this is bbc news, i'm rebecca jones. the headlines at 7pm. company bosses could face up to seven years in jail for mismanaging staff pension schemes under government plans. when it comes to pensions, the penalties need to be as stiff as possible, because this is people's lives in. theresa may will ask mps for more time to rework her brexit plan — and offer parliament another vote, but labour accuses the prime minister of running down the clock. stars have been arriving for the british academy film awards in london. "the favourite" starring olivia colman has 12 nominations. and richard e grant described his delight at his supporting actor nomination. must astonish it happened that my last vintage, better late than ever. also this hour, monkeying around at belfast zoo...

visitors were surprised to find a chimpanzee wandering outside its enclosure after it managed to make a ladder out of branches to escape its pen. and in rugby — england romp to victory against france in the six nations match at twickenham. company bosses could face prison sentences of up to seven years amid new government plans to tackle mismanagement of employee pension schemes. ministers say the original plans of a maximum two year prison sentence have been toughened up after a public consultation — but some say meeting the standard of proof required in the criminal law could be problematic. our business correspondent rob young reports. when the construction giant karelian

colla pse when the construction giant karelian collapse last year, the pension pot had a black all of hundreds of millions of pounds as did the bhs pension fund when he went into administration in 2016. bankrupt kodak's uk scheme had an even bigger deficit when photographers switched from cameras to smartphones. there are many reasons pension schemes end up in trouble and now the government is proposing a new law to try and make sure that poor behaviour by bosses isn't one of them. work and pensions secretary amber rudd says she will make wilful or reckless behaviour relating to a pension scheme a criminal offence, with jail terms of up to seven years and unlimited fines, but some pensions experts are not convinced the proposed law will be effective. in recent years there's been called for tougher power. how can you actually demonstrate a director did willfully and knowingly, short change the pension scheme. but that

is not an insurmountable obstacle and not certainly a reason why we should say let's not bother having such a strong penalties. company boxes hardly ever go to prison so will this change that?” boxes hardly ever go to prison so will this change that? i think when it comes to pension, the penalties need to be as stiff as possible, because this is peoples lives,. at the original plan was to be two year sentence in the public did not think that was tough enough, after consultation ministries here have decided to increase the maximum term to seven years. the pensions regulator says a package of new measures will allow it to make the industry more effective that this former pensions minister is not convinced. what we need is not locking people up years after an event by stopping them from losing pension in the first place meaning tracking companies when they are not

putting enough money while still writing not trying to clear up the mess after a top end, it's too little too late. more than 40 million people are members of the pension schemes, i must say they don't need to worry about the bosses and the industry regulator says vast majority of companies and pension trustees did the right thing by the members. tom mcphail is the head of retirement policy at hargreaves la nsdown and hejoins me from bristol. grateful for your time, gratefulfor your time, when grateful for your time, when you make of the plans? they have to act on this, we had a small number of very high profile cases where things had gone wrong, there was lots of good regulation in place, both in terms of pension schemes and intensive auditing of companies, but we've had isolated cases such as bhs where things have gone wrong, and it's been clear that further measures are needed to control behaviour company directors, and i think it's unlikely we are ever going to see significant numbers...

that's not entirely the point the point is if the directors behaviour and control where they put money when making tough decisions about paying bonuses and dividends and putting more money into pension schemes, i think in that respect and approve quite effective. schemes, i think in that respect and approve quite effectivelj schemes, i think in that respect and approve quite effective. i want to pick up on the idea of bonus and dividends in a minute but i want to get back to your point about how likely we are to actually see people go to jail about this, how do you prove that someone has recklessly failed to put money into a pension after the event, it must be pretty difficult must not? i think it will be difficult and the work of the pension regulator already dies in terms of deficit and reduction programmes and agreement companies every time period over which they going to reduce the deficit, and it's already pretty good regulation in theirand is it's already pretty good regulation in their and is thinking contending

