals to make sure victims are kept informed about the parole process. i am gratefulfor kept informed about the parole process. i am grateful for help with this review and helpful suggestions about how victim liaison operated in this case. i will come back to the house with further proposals as these are developed. let no one doubt the seriousness with which i ta ke doubt the seriousness with which i take the issues raised by this morning'sjudgment nor take the issues raised by this morning's judgment nor the bravery of thejudgment morning's judgment nor the bravery of the judgment you brought this case to court. i commend this

statement to the house. the justice secretary there saying that he does accept the findings of the high court, the ruling today. outlining some of the serious concerns that have arisen as a result. that decision has caused anguish through the victims whose cases have been dealt with and those who have not yet had justice as well as deep concern among women in the public more widely. the head of the parole board has stood down but what is needed is a real change in the way the parole board functions. the current restrictions on the parole board means we do not wide that know this initial decision was taken which led to a rumour about where warboys would be released to and rumours he would be released without a tag. this isn't good for victims are public confidence. it can't be right that women are victims have to

go tojudicial review right that women are victims have to go to judicial review before the reasons for the release ofjohn worboys became available. we remember the government making the victims also go to the supreme court in relation to compensation following police failings. judges in thejudicial review is following police failings. judges in the judicial review is said too much secrecy the judicial review is said too much secrecy about parole board decisions under the rule 25 of parole board proceedings prevent any reasons being given as made by the board. the warboys case underlines there is a need for the government to take urgent action and measures to guarantee greater transparency in pa role guarantee greater transparency in parole board decisions. given the public are entitled to be informed about court judgments, they public are entitled to be informed about courtjudgments, they must be entitled of the clear reasons behind pa role entitled of the clear reasons behind parole board decisions. this isn't about undermining independence of the parole board and we will defend independence of ourjudiciary. it is

right action is being taken to improve transparency. is the secretary of state also looking at guaranteeing the public are informed of the reasons behind decisions but also the mechanism to challenge those decisions? will the secretary of state kermit that his review of the parole board by the summer? —— will the secretary of state comet. we'll be secretary of state assure the house this will not happen in this case? a lawyer for the victims ofjohn worboys has said the mod was responsible for preparing the dossier of evidence on which the pa role dossier of evidence on which the parole board made its decision to release. can be secretary of state explain to the house by information about the so—called rape kit used by john worboys was not included in

this dossier? can he also explain why the sentencing remarks of the judge in the criminal trial ofjohn worboys were not included? and why the dossier included nothing about the dossier included nothing about the new information that had come to light during the proceedings brought by victims against the metropolitan police? the failures in the first john worboys case. we have to be clear about the importance of the human rights role in this. deep cuts to legal aid have undermined the ability of people to pursue judicial undermined the ability of people to pursuejudicial review. i don't think it's right there victims of people likejohn worboys have decried fun to pursue justice. justice cannot depend upon the depths of your pockets. will the

government commit to supporting judicial reviews? can he give more information about why he chose not to proceed with his own judicial review? does he regret his decision to pursue a cheap headline and brief the weekend newspapers in advance before properly checking whether he should pursue the judicial review? it's not just me should pursue the judicial review? it's notjust me asking this question, is it being reported his conservative colleagues are asking this question as well to the extent that the prime minister has been moved today to confirm she still has full confidence in him. the secretary of state has tried to defend the decision not to pursue judicial review, though the case has not yet been made by him properly. will he accept responsibility for the failings in the dossier presented by the mod? there have

been widespread failings in this case from the very outset. in 2009 john worboys was convicted of the 19 offences against 12 women, but they have also linked to about 100 other cases. victims have raised their concerns, my office has been contacted concerns, my office has been co nta cted by concerns, my office has been contacted by other victims with regard to police failings. others have raised concerns about the cps decision not to prosecute. there have been many complaints about the pa role have been many complaints about the parole board. it is clear we need a thorough examination of the handling of this case is from the first reported attack by the police right through to the parole board hearing. given that on the third occasion i asked about the end—to—end review of this matter start to finish, the public deserve no less. the shadow justice secretary speaking after the

justice secretary speaking after the justice secretary's statement to parliament on the warboys case. lots of questions therefore the government, it is very clearlyjohn worboys case is likely to have far reaching consequences for the parole board. moore throughout the afternoon. the former assistant of the disgraced hollywood producer harvey weinstein has been telling mps how she signed a non—disclosure agreement to try to stop him abusing women. mr weinstein denies all allegations of non—consensual sex. but zelda perkins, who worked for him twenty years ago, says she agreed to stay quiet about his behaviour in return for him signing a legal agreement to mend his ways. she told a committee of mps it was a morally lacking agreement on every level. zelda perkins the former assistant to harvey weinstein said it's a morally lacking. there are clauses in there that preclude me and my colleague

