and away we buying more services. and away we no. the buying more services. and away we 90- the largest _ buying more services. and away we go. the largest sector— buying more services. and away we go. the largest sector is _ buying more services. and away we go. the largest sector is gaming, . go. the largest sector is gaming, subscriptions and cells combining revenues of £4] billion. in a world cup year, it was perhaps no surprise the biggest seller was fifa 23, only 10% of games sold are now actual physical copies so again, people are not having to leave their chair to buy them. and while music is by far the smallest of the three sectors its yearly total of almost £2 billion as its best since 2003. most of that was due to harry styles we had the best selling single and album of the year, something that's likely to be reflected when the brit award nominations are announced on thursday. time for a look at the weather — here's stav danaos. a lot of rain around? good afternoon

to hear. the rest of the week looks very wet indeed. there could be flooding issues, a lot more rain to come on the ground is saturated. the rest of today is windy with rain slowly clearing but more pushing into the west later. that is the morning rain, confined to the north of the uk. it has cleared large parts of england and wales but here is the next band, pushing in later. barely any sunshine out there and a blustery feel two things. the only plus site is it is not feeling cold with temperatures in double figures, milder than we expect this time of year buckle across the north of scotland. a wet end to the day for the northern part of the country, rain rattling through quickly and clear spells and showers for overnight. chaos and severe gales affecting the northern isles and the north highlands through tonight so a wild night to come, blustery for

most of us, when trainers on the hills, the best chance of dryness is towards the east. lots of isobars on the charts as we head through wednesday, that low pressure bringing severe gales to scotland over night but a blustery day tomorrow. you notice there is sunshine around, brighter than today but batches of showers running through the rare de mey quest, some of the margin to form longer spells of the margin to form longer spells of rain. single figure temperatures for most but it could make 11 degrees across the south—east. another batch of wet and windy weather pushing into northern ireland, england and wales, during wednesday night, for north clear spells and scattered showers, wintry over the hills. temperatures ranging from one to a maximum of io over the hills. temperatures ranging from one to a maximum of 10 degrees in the south, a big contrast. if which of high pressure across the north of the uk on thursday, strong winds in the south, another area of low pressure moving in to the north

of the uk later in the day so it is relentless. but i think we should see quite a bit of sunshine in central and eastern parts of the country on thursday, wet and windy in the channel, and the area of low pressure pushing on across the northern half of the country later on thursday. some snow on the hills but mild in the south, temperatures up but mild in the south, temperatures up and down during the week. unsettled into the start of the weekend, saturday wet and windy and someday, signs of colder north—westerly or northerly winds pushing across the uk. stay tuned to the forecast and you can check out the forecast and you can check out the weather warnings online. thank ou. that's it, so goodbye from me. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. good afternoon. it's just after 1.30pm and this

is your latest sports news. we begin with the news that the first—ever women's finalissima at wembley stadium will be a sell—out. the match will see england take on brazil in front of an expected crowd ofjust under 90,000. sarina weigmann�*s side are taking part after claiming their historic first—ever european championship title last summer, while the brazilians earned their place by winning the 2022 copa america femenina. the match takes place on 6th april. after stevenage and wrexham stunned higher league opponents in the fa cup, tonight charlton will look to continue the theme shocks when they take on manchester united in the league cup. eddie howe's newcastle side are also taking on leicester in the quarterfinals. they, of course, were eliminated from the fa cup after a surprise defeat to sheffield wednesday at the weekend. howe's called on his team to be more clinical in front of goal and hopes to have striker alexander isak available to start. steve available to start. cooper has defended his club

after steve cooper has defended his club after his side flew to blackpool. they took a 20 minute flight for the 135 mile journey. they took a 20 minute flight for the 135 milejourney. nottingham forest were knocked out after losing the match 4—1. cooper insists his club probably flies less in in the premier league. day three of masters snooker at alexandra palace is under way. after ronnie 0'sullivan and jack lisowski made it through to the quarterfinals yesterday, today mark allen is taking on barry hawkins. they're in the early stage of this first round game. mark allen is up in the first frame. they are familiar opponents, these two. mark allen has won the last two matches. mark allen has won the last two matches.

