the announcement follows a campaign from labour mp carolyn harris.ot go that far, but that women would only have to pay for the prescription once a year, saving around £200. we are speaking with our gas now, and she has been on hrt forfour years. thank you forjoining us. we have had this announcement from the government about making it a lot cheaper, gender pounds a year cheaper, gender pounds a year cheaper as i said, what is your reaction to that news? i cheaper as i said, what is your reaction to that news?- cheaper as i said, what is your reaction to that news? i think it's absolutely _ reaction to that news? i think it's absolutely incredible _ reaction to that news? i think it's absolutely incredible news. - reaction to that news? i think it's absolutely incredible news. i - reaction to that news? i think it's| absolutely incredible news. i think menopause is not a new thing, but for women in my generation from a kind ofjustjumped up from behind the sofa, nobody told us it was coming, and i think we have all been piecing it together. i think th

and we will be speaking to carolyn harris just after 2:30pm. to report family court hearings in england and wales. the most seniorjudge in the family division, sir andrew mcfarlane, says a perception of excessive secrecy is harming the reputation of the courts, but stressed that identities would still be protected. our correspondent sanchia berg has been investigating this issue. would it be fair to say there had been previous attempts to try and reform the family courts? why now? the pressure has been building because previous efforts didn't get very far. i have been trying to report the family court since journalists were first allowed in, 12 years ago. we can only report if thejudge gives his or her 12 years ago. we can only report if the judge gives his or her express permission for us to do so. so the proposals today would be a really radical change because we would be able to sit in court, listen to cases and report what we see and hear bearing in mind we can't identify the families and children. because it is worth reminding people what

the reaction from carolyn harris was evident. can i thank the minister, can i thank the clerks...other step in what seems to be a growing move to make real changes for women, at a crucial stage of their lives. helen catt, bbc news, westminster. archaeologists digging on the route of the h52 high—speed rail link have uncovered what they've described as an "astounding" set of roman statues. two complete sculptures of what appear to be a man and a woman, were found at an abandoned medieval church in buckinghamshire. simonjones reports. a dig with a difference, unearthing statues described as rare, remarkable, incredible. the head and shoulders of a woman. a bust of a man. plus the head from the statue of a child. in such good condition that archaeologists say it's like looking into the faces of the past. the team that found them cannot disguise their excitement or the smiles on their faces. pretty much a giant grin. everybody was really, really astounded to find them. they're just so unusual and so well preserved as well. really, really good condition. the only problem is the heads a

carolyn harris said - into context. carolyn harris said 51% of women go through this.h thyroid conditions and you get free medication for a lack of thyroid. but we do not see the same pattern for women when they go through this transition. to be able to supplement hormones because these are a hormone deficiency disorder, it would be life changing and women would then be able to carry on with their other jobs and activities of daily living. the most important thing is that hormone replacement therapy, it does give women their life back because we replace hormones. but it is about employment and allowing women to have sustainable relationships. the highest divorce rate is around when women go through menopause. and one in four women consider suicide, consider leaving their workplace, which means we will never tackle the gender pay gap in society. this is far more out reaching. it is a step forward for equality for women. this comes in front _ forward for equality for women. this comes in front of mps today and feels like an important vote. you will be well aware it is di

on the main difference i think is we are on the news and bbc wales, and the fact that carolyn harrisle are watching you right now and hopefully at home and at work and start talking about menopause and remove some of the stigma. menopause and remove some of the stiuma. ., �* ., , ., stigma. you're right about statement as i can stigma. you're right about statement as i can recall — stigma. you're right about statement as i can recall in _ stigma. you're right about statement as i can recall in my _ stigma. you're right about statement as i can recall in my teenage - stigma. you're right about statement as i can recall in my teenage years i as i can recall in my teenage years in the �*80s with a combination of a teenager who is hormonal and hormonal menopause mother was pretty explosive and the rest of the family and i can remember the word was referred to but the only visible side that was thought about was hot flashes and clearly other things to talk about which would not have been talked about is only not the kids. but clearly this thing can be really quite damaging to families and

the labour mp carolyn harris is trying to get mps to vote to make hrt free in england as it is in scotlandoices to make that decision if they want hrt. it's not for everyone, but it's also about everything else. it's notjust about the hrt. with millions of women in england eligible, the cost of making hrt free would be significant. and it's notjust menopausal women who have to pay for prescriptions. people with long—term health conditions have been campaigning for their medications to become free in england, too. for somebody like parkinson's, that means that you could have eight or nine medications each month. so it's really expensive to live with a long—term condition like that. you can, however, buy a prepayment certificate. so for three months it costs just over £30. for 12 months it costs just over £108. but some people have told us, particularly those with long—term conditions, that actually it's quite a lot of money still to to find. only a small proportion of menopausal women who could take hrt actually do. a flawed study in the early 2000s led to misleading publicity about the pos

we're joined now by labour mp carolyn harris, who has been pushing for a law to make the menopause treatmentt i am really pleased that we are where are today. and gabby. _ pleased that we are where are today. and gabby, just explain this as an issue you have addressed many times in your podcast, looking at the pictures of the rally, so many high—profile people as welljoining in, making sure this is spoken about now. ., ., in, making sure this is spoken about now. . ., ., ., , ., , in, making sure this is spoken about now. . ., ., ., , ., now. yeah, what carolyn has done with the bill— now. yeah, what carolyn has done with the bill is — now. yeah, what carolyn has done with the bill is so _ now. yeah, what carolyn has done with the bill is so important - now. yeah, what carolyn has done with the bill is so important in i with the bill is so important in terms — with the bill is so important in terms of— with the bill is so important in terms of cutting _ with the bill is so important in terms of cutting costs - with the bill is so important in terms of cutting costs with i with the bill is so

harry's family. >> all of this was laid out in a blueprint, when nothing had been agreed to, yet. >> reporter: and author, carolyn deeper wedge between the brothers. >> this was another moment, where prince harry's relationship with his brother took a turn. prince william feels that issues, like this, are to be dealt with privately. >> reporter: but harry and meghan were confident they could make their plans work. do you know, from your reporting, what harry and meghan envisioned, at that point, their futures would look like? >> they launched sussex royal website, which had a, sort of, blueprint of how they envisaged their future roles would be. which would be a combination of supporting the queen and the monarchy with official work. but also, doing their own thing, abroad, and pursuing their own-commercial projects, too. >> reporter: the press went into overdrive. cranking out story, after story. and the queen, anxious to get the situation under control, summoned prince harry, prince charles, and prince william, to her home in sandringham. >> the discussions were to thrash out how this would work and whether it