—— getting topper of the last two yea rs —— getting topper of the last two years looking at bhs having a famous case where it's 23 years to close it down —— deficit and clearly a meaningless time span for this kind of thing, so being that time period down is already in training, that's really good work, so going beyond that, and screwing the employer's damper there is tough you have to keepin damper there is tough you have to keep in mind the importance of keeping the business afloat, be tied down to harden the company goes bust, everybody rues it —— loses, they have to strike a balance. to pick up on this idea striking balance perhaps they companies cutting dividends about us as if there was a risk of pension contribution being made, to mike not be counterproductive and that perhaps it sends a signal that a company is in trouble and that might deter future investors? yes, certainly that'll be a consideration, i think we are seeing a bit ofa consideration, i think we are seeing a bit of a shift in the balance of

power between the shareholders and capital and the workers and employees and retirement rights and i think government is sending a signal here that the shareholders are not going to hide at their own way, you are right, let it be possible knock on consequences will be slightly tougher for some companies and capital raising but i think we come back to the point that businesses sit on a big deficit in this pension scheme it's going to have something twice about how it pays its bonuses and dividends that they had a knock on impact on the share price, but we need to protect the workers pension, we can't have situations like bhs again in the future. , mcphail, thanks for your thoughts and joining us here. a fundraising appeal to find the pilot of the plane which crashed into the channel with footballer emiliano sala on board, has raised more than a hundred—thousand pounds. david ibbotson‘s family are hoping to collect three times that amount in order to find his body. the sum raised so far includes a 27 thousand pound donation

from the french footballer, kylian mbappe. the government says it will give mps another chance to vote on brexit at the end of the month even if the prime minister has not been able to negotiate a deal by then. but ministers have admitted that that this might not be a so—called "meaningful vote" one to approve or reject any deal reached with the eu. our political correspondent iain watson has more. fewer than 50 days until brexit, sa increase in as government renews the efforts to renegotiate a dull at the efforts to renegotiate a dull at the brussels, and today we have a dull at the brussels, and today we have a cabinet member is admitted that the revised to may not be in place by the end of the month. that the revised to may not be in place by the end of the monthlj think it's important to stress the government will admit that if it meaningful vote, otherwise the up

coming back has not happened by the 27th of february, then we would allow a further motion the in parliament to take place, not to give a sense of assurance as to the process moving forward as well. so to translate, from the parliamentary language, if the new vision is not agreed with brussels by the end of the month, and peas will get another chance to vote on their own ideas. the prime minister, said more votes is significant, some of her own ministers are so worried about prospect that no deal, they been considering resigning and rebelling to try to force her to delay the departure from the eu. before the vote in parliament the sea, trimester is under pressure so the message is quite clear, i did not do anything hasty, give me until the end of the month before deciding whether to take matters into your own hands. but labour and conservative mps say it's simply kicking that brexit can further down

the road. and the opposition is whining prime minister as she can't reach an agreement with them, she may still face the possibility of another referendum. flynn age prepared to meet us if she's ready to meet us and howjobs are affected where i am now, we will talk to her but of course she does not go that way and chooses to go with the hard right people who want to crash out, then we had still the people vote option. less than seven weeks to go until the area do to lead the eu, an agreement with brussels and westminster is still proving elusive. the final exit date draws near and more meetings this week, what's the prominence of looking for?|j more meetings this week, what's the prominence of looking for? i think first of all she's looking for the same activity that she's trying to get the deal over the line, we heard and may not even be ready by the end of the mind, in which case and peas

getan of the mind, in which case and peas get an opportunity to put their own ideas for it but until now and then there's going to be high activity, said the brexit secretary is meeting the chief negotiator of the eu, tomorrow and that —— apparently he'll discuss three different options to deal with the most controversial area, the irish backstop which we are trying to avoid a hard border in iran, but it's too close to eu rules for some peoples likings, so he would discuss precisely some of the ideas that have been worked at pier one of course is a time limit, another is britain exiting from the arrangement unilaterally and the third one is this all this —— alternative arrangement needs to be fleshed out what effectively is using the time available to extend the transition period for leaving the eu and have a trade deal, it's all of that on the agenda but do not forget, de and negotiators before had said, that a backstop has to be what they call an all weather backstop he cannot be time—limited are unilateral, so that brexit secretary has his work that out that on a different fry to a whole other range of ministers will

