actually act, power we can actually act, rather than talk about this. thank you for raising that. thank you for raising the question of child poverty and it is important as you know. it matters to this government. we had to make difficult decision given the economic circumstances we are in for reasons i've explained that does not diminish, to answer your question directly, our absolute determination in relation to child poverty. it's far too high, relation to child poverty. it's fartoo high, it's relation to child poverty. it's far too high, it's our responsibility to bring it down. we have set up a task force but that has to get to the underlying causes as well. this isn't an issue that could be solved by one adjustment in welfare. it's about housing and education and about wages and about conditions in which people live, health, mental health and all of that has to be addressed and we are determined to address it and

are already addressing it because just as the last labour government brought child poverty right down, so will this government and we will work with you and others and everybody in the room to make sure we make that commitment because it's so important to us and we will work with you on it so thank you for raising it. on the question of offences against retail workers. this truly is shocking. you have raised a number of times and there was a very important campaign on it. i went to warrington to an iceland store there to talk to staff it was there to talk to staff it was the first thing they spoke to me about. i went to swindon to morrison's shop and we had an extended session and the number one issue for them was the abuse that they were coming under. sometimes in relation to shoplifting, which is prevalent as you know, but also more

generally and then in southampton in smaller shops but still it was the same issue over and over again. it's not acceptable, can be acceptable in any circumstances and it's demoralising —— i cannot be acceptable. it's demoralising for workforces and i'm pleased to introduce an offence to deal with the but we have to go further than that and we cannot have a situation where shoplifters can walk in, shoplifters can walk in, shoplift and what better again and nobody can do anything about it. we will turn that, change it and work with you and this has to be a specific uplifted fans and we have to take it seriously and i am not wanting to hear again from those that were on the front line about the appalling attacks and insults that they are subject to. it's everywhere across the country. it is really hard for the workforce to take, you have rightly championed as a cause, wejoin you in that because i will do something about it, working with you and other trade unions. such an important issue and thank you so much for

having me. very good to be with you. enjoy the rest of congress. studio: that's the prime ministerfinishing his studio: that's the prime minister finishing his speech. ian watson was listening across there and ian, a warm reception for him and the first thing or one of the first things he said was the last time the prime minister had addressed the trade union congress was back in 2009. , ., , in 2009. yes, the last time labour was _ in 2009. yes, the last time labour was in _ in 2009. yes, the last time labour was in government | in 2009. yes, the last time i labour was in government and the slime we heard from prime minister so they have a new working relationship with trade unions and said he was signalling that and he got the loudest cheer during the course of his speech when he said he would appeal or, repeal two pieces of legislation for strike ballots to be valid and also the more recent minimum

service level legislation as well. in other areas the response was muted from the floor. he read out a range of things he thought might get a cheer including renationalising the railways but that wasn't rousing the the audience but he still did get a standing ovation at the end but i thought it was interesting that there was pretty near silence when he talked with the difficult decisions yet take and one of those we know that mps are voting on this afternoon, the cuts to the winter fuel allowance. he didn't mention that specifically. he didn't use the words of winter and fuelled together in the course of his speech but he did say that he couldn't apologise for those difficult decisions and suggested more will go the way and we have had a bit of reaction one of the union is the gmb were saying they were pleased with above inflation pay increases which happen since labour came to power but everything keir starmer size should just be the start of the process and definitely should not be seen as the finish of

the process as well. i think to some extent a mixed reaction. one heckle during the course of the speech when somebody said tax the rich and i can almost as much applause as he got for his pledge to repeal conservative trade union legislation. i thought was interesting the questions and answers session when he was asked by contentious issue when some labour mps were temporarily suspended from the party because he voted for the snp on this issue the scrapping the two child benefit limits and he said during the course of the election is not something he could afford but he said that he was determined to bring child poverty down but still, defended not to repeal a conservative policy saying very clearly that you cannot solve the problem of poverty byjust making one change to the benefit system so given that he got a lot of the vocal criticism before he came here on some issues i think he would be pleased with the reaction he got. it was not hostile even if in some places it wasn't fully

enthusiastic either.— enthusiastic either. difficult to net a enthusiastic either. difficult to get a sense _ enthusiastic either. difficult to get a sense when - enthusiastic either. difficult to get a sense when you - enthusiastic either. difficult i to get a sense when you watch on the television but it would feel different in the meeting so it's interesting that he got a muted response and no mention of winter fuel payments which they will be a vote on there this afternoon and the vote in the house of commons but a lot of talk of partnership. politics of partnership he mentioned repeatedly and using that word change over and over again. i that word change over and over aaain. ~' ., that word change over and over aaain. ~ ., ., ., .,, again. i think one of the areas ofthe again. i think one of the areas of the speech _ again. i think one of the areas of the speech that _ again. i think one of the areas of the speech that he - again. i think one of the areas of the speech that he didn't i of the speech that he didn't necessarily get people on their feet with was talking with changing the labour party and a change labour party and some people in the unions might be happier with the previous labour leader daily market leadership even if he didn't bring the party to power and the question of partnership is not controversial for some, some general secretaries privately at talking with how they want business to be fully consulted on the workers' rights agenda because that's the best way of implementing about doing it through

hostility. i don't think there was a difficult message for him to make but he was effectively saying this is a reformed labour party, some are struck backin labour party, some are struck back in the 80s when the workers and businesses had to get each other�*s throats but is no longer the way forward but certainly politically from keir starmer, having gained people who voted labour for the first time in the general election suggesting he could be a pro—business and pro—union prime minister. ian pro-business and pro-union prime minister. ian watson, thank yom _ prime minister. ian watson, thank you. the _ prime minister. ian watson, thank you. the former - prime minister. ian watson, | thank you. the former leader prime minister. ian watson, - thank you. the former leader of the democrat or unionist party has pleaded not guilty to charges of historical sexual offences. he is charged with rate, four counts of gross indecency and 13 counts of indecent assault against two alleged victims. live now to newry where we can speak with our ireland correspondent sara girvin.