if you want to watch this, it's currently on bbc two. later, from 7.00pm, it's mark williams against david gilbert, which will be on the bbc red button, bbc sport website and app. the former masters champion stuart bingham enters this year's tournament tomorrow, but says he's still trying to find a way to deal with his worsening eyesight. bingham, who's 46, won the competition two years ago, but hasn't won a trophy since. he's failed to progress beyond the second round of any tournament he's entered this season and says he's trying out glasses and contact lenses to try and regain some form. i'm looking at shorts and they look good but i am missing them, sojust obviously trying to get my head round it, try on glasses, trying contacts. the year i won it, literally four days before i played my first match i contact him, so i didn't feel there was much distance, thatis didn't feel there was much distance, that is why i have kept them out, sort of thing. i am still trying anything to get my hands on a bit of

silverware. british players katie boulter, lily miyazaki and jodie burrage have all progressed through their first round matches in the australian open qualifying event, but on the men's side liam broady is out. emma raducanu faces a race to be fit for the event which begins on monday, while rafael nadal is looking to put his recent injury struggles behind him. the former world number one is the defending champion who has won a record 22 grand slams. i'm very happy to be back in melbourne. 0f i'm very happy to be back in melbourne. of course, last year was an unforgettable one. every year is different but for any different circumstances, every year it is special and new. it is the beginning of the season. that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. that's bbc.co.uk/sport.

the government is introducing legislation in parliament forcing some public sector workers to provide a minimum level of service. nurses, paramedics, transport workers are cold key workers for a reason. they are the lifeblood of the country. every person sitting in this chamber are thankful for the work that they do and everyone will agree with me that we can do without them. —— can't do without them. we also recognise the pressures faced by both those working in the public sector and yesterday i invited union leaders in for talks across government and i'm pleased to say we

have seen some progress. we want to resolve the disputes where possible while delivering what is fair and reasonable to the taxpayers. all households are struggling with the effects of inflation and vladimir putin. barbaric invasion of ukraine. granting inflation gusting pay deals which step outside the independent pay review settlement process is not the sensible way to proceed and it won't provide a fair outcome. what we continue to consult on is to find meaningful ways forward for the unions to work with employers to improve the processes and discuss the evidence which we have now had submitted. the government also has a duty to protect the public access to essential public services because whilst we absolutely believe in the right to strike, we are duty bound

to protect the lives and livelihoods of the british people. the british people need to know that when they have a heart attack, stroke or a serious injury that an ambulance will turn up and that if they need hospital care they have access to it. that is because they need to know that not only are those services available but they are able to get trains and ...i services available but they are able to get trains and i would like to get trains and i would like to thank the royal college of nurses who during the last strike worked with health officials at a national level to ensure safe levels of cover were in place when they took industrial action. they kept services like emergency and acute care running. they showed that they could to their protest in a

reasonable and mature way whilst withdrawing their labour. as ever they put the public first and we need all our public services to do the same. a lack of timely cooperation from the ambulance unions meant employers could not reach agreement nationally for minimum safety levels during recent strikes and health officials were left guessing at the likely minimum coverage making contingency planning almost impossible and putting everyone's constituents lives at risk. the ambulance strike planned for tomorrow still do not have minimum safety levels in place and this will result in patchy emergency care and this cannot continue. it is for moments like this that we are introducing legislation, focusing on blue like emergency services and delivering on our manifesto commitment to secure minimum service on the railways, as well. i'm introducing a bill that will give

the government the power to ensure that vital public services will have to maintain a basic function by delivering minimum safety levels ensuring the lives and livelihoods are not lost. we are looking at six key areas, each of them critical for keeping the british people safe. these are health, education, fire, rescue, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning. we do not want to use this legislation but we must ensure the safety of the british public. during the passage of the bill we intend to consult on what an adequate level of cover looks like. for the other sectors covered in the bill we hope to reach minimum service agreements that mean that we don't have to use that power in the bill and they will be able to come to that position just as the nurses have done in the recent strikes. this is a common—sense approach and we are not the first to

