Monday
NHS patients could have the option of transferring their health records to internet servers run by private companies, such as Google or Microsoft, under a Conservative government, it was reported. The Conservatives have repeatedly voiced displeasure about the delayed NHS IT programme.

Civil servants and diplomats were warned of the dangers of putting personal details on social networking websites after Lady Sawers, wife of Sir John Sawers, the next head of MI6, posted family details on Facebook.

Tuesday
The police have been told to find 950 offenders who have gone missing while on parole. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, said that he had asked police to prioritise the return to jail of those convicted of sexual or violent offences — 19 murderers and 12 rapists are on the run.

Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, said that three-year pay deals negotiated with police, teachers and nurses would be left untouched. Labour and the Conservatives have both ruled out blanket pay freezes for the public sector. The Chancellor has, however, asked public sector pay review bodies to take account of the low rate of inflation when they make their recommendations for 2010-11.

Wednesday
The Chief Inspector of Constabulary called for urgent reform of how the police deal with protests. Denis O’Connor said that the national police training manual for public order, published two years ago, was “inadequate for the world police are operating in”. He said that the focus needed to shift away from controlling disorder to facilitating peaceful protest. He claimed that police planners for the G20 protests were ill informed about human rights laws.

Thursday
“No-fee degrees”, wherein students avoid paying tuition fees by waiving their right to grants and loans, are being considered by ministers. But university heads and education policy experts described the plans as “confused”, saying that it was not clear whether eligibility would be means-tested or open to all. The proposals for no-fee degrees are outlined in a draft framework for the future of education. Ministers are also due to review tuition fees this year.

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