from not only speaking to ourfriends, colleagues, family about our time at miramax and what happened, but also to any medical practitioner, any legal representative, the inland revenue, an accountant, financial advisor. we can speak to those people as long as they sign their own non—disclosure agreement before they can enter into any conversation with us about anything. the right of millions of britons to receive urgent medical treatment in the eu after brexit is at risk, according to a parliamentary committee. the lords eu committee said there's no guarantee that uk nationals would be able to continue accessing the european health insurance card. it says current arrangements are based on the free movement of people, which the government has pledged to end. a reminder that tomorrow marks one year to go before the uk leaves the eu. and throughout this week,

we're putting your questions to a range of experts. we'll be speaking to our europe editor katya adler at 5.30 this afternoon. you can tweet us your questions or email them to askthis at bbc.co.uk, texting us 61124 or using the hashtag bbcaskthis. the threat to the uk from islamist terrorism is expected to remain at its current high level until at least 2020 and may even increase, according to the government's new security review. the prime minister has pledged to use "every available capability" to defend the country's interests, as our security correspondent gordon corera reports. this review was completed largely before the salisbury poisoning earlier this month but announcing the government's new strategy, theresa may referred to the use of a nerve agent in the city as brazen and reckless. she said the people who carried out such should be in no doubt

that britain would use every capability at its disposal to defeat them. in future, britain's national security strategy will be organised around what ministers are calling a fusion doctrine. it will orchestrate traditional aspects around police and the armed forces but also involve economic measures and communications and diplomacy and law enforcement and even cultural influence. as well as threats from countries like russia, north korea and iran, the approach will be used against serious and organised crime and terrorism. last year saw a series of terrorist attacks in manchester and london and the review will say that the threat from islamist terrorism is expected to remain at its current heightened level for at least two years and might even increase. gordon correra, bbc news. time for a look at the weather... good afternoon. we have to take the rough with the smooth over the next

few days towards the easter weekend, a thoroughly mixed look to our weather. we started off on a soggy note. most spots have seen rain courtesy of this cloud. the other thing that shows up is this area of clearer skies following on from the west. a short time ago in liverpool, the sun has come out, spells of sunshine but scherer closed showing their hand as well. that's the way to the afternoon, a mixture of sunshine and showers. that way and will clear from the far south—east. most sharers will see this afternoon, clear spells will allow it to get quite cold, perhaps some ice and freezing fog patches. not as cold and the far north of scotland, rain until snow. not as cold in the far south—west because the showers will be on the march. there area of rain will drift further northwards, the showers hit and miss, heavy or

thundery. this area of rain with some hill snow as well across the north—east of scotland, but there should be some decent spells of sunshine, generally those temperatures are avis billowed and we'd want them at this point in late march. into good friday, low pressure is going to be dominating the scene, frontal systems pushing up the scene, frontal systems pushing up from the site. a band of rain moving northwards. quite a lot of dry weather, spells of sunshine. although there are some uncertainties about the timing, it looks like things should brighten up once again. not raining all day long. temperature is still struggling around five to 9 degrees. a pretty mixed weekend. cold enough snow over hills, generally quite cool but in between all of that we can expect to see some spells of sunshine. doesn't look too bad on saturday, perhaps some snow over

higher ground. they should be some spells of sunshine and a lot of dry weather. temperatures nudging upwards in the south, ten in cardiff and plymouth, 11 in london. for easter day itself, it doesn't look too bad, lots of dry weather, spells of sunshine, cloud and rain which may pushing towards the far south—west later in the day. milder in the south, it still quite chilly the further north. into easter monday, it looks like we will see some rain spreading northwards. in mixed outlook. hello, you're watching afternoon live.

today at 2. a decision by the parole board to release black cab rapist john worboys has been quashed — prompting its chairman nick hardwick to resign. getting the green light — plans to charge consumers a refundable deposit for recycling bottles and cans. he did go to see xi. confirmation that north korea's president kim jong un went to beijing — his first foreign trip since coming to power seven years ago. coming up on afternoon live all the sport with hugh... and it's not great news for the aussie captain... and it has can tenured, former captain steve smith has been banned for a year captain steve smith has been banned fora yearand captain steve smith has been banned for a year and bulldoze the captaincy for at least two years and david warner also banned and cameron ba ncroft david warner also banned and cameron bancroft out for nine months.