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Child Q: four Met police officers facing investigation over strip-search

Officers served with gross misconduct notices after black schoolgirl searched without another adult present

Four Metropolitan police officers are being investigated for gross misconduct after a 15-year-old black schoolgirl was strip-searched while at school.

The teenager, referred to as Child Q, was strip-searched by female Met officers in 2020 after she was wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis at her east London school.

The strip-search prompted days of protests in Hackney after it emerged the schoolgirl was searched without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating. Her parents were not contacted.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed that four Met officers have been served with gross misconduct notices in connection with its ongoing investigation into complaints that Child Q was inappropriately strip-searched.

A spokesperson said: “As with all of our investigations we continually review the evidence and lines of inquiry as the investigation progresses. As a part of this, matters were identified which required new notices of investigation to be served on officers.

“Four constables have now been advised that they are being investigated for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct, which does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow.

“Any conduct matters identified, and their seriousness, are kept under review throughout and can be amended in light of any evidence gathered by the investigation team.”

The IOPC investigation is examining whether legislation, policies and procedures were followed during the strip-search of the child. “We are looking at complaints that her mother was not given the opportunity to be present during the strip-search, and that there was no other appropriate adult present,” the spokesperson said.

“We are also considering whether the child’s ethnicity played a part in the officers’ decision to strip-search her.”

The search of Child Q took place without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating, a safeguarding report found.

The local child safeguarding practice review, conducted by City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP), concluded the strip-search should never have happened, was unjustified, and that racism “was likely to have been an influencing factor”.

The police watchdog said it received a voluntary referral from the Met on 6 May 2021. When asked why it took several months between the incident occurring and the Met police referring itself to the IOPC, the force said: “Information was provided to the child’s family to support any complaint they wish to make against the Metropolitan police service.

“A complaint was subsequently received and was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in May 2021 for investigation.”

The girl has previously said she “can’t go a single day without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up” since the search.

During the search her intimate body parts were exposed and she was made to take off her sanitary towel. No drugs were found.

Diane Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, told the BBC: “I am glad the IOPC has escalated the investigation, but the community is very concerned about how long the investigation is taking.”

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How should schools respond to the ‘Child Q’ review?

This week the City of London and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership published a child safeguarding practice review examining the case of “Child Q”, a black female child of secondary age who was strip-searched by female police officers because school staff believed the child smelled of cannabis and suspected that she was carrying drugs.

The search, although undertaken by police officers, took place at the child’s school and involved exposure of her intimate body parts, and it was additionally humiliating because she was menstruating at the time of the search.

School staff remained outside of the room, no appropriate adult was present for the search and the child was asked to return directly to an exam afterwards.

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The review focuses on a number of areas where failures occurred and says that, ultimately, the best interests of the child - a key tenet of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child - were not upheld by those who should have been protecting her.

Strip-searching the child as a response to the initial concern did not put the safeguarding needs of the child first, and the report says that the child’s race was significant in the decisions made about the response. The review concludes that “ one feature believed to have a significance to the experience of Child Q is that of adultification bias… [which is where] adults perceive black children as being older than they are ”.

As a result, the child’s vulnerabilities were not considered and appropriate action was not taken to identify risk and provide help and protection.

The voice of the child within this review is especially powerful. Child Q said: ” I need to know that the people who have done this to me can’t do it to anyone else ever again. In fact, so NO ONE else can do this to any other child in their care […] Things need to change with all organisations involved. Even I can see that .”

The purpose of child safeguarding practice reviews is to consider improvements that should be made to better safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and all schools can and should learn from the experience of Child Q and improve their processes to prevent anything like this from happening again.

Safeguarding: What schools can learn from the Child Q case

So what can school leaders do now as a result of this report? In order to respond, schools could take these five steps:

1. Review their approach to searching, screening and confiscation

The school approach to searching, screening and confiscation should be detailed within relevant school policies and it is essential that the school procedures reflect a “safeguarding first” approach with a clear understanding that all children should be protected from harm at all times when being searched. Guidance on this is available , but the review recommends that this is both updated and strengthened. In particular, the report mentions both “keeping records and engaging parents” as best safeguarding practice.

2. ‘Smelling of drugs’ is first and foremost a safeguarding issue

If children smell of drugs or are suspected of carrying drugs, this is a safeguarding issue first and foremost.

Appropriate responses should be put in place to ascertain the contextual risks to that child and what else may be happening that has meant that they may have drugs on the school site. Punitive action without a safeguarding response is not sufficient.

3. Train staff on the rights of the child

Designated safeguarding leads and school leaders should ensure that all safeguarding leads and teams are trained and confident in multi-agency working.

This review says that the school “ deferred to the authority of the police ”, and should have been more challenging. Understanding local protocols (such as escalation policies) is important to ensure that agencies work together effectively and hold each other to account when appropriate action is not being taken.

4. Update training for all staff and governors

All staff working in a school should be trained in anti-discriminatory practice - including understanding adultification bias - and the appropriate language to use and actions to take to avoid victim-blaming or victim-shaming.

Avoiding victim-blaming is particularly pertinent where children may be the victims of child criminal exploitation and the Children’s Society’s Appropriate Language guide may assist in this.

5. Review policies considering the voice and experience of the child

The voice and experience of the child should always be considered, and this is an essential component within Article 3 of the UNCRC, which states that “ the best interests of a child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children ”.

This is integral to school statutory guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education) and should already be embedded within school policies, but schools may wish to consider how the views of the child are ascertained and listened to in situations involving searching, screening and confiscation.