follow it. the legislation will bring us in line with modern european countries like france, spain and italy and germany, each of whom already have these types of rules in place. even the guardians of workers' rights around the world, the international labour organisation, to whom the tuc subscribe say that minimum service levels are a proportionate way of balancing the right to strike with the need to protect the wider public because the first job the need to protect the wider public because the firstjob of the need to protect the wider public because the first job of any government is to keep the public safe and unlike other countries we are not proposing banning those strikes, but we do need to know that unions will be held to account. the members of the opposition to reject minimum safety levels will need to explain to their constituents that white is if you had a heart attack, a stroke or life threatening illness on a strike day there are no minimum

safety standards in place. mr speaker, i say they don't want to hear it but they will need to explain why their leader without hearing any of these details has already promised to stand on the wake of this legislation and to repeal minimum safety levels which are in the interests of their own constituents, safety levels that are in place in every other mature european democracy in our neighbours countries that protect lives and will protect livelihoods in this country. that is the difference between a conservative government to take these difficult decisions, and the opposition who too often appear to be in the pay of their union paymasters. i commend the statement to the house. i now call shadow

secretary angela rayner. i refer the house to my register of interests and am a proud member of a trade union. i want to tackle the comments, the first thing that comes to mind in this debate is my constituents —— my constituents who waited over an hourfor an waited over an hour for an ambulance, waited over an hourfor an ambulance, who died waiting for an ambulance, who died waiting for an ambulance and that was not on a strike date that is because of the disastrous chaos we have in the system under this conservative government. in the past few months we have seen ambulance workers go on theirfirst major we have seen ambulance workers go on their first major strike in 30 years. the first strike ever in the history of the royal college of nurses. teachers, pharmacists and civil servants among others. his government offers no solution because they have caused the problem. the economic crisis made in downing street of sky high inflation

and recession has led working people facing an economic emergency and i recognise that the secretary of state couldn't even mention the fact that they crash the economy let alone apologise for it in his opening statement. nobody wants to see the strikes happen, least of all the workers who lose a day's pay. how is the government responding to the crisis of their own making? not with any temp two reach a serious long—term solution in the public interest about playing politics and promising get another sticking plaster. he claims he made progress yesterday, but the readout from the trade union representatives was dismal. is there any chance of a deal this year? where is the consultation on a meaningful way forward or was this all for show? that is the implication of his other proposal, his sacking nurses spell. and outright attack on the

fundamental freedom of british working people. how can he stay with a straight face that this government will always defend the ability to strike? can he tell us if he stands by his article in the telegraph last summer listing yet more plans to attack a basic right? does he denied they thought of banning key workers from banning a union at all? where is the promise code of conduct on the fire and rehire, the employment bill that i promised? he thanks nurses with one have to sacking nurses. notjust insulting but utterly stupid. there is no common sense about this at all. he says he recognises pressures faced by key workers but he knows the nhs cannot find the nurses that they need to work on the ward. he knows the trains don't work even on non—strike days such as the shortage of stash

—— staff. how can he think sacking thousands of key workers not plunge our key services further into crisis? the transport secretary admit towards work, the education secretary doesn't want it, and his own governments shows it will lead to more strikes and staff shortages. he says he will look into six key areas. will other ministers have to disagree too? if he is scraping the barrel with comparisons to france and spain, those countries with those close lose vastly more strike daysin those close lose vastly more strike days in britain. has he taken any time at all to speak to their governments or trade unions to learn any lessons from them? i'm surprised he even knows what the international labour organisation even is. he knows they require compensatory measures and an independent arbitrator to stop are those in his

spell? they also same minimum service levels can only happen in surfaces when the safety of individuals or their health is at stake. this doesn't include transport, the border force and teachers as he proposes. excess deaths, mr speaker, are at their highest levels since the pandemic peak. the public is being put at risk every day due to the government nhs crisis and staffing shortages. he is right that is the duty of his government to protect the public�*s access to services, but lives are already being lost. it is the failing of the minister to provide it. does he not accept that trade unions and workers already take steps to protect the public during action? he singles out ambulance workers. paramedics agreed to operate life and limb deals on a trust by trust basis, as he knows,