today was the third time that sirjeffrey donaldson has appeared in court here in newry. appeared in court here in new . , ., newry. the first time in crown court and _ newry. the first time in crown court and today _ newry. the first time in crown court and today was _ newry. the first time in crown court and today was an - court and today was an arraignment hearing and that were pleaser injured and he pleaded guilty —— but not guilty to all the charges against him. sir geoffrey donaldson was a former leader of the democratic unionist party, northern ireland �*s biggest unionist party and northern ireland �*s longest serving mp up until the last election. to remind you of the charges against him, he is facing 18, one count of rate, four counts of gross indecency and 13 counts of indecent assault. his wife and co—accused, she is facing five charges and aiding and abetting in connection with her husband's alleged offences and she also pleaded not guilty

today. we heard in court that lady donelson is challenging to of the charges against her. we were told in court there would be a noble application in relation to those and that's when a lawyer argues that there is not enough evidence to proceed with those charges. what else we know about these alleged offences that they are said to have taken place between 1985 and 2008 and involved two alleged victims. after all those guilty pleas and there were a lot of them, we were told this case will now proceed to a trial and that's been listed for the 24th of march next year. we are told it will take around two weeks so the entire hearing today lasted just about eight minutes. lady donaldson has left court, sir geoffrey donaldson is still inside, the couple are both on bail and that will remain the case until their next court appearance. the release of more than 1,700 prisoners has begun

across england and wales, as part of an emergency bid to ease overcrowding in jails. beginning this morning, some offenders who've served at least 40% of their sentences will be released. the government says it will free—up 5,500 more prison spaces in the next few months. one of the most dangerous and crowded jails in the uk. this was pentonville prison this was pentonville prison in north london last week. in north london last week. the bbc was given rare access, the bbc was given rare access, and within minutes, and within minutes, disorder was rife. disorder was rife. in an attempt to fix on the table, and that is in an attempt to fix a criminaljustice system a criminaljustice system at breaking point, from today, at breaking point, from today, thousands of prisoners thousands of prisoners in england and wales will be in england and wales will be released after serving 40% released after serving 40% of their sentence of their sentence rather than 50%. rather than 50%.

it was the only option it was the only option on the table, and that is because the alternative to not making this change would have been to allow the prison system to collapse, and therefore to allow law and order in this country to collapse. but these emergency measures are controversial, with big concerns from some prison staff and campaigners about

those convicted of the most serious crimes — such as murder, terrorism, and domestic abuse — are excluded from this programme. but for rebecca, a victim of domestic abuse, she is fearing the worst again. she recently received a letter saying her ex—partner, who served time for domestic abuse, would now be released early for a connected offence. feels like he's just had a bit of a slap on the wrist and told not to be a naughty boy. whereas i have to deal with the damage that he's done to me. the conservatives say the government should focus on building more prisons to help ease overcrowding, and for those charged or convicted of offences related to the recent riots, more prison places are expected

to be quickly filled in the coming weeks. adina campbell, bbc news. let's speak to our reporter meghan owen, who is outside wormwood scrubs in west london. tell us who you have been able to speak to because there is another presence across england and wales, these prisoners are being let out on early release. yes, it has been a staggered release this morning so the prisoners have been coming out in groups of four or five every half hour or so. some have been hiding theirfaces and half hour or so. some have been hiding their faces and walking straight down the street. others have been hugging family members and getting straight into cars and one prisoner came out, beamed and told me he felt great before being surrounded by his friends and walking away with his plastic bag of belongings. they have been greeted by charity workers, they have also been greeted by family and friends and an

increased police presence to keep the site.— increased police presence to keep the site. where did these risoners keep the site. where did these prisoners go — keep the site. where did these prisoners go now? _ keep the site. where did these prisoners go now? well, - keep the site. where did these prisoners go now? well, some| prisoners go now? well, some will be going — prisoners go now? well, some will be going back _ prisoners go now? well, some will be going back to _ prisoners go now? well, some will be going back to their - will be going back to their families homes, we spoke to one father who was waiting for his son and he said that he will take his son out for dinner and i will go back together. others, there are concerns that others will be released homeless, in fact, others will be released homeless, infact, in others will be released homeless, in fact, in the year to march this year, there were 12% of prisoners released without a home so that is a concern and of course, added to that the concern of reoffending but the government says this is the only solution to cope with the only solution to cope with the overcrowded conditions in the overcrowded conditions in the prisons. interestingly, the man we were speaking to who was waiting for his son, he was also n h mp wormwood scrubs himself and he says he himself experienced the overcrowding in the prison and said it was very

cramped, understaffed and his son has found exactly the same. thank you very much for that. there are concerns that the early release of so many prisoners will have a knock on affect on the probation service, which is already struggling with its workload. a little earlier i put that question to ian lawrence, general secretary of the national association of probation officers. it's a huge challenge for probation staff. they're already massively overworked and understaffed and underpaid. and dealing with what we would call normal probation supervision work. this early release scheme, which replaces the previous one and ought to allow more time for the processing of releases, is a bit of an improvement. but there's still huge pressure on our members to exercise the, the, the scheme in the way that is wanted by government. so, yeah, it's a challenge and we have negotiated an overtime package for our members to try and break the logjam. but that presupposes people have the energy and the capacity to to do that overtime.

it's not a proper solution.