Monday

Emergency measures and extra funding are being pumped into the family courts service after a surge of cases following the Baby P coverage. Court hearings on whether a child should be taken into care or fostered are taking 14 months on average and the backlog stands at more than 700 cases, according Anthony Douglas, the chief executive of Cafcass.

More than half of adults in Britain believe that creationism should be taught alongside evolution and other theories about the origins of life in school science lessons, a Mori poll of 1,000 people suggests. However, only 6 per cent believe alternative theories should be taught instead of evolution.

Tuesday

Rules that ban men who have had gay sex, or women who have had sex with a man who has had gay sex, from giving blood could be scrapped, the Government said. The rules, which are designed to safeguard against the spread of infections such as HIV and hepatitis are being reviewed by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

Wednesday

Rules to curb MPs’ expenses are set to be announced next week. MPs are likely to be banned from claiming for a second home if they live within an hour’s train ride of the Houses of Parliament. Those who live farther afield will not be able to claim mortgage interest but will be allowed to claim for rent in London or their constituencies. MPs are also expected to be banned from employing family members. Living allowances are likely to be slashed by Sir Christopher Kelly, the chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Almost 150,000 students are still waiting for loans and grants — with some forced to abandon their studies. The Student Loans Company blames technical problems and the increase in applications for the delays.

Thursday

The Government’s chief drug adviser has suggested that Ecstasy, LSD and cannabis are less dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes. David Nutt, the chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, suggested that all drugs should be ranked on a “harm index” — alcohol would be fifth after cocaine, heroin, barbituates and methadone, and tobacco ninth, ahead of cannabis, LSD and Ectasy.

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