to ensure the right care continue to be delivered. he should know that service levels were at 82% with ambulance workers consistently leaving the picket lines to make sure that emergency calls are responded to. he is threatening to wrap up that protection and what for? let's look into what this is really all about. a government that is out of ideas, out of time and fast running out of sticking plasters. a government that is playing politics with nurses and teachers lives because they can't stomach the cooperation and negotiation that is needed. a government desperately doing all it can to distract from its economic emergency. we need negotiation not legislation, so when is the minister going to do hisjob? it is

legislation, so when is the minister going to do his job?— legislation, so when is the minister going to do hisjob?— going to do his “ob? it is almost as if covid going to do his “ob? it is almost as if mid and — going to do his job? it is almost as if covid and the _ going to do his job? it is almost as if covid and the pressures - going to do his job? it is almost as if covid and the pressures on - going to do his job? it is almost as if covid and the pressures on the l if covid and the pressures on the nhs never occurred. i'm pretty sure... it is almost as if vladimir putin didn't invade ukraine, force up putin didn't invade ukraine, force up energy prices, force up inflation and it is almost as if the honourable lady opposite doesn't think that the rest of europe is going through exactly the same thing. i was reading going through exactly the same thing. iwas reading in going through exactly the same thing. i was reading in the guardian an article saying exactly the that other health services are experiencing exactly the same problems, so if we are going to have a sensible debate from it, start by working from the facts and then have the discussion that we should acknowledge that covid and the war in ukraine are having a huge impact on health services here and around the world. then we can have a sensible conversation about balancing the right to strike. we fully respect and endorse that and

believe it is part of the international depot organisation correct diagnosis of a working economy that people should be able to withdraw their labour. but that should not mean withdrawing their labour at the expense of our constituents's lives. while she talks about how the ambulance service have been reasonable and offered on a trust by trust basis at back—up if people have heart attacks or strokes. back—up if people have heart attacks orstrokes. heart back—up if people have heart attacks or strokes. heart attacks and strokes don't accept or don't work to boundaries of trust borders, they work nationally. to manage the ambulance system we need to know that each and every one of our constituents are protected. to deny and vote against legislation that brings in the minimum safety levels to help our constituents is to attack their security and their welfare.

g ra nt welfare. grant shapps there responding to angela rayner. that was out of the government tabled that bill trying to get a minimum service level from certain sectors within the public sector during strike action. nutritious lunches in school are known to boost people's learning and well—being, but with cost of living pressures some families are struggling to afford them. southampton head teacher thinks that needs to change and has come up with a plan to help in his own school. at swivelling primary. noisy, busy,

superbly organised. freshly made chicken pie and jacket potato on the menu today and a choice of desserts. all infants get free school meals but a junior age only those whose net household income is less than £7,400 a year qualify. the head teacher, john draper, thinks that isn't good enough.— teacher, john draper, thinks that isn't good enough. food inflation at the moment — isn't good enough. food inflation at the moment is _ isn't good enough. food inflation at the moment is 1396 _ isn't good enough. food inflation at the moment is 1396 but _ isn't good enough. food inflation at the moment is 1396 but the - isn't good enough. food inflation at| the moment is 1396 but the threshold the moment is 13% but the threshold for free school meals to state exactly the same for the last four years. in an ideal world i would have free school meals for everybody. if that's not affordable we should look at the threshold for qualifying for a free school meal. john decided that any family who qualified for universal credit to get our free school meal. here is that meant funding lunch for 15 families. ~ ,. ., ,, that meant funding lunch for 15