sta ke cou nterpa rts whole other range of ministers will stake counterparts to it saying perhaps chip away at potential resista nce perhaps chip away at potential resistance and find another way to —— the jeremy hunt resistance and find another way to —— thejeremy hunt sees an opposite number in poland and france and the justice secretary will be there as well, in addition to that domestically, we work on employment bills getting under way to try and persuade labour and peace to vote and dared deal for them. hive of activity as you say like that this will be depending on the response that ministers get from the european cou nterpa rts that ministers get from the european counterparts so what's the mood music there? is positive in that they will have more talks and negotiations if another meeting between the prime minister and the commission president, at the end of the month, i think that's why she's effectively writing this unofficial deadline if you like in the 27th of february to come back with something potentially meaningful by then, but on each of the key issues, trying to get a backstop moving and time and time again they said they're

unwilling to basically reopen the huge which agreement, but they are offering that was reassurance that it's not enough for many of the critics down here and westminster. the only thing certainly we can talk about is this. thank you very much. well find out the story and many others at half past 11 this evening on the papers. our guests joining me tonight are the author and journalist, yasmin alibhai—brown and the broadcaster, lynn faulds wood. stars have been arriving for the british academy film awards in london. the favourite" starring olivia colman has twelve nominations. roma, bohemian rhapsody, the musical remake a star is born, and the space drama ‘first man‘ are all nominated in seven categories. the duke and duchess of cambridge are also attending the ceremony. the royal couple walked the red carpet

at the royal albert hall in the past half hour. prince william, who is the president of bafta, will present the academy's highest accolade, the fellowship, to the film editor thelma schoonmaker. let's take a look now at some of the nominations for best film. i'm not risking my life from preventing a couple of rednecks from lighting sticks on fire. this is the job, what your problem? that's my problem, for you if you could say, for me it's a job. —— crusade. it's not personal, nor should it be. why haven't you bought into this? why should i? because you are jewish, brother. the so—called chosen people. who did your makeup? we went with something dramatic, do you like it? you look like a badger. 0h. are you going to cry? really? well, what do you think you look like? a badger. tell me what you're trying to say. i don't know.

you know, i'll miss it. then say that. but do it in a manner that no one else has ever done it before. something like, put this down. "falling in love with you was the easiest thing i've ever done." they speak spanish. # i'm off the deep end, watch it as idie # i'm off the deep end, watch it as i die then i'll never meet the ground # crash it to the surface, where they cannot hurt us #we they cannot hurt us # we are farfrom

they cannot hurt us # we are far from the shallow now. those are the nominations for best film. richard e grant has recieved his first ever bafta nomination for his role in can you ever forgive me. he's been speaking to our entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba. 99% of my profession, you don't get nominated for things unless the year one of the elite group of people, so i'm absolutely astonished it has happened at my last event edge, it's a better late than never. fascinating character and true lies. yeah, ithink fascinating character and true lies. yeah, i think it's the story of lee israel who falls in collusion with this guyjack israel who falls in collusion with this guy jack that i play, and the early 90s and er, and i think it's really a case of that fact being stranger than fiction. so i had a really great time working with melissa mccarthy and the director it

was a dream team. obviously, there's been lots of talk about the lack of female director is making big moves, but your movie proves that some of the best —— best directors around herfemale and the best —— best directors around her female and beautifully done. yes, she corroded and directed it and it*isa yes, she corroded and directed it and it * is a woman and mostly done and it * is a woman and mostly done and crewed by women and produced by white men, it was completely female centric so it was a very —— female, it was a very nurtured and are meant to be in and we looked after each other. i know you can't say much, but how fun is going to be in that next star wars is it a dream come true? yes, i live a drama student when i saw the press dollars and 77, if you tell me four decades later i'd be in the final instalment, i would thought you were talking out of your, i don't know what. richard e grant talking about his bafta