families. ~ ,. . ,, , . that meant funding lunch for 15 families. ,. , . ., families. we scrapped secret santa this ear families. we scrapped secret santa this year and _ families. we scrapped secret santa this year and everybody _ families. we scrapped secret santa this year and everybody donated i families. we scrapped secret santa | this year and everybody donated the money they would have spent on that. in the short—term it is good will, in the longer term we believe there is a model where we run after—school breakfast clubs at a small profit and use that smoke crack pot to play for the extra school meals. for some arents it for the extra school meals. for some parents it has — for the extra school meals. for some parents it has been _ for the extra school meals. for some parents it has been a _ for the extra school meals. for some parents it has been a lifeline. - for the extra school meals. for some parents it has been a lifeline. i - parents it has been a lifeline. i was amazed and relieved. everyone now knows that the kids will be well fed and they don't have to worry about coming up with the money every month. the about coming up with the money every month. . ., ~ ., ., month. the children to know who paid for walks. month. the children to know who paid for walks- they _ month. the children to know who paid for walks. they only _ month. the children to know who paid for walks. they only care _ month. the children to know who paid for walks. they only care if _ month. the children to know who paid for walks. they only care if it - month. the children to know who paid for walks. they only care if it is - for walks. they only care if it is your birthday you get double pudding. if you've ever been to northwick park, harrow on the hill or amersham by tube, chances are you will have used the metropolitan line, but did you know it was the world's first ever underground railway? it opened exactly 160 years ago today and to mark the anniversary, the mayor and transport commissioner have been meeting some of met line's staff, as luxmy gopal explains. a birthday gift for turning 160

years old. a special rental and today to mark the anniversary of the london underground. the first—ever tube journey was on this day in 1863 and it has been part of the capital's identity ever since. doug has been working for the underground for over a third of its entire existence. i for over a third of its entire existence-— for over a third of its entire existence. ., , ., ~ ., existence. i have been working at 457 years- _ existence. i have been working at 457 years- can — existence. i have been working at 457 years- can you _ existence. i have been working at 457 years. can you remember - existence. i have been working at| 457 years. can you remember your first day of— 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? _ 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? yes, _ 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? yes, i _ 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? yes, i do. - 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? yes, i do. it - 457 years. can you remember your first day of work? yes, i do. it was arrivina first day of work? yes, i do. it was arriving at — first day of work? yes, i do. it was arriving at acton _ first day of work? yes, i do. it was arriving at acton works _ first day of work? yes, i do. it was arriving at acton works straight. arriving at acton works straight from school, basically and clocking on for the first time and we all stood there, all the apprenticeships, and the controller bellowed what would happen to us because that's how we were treated then. ., ., , ., ., then. the underground has not gone history reflects _ then. the underground has not gone history reflects the _ then. the underground has not gone history reflects the changes - then. the underground has not gone history reflects the changes in - history reflects the changes in wider society. jones joined in 1986 and became the first female train driver on the victoria line. the first day i _ driver on the victoria line. the first day i walked _ driver on the victoria line. he first day i walked into driver on the victoria line. iie: first day i walked into the

driver on the victoria line. i“i2 first day i walked into the depot and asked the crew manager where the ladies toilets were, he went into a bit of a panic because when they built the victoria line they never foresaw the fact that there would be female train drivers so there were no train drivers for female train operators on the victoria line. from that very first _ operators on the victoria line. from that very first journey _ operators on the victoria line. from that very first journey to _ operators on the victoria line. from that very first journey to the - operators on the victoria line. from that very first journey to the fast expanding network today, the london underground has become more than a motor transport, to a symbol of the capital's heritage. now it's time for a look at the weather. hello, there. it has been a thoroughly wet day today, one patch of rain has moved through and there will be a second bomb later in the day. it will remain windy. there will be severe

gales for a time overnight in the northern isles. further south, gales for a time overnight in the northern isles. furthersouth, clear spells, plenty of showers in the north and west. the best of the drier weather will be towards the east. a blustery night for all. wednesday, will hold on to the unsettled theme, lots of isobars on the charts here. there is the area of low pressure moving away from the north of scotland. another blustery day on wednesday. plenty of showers rattling through, some of them merging together. we should see more sunshine around today than we had today. i cold to feel across the north. winteriness on the higher grounds. slightly cooler further south, as well.

good afternoon. you are watching bbc news with me, ben brown. our headlines at tpm: primary school teachers in scotland walk out in a dispute over pay. it's just the latest in a wave of strikes this winter. the government responds by starting the process of changing the law on strikes. i'm introducing a bill that will give government the power to ensure the vital public services will have to maintain a basic function, by delivering minimum safety levels, ensuring the lives and livelihoods are not lost. but is the government protecting public safety or restricting the rights of workers to strike? we will

get the view of a