nomination for supporting actor and we will find out how he did in the next hour. (pres) and we'll have a special programme, live from tonight's bafta and we'll have a special programme, live from tonight's bafta ceremony with news of which films have won awards and which dresses have made the headlines. that's tonight at half past nine on the bbc news channel. the headlines on bbc news... company bosses could face up to seven years in jail for mismanaging staff pension schemes under government plans. theresa may will ask mps for more time to rework her brexit plan — and offer parliament another vote, but labour accuses the prime minister of running down the clock. stars have been arriving for the british academy film awards in london. "the favourite" starring olivia colman has twelve nominations. police investigating the disappearance of the missing hull university student libby squire, have been given more time to question a man. 21 year old libby hasn't been seen

for over a week. the 24 year—old man, who was arrested on suspicion of abduction, will remain in custody until nine o'clock this evening. in new zealand, an entire town has been evacuated, as a large forest fire threatens the homes of over 3,000 people. a state of emergency has been declared around the south island town of wakefield. helicopters, planes and more than 150 firefighters have been trying to contain the blaze. katie silver reports. it's now been over a week, firefighters battling a blaze which has forced thousands from their homes. it started near this city, and nelson, had been with the winds of 20 km an hour, it has moved south and threatens the city of waitsfield. along with efforts on the ground, 20s aircraft up and plate making it the largest area firefight and his healing history.

—— new zealand history, firefighters or backbiting as a last resort measure with small fires deliberately lead to stop the top of a loud fire. legal in status, it reduces the heat and the veracity of the fire. tens have been set up to help thousands of voluntary. and makeshift animal shelter, erected for livestock and family pets. the mac it's nothing worse i think i'm being displaced as a family, and for people, these animals are their family so that huge and we feel for them as well. police have confirmed that investigating two of the fires and are appealing to speak to three young men, spotted in the area on friday. many came together to pray, and with low wind speed predicted on monday, authorities are optimistic. but they stress the situation is far from over.

tens of thousands of spanish nationalists have staged a rally in madrid, to demand new elections and a tougher stance against catalan separatism. the oppostition parties oppose the minority socialist government of prime minister pedro sanchez, and his attempts to negotiate with the pro—independence regional government in catalonia. guy hedgecoe sent this report. does it gathered here in columbus claire ray demanding a general election, claiming the minority socialist government is not legitimate. because it did not win an election. pedro sanchez took power last year and after asking a previous government the parliamentary competence mode. translation: we asked for his ragged nation and we want them to call for elections. —— resignation, and we wa nted elections. —— resignation, and we wanted to leave he is betraying spain and we think we did not deserve a vice president of government. protesters were also

angry at what they see as a soft approach by sanchez to the issue of the sovereignty. the recent attempts at staging a talks with the pro—independence regional government of catalonia, had been particularly provocative for many unionists. translation: we want the government to stop talking to the separatists and that law is fulfilled and nothing else just the loss to be applied. the spanish government insists the independence movement main demand a binding referendum on a separation from spain, is not on a table. mr sanchez criticised the demonstration which was led by politicians from across the political right. translation: that government works for unity expanded to do that it means to unite the spanish people and not divide them like the right parties are doing.

the pm has until 2022 call elections, but with his government struggling for parliamentary support to approve the budget, pressure is building on him to call it that much earlier. the hungarian prime minister, viktor orban, has announced a series of measures designed to help families and boost the birthrate. they include exempting women who have at least four children from paying income tax for life, and interest— free loans for couples that will be cancelled once they have three children. hungary's population is falling by 32,000 a year. he described it as a way of defending hungary's future that didn't depend on immigration. chinese new year is being celebrated around the world. it's the start of the year of the pig, which highlights the last of the 12 chinese zodiac characters. the pig is said to bring wealth, fortune, and fun. yunus mulla joined the celebrations in liverpool. the liverpool chinese community is

the oldest in the country, so there was no excuse for staying at home. it's so great to see everyone come out for this and just immerse in a culture. i love the outfits and the decorations in the music. ijust love everything about it really. it's lovely everyone getting together enjoying themselves and just brings the community together doesn't it? to make the arrival of the year of the patent, there were traditional gifts. to say thank you for that my hands and coming to ward off this evil spirits, so hopefully good luck for the next year. three festivities included today dragon and lion dancers. the dance teens

train most of the year, but for the dragon, we do six weeks we do all shows in the northwest. 20 years since his famous chinese arch outside of mainland china was gifted to the city by shanghai. it makes this year celebrations extra special. that advantage today is with all about culture activities and health care, sports music we'll have more investment come to the city, my business, morejobs. have more investment come to the city, my business, more jobs. the chinese year of the pig is said to be one of the more sociable years. thousands of people who turned out today, they will agree. the academy awards are under way, the frontrunner is the favourite starving olivia, with 12 nominations and it's the first winner of the

night, a one outstanding british film. and it was up against beast, bohemian rhapsody, and otherfilms. but the comedy drama, the favourite starring olivia kallman, rachel weisz and ms down, set the court of greenland, has been named outstanding british film, whether it goes on to win the oscars or film of the year, is a different matter which we shall wait to see. a family from county down, who witnessed chimpanzees escape from their enclosure at belfast zoo, have described it as an incredible experience. footage posted on social media shows several of the chimps sitting on top of a wall, while another walks down a path close to members of the public. the incident, which happened yesterday, has led to questions over safety at the zoo. managers insist it was a highly unusual event, and say that additional security checks are being carried out. catherine morrison reports.

this is the moment a group of chimpanzees at the belfast zoo makes its bid forfreedom. using a branch as a makeshift ladder, to get to the top of the wall. mum, it's escaping! one escapes the pen altogether, right in front of a family from hollywood, who were filming the whole thing. i couldn't actually believe it, when it started climbing up the wall, we thought it wasjust messing. but then all of a sudden there's four of them sitting on the wall, and then, now that i'm thinking about it the wall needs to be higher. there needs to be more security, because we were actually talking about it last night. if that had been a tiger or a lion, you know, it could been a whole different story. danielle was at the zey with her two children, including gris, whose voice can be heard in the video, and her partner. two fell. it happened right in front of us, even though we seen him then climbing out we sort of stayed there, started recording it. because we didn't see any aggression or nothing from the chimpanzees at all, so we felt pretty safe. eight—year—old grace

will have a story to tell in school tomorrow. i never saw a chimpanzee escape from the sale before, and i wasjust like thinking how i didn't know what to do. but how did the chimpanzees get hold of the branches? the zoo has blamed recent stormy weather for weakening trees inside the enclosure. it's the second escape attempt by animals at the zoo and as many months. injanuary, a red panda called amber went missing overnight, before being discovered in a nearby garden. these are serious incidents, we need to remember that they are wild animals. and this is not their natural habitat, so we need to be looking at how we can keep everyone safe. no one from the zoo was available for an interview today, and a statement, a spokesperson said it was a highly unusual event, and that additional checks were being carried out at other enclosures, to ensure the health and safety of animals and visitors. catherine morrison, bbc news line, belfast. now it's time for a look at the weather with tomasz schafernaker

after the next back today high—pressure is expecting to build not just high—pressure is expecting to build notjust in the uk, but across the coming days are expected to become dry and it settled across a long chunk of europe, and the short term showers around across wales and south and wintry showers and scottish ales, by the time we get to round about six in the morning, the most pa rt round about six in the morning, the most part that uk pretty clear and it'll be a cold night with a touch of frost possible of a set of written down to minus four degrees outside of town in scotland. early in the morning still a few showers around lincoln share, and east anglia but by the time to get to late morning and sunshine all around, i'll be at the bit hazy across some of these northwest areas that uk for example belfast may be

glasco as well as a little warmer in the south, 10 degrees but still nippy in aberdeen. hello this is bbc news with rebecca jones. the headlines. company bosses could face up to seven years in jail for mismanaging staff pension schemes under government plans. theresa may will ask mps for more time to rework her brexit plan — and offer parliament another vote —— but labour accuses the prime minister of running down the clock. "the favourite" has won outstanding british film at this yea rs baftas awards. visitors were surprised to find a chimpanzee wandering