Lessons to be learned

The overarching point that underpins all safeguarding practice is that we must always take the time to look, listen and consider what is happening and if it is the right action to keep the child and other children safe. If it isn’t, staff must challenge this to ensure that children are protected and to prevent circumstances like those impacting on Child Q from ever happening again.

Elizabeth Rose has 15 years of experience working in secondary schools as a designated safeguarding officer, and as the safeguarding education officer in children’s services at Coventry City Council

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Child Q and the use of strip searching: progress so far

Just over one month ago, I published the findings of a major piece of research into the use of strip searching by police forces against children.

The headlines have been well documented.

Of the 2,847 children aged 8-17 who were strip searched by police forces in England and Wales between 2018 and 2022:

• Nearly a quarter (24%) involved a child aged between 10-15 years old;
• Over half (52%) took place without an Appropriate Adult present;
• 38% were carried out on Black children;
• 95% were carried out on boys;
• 51% resulted in no further action;
• 37% happened at a police station;12% at a home address; and 45% at an unrecorded location;
• 14 cases happened in a police vehicle or a school – the majority of these were in schools;
• 1% were conducted within public view; and
• 6% were conducted with at least one officer of a different gender than the child being searched present.

The resulting debate has been impassioned and picked up across the political spectrum. It has led to an Urgent Question in Parliament and multiple interventions by Peers in the House of Lords.

We cannot forget that this work stemmed from the bravery of one 15-year-old girl who told her story: Child Q, who was strip searched while at school in Hackney. I made it my mission to investigate the use of strip searching after hearing her experience, hoping to find that it was terrible but unique. It was not.

On Tuesday night, I was pleased to contribute to a special joint scrutiny commission meeting at Hackney Town Hall, where councillors and the Hackney Youth Parliament held local partners accountable for their response to Child Q’s case in March 2022. Representatives of the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MOPAC), Hackney Council, and the City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership spoke about the action they’ve taken since that case came to light. It considered the recommendations being taken forward in Hackney specifically and how these are progressing.

There remain many hard questions to answer, both on a local level but also – as evidence by my most recent findings – a national one. I welcome the work that Hackney is already doing to review Child Q’s case, and I hope to see many other areas mirroring this approach – because this is not a ‘London issue’, or even an isolated incident.

There is collective shock that these searches have been carried out with such little care, minimal safeguarding and in hugely varied ways depending on where in the country they occur. I made a series of recommendations to tackle these issues, including better training among police forces and a child-first approach to policing led by the National Police Chiefs Council, strengthened and clarified guidelines, and improved data collection and monitoring.

I’m reassured that we are already seeing some progress made against these recommendations, and by the commitments that have been made since they were published last month.

The Home Office has committed to considering the three key recommendations that I have made to them. These include making amendments to the PACE Codes of Practice, making data collection and reporting on strip searches mandatory for all police forces, and reviewing existing legislation around searches. I was gratified to see the Safeguarding Minister, Sarah Dines MP, accepting the former two recommendations during the Urgent Question debate.

The College of Policing has updated its strip search guidance in line with one of my recommendations, to ensure that officers are considering the safety and welfare of any child stopped and strengthening it so that there is full clarity over the use of Appropriate Adults during all searches.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has welcomed the recommendations and is working with my office on following up on cases of concern at 28 police forces.

I want to express my gratitude to Child Q again, and to her family, for their bravery in setting this essential work in train. It is thanks to her, and them, that scrutiny on this issue is increasing; not because of a whistle-blower, or an inspection report, or any kind of accountability measure, but because she spoke out.

We simply cannot tolerate any further cases of this nature – children must be treated as such, and their welfare must be the primary concern.  

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IOPC calls for review of police strip search powers following Child Q investigation

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is calling for a substantial review of policing powers under the laws relating to the strip searches of children, to improve safeguarding and prioritise the welfare of minors. It’s one of a series of learning recommendations we’re making to the Home Office, National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing (COP) to review and make changes to national guidance, policy and training relating to searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts. The recommendations follow independent investigations into multiple incidents where children have been strip searched by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), including the search involving the exposure of intimate body parts of a 15-year-old Black girl – known as Child Q – at a school in Hackney, north-east London in 2020. The investigation into the ‘strip search’ of Child Q, which began in May 2021 after the MPS referred complaints to us made on behalf of the child and the school, was recently completed. We can now confirm that four MPS officers will be facing disciplinary proceedings for their actions and conduct during the incident. The search of Child Q occurred on 3 December 2020 after police were called to the school following suspicions by staff that Child Q was in possession of cannabis. This followed a search by staff of her bag and outer clothing where no drugs were found. The child was subject to a search involving the removal of clothing by two female officers under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, while two male officers and school staff remained outside the room where the search took place. No drugs were found during the search. Our investigation looked into whether the grounds for the search and the conduct of officers complied with relevant local and national policies, procedures, guidance and legislation. We also investigated whether officers treated Child Q differently because of her race and sex, and the officers’ communication with school staff during and after the incident. Following the conclusion of our investigation, we determined that three MPS officers should face a gross misconduct hearing for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to duties and responsibilities, discreditable conduct, and equality and diversity. Some of the allegations the three police constables face are that: • the decision to undertake the search was inappropriate • there was no consultation with a supervisor to obtain authorisation before carrying out the search • there was no appropriate adult present during the search • Child Q was discriminated against by officers because of her race and sex A fourth officer, a police constable will face a disciplinary meeting relating to there being no appropriate adult present during the search. They will also undergo the reflective practice review process to consider further learning opportunities. We have recommended that the MPS consider sending formal letters of apology to Child Q and her mother. IOPC director Steve Noonan said: “The ‘strip search’ of Child Q, a 15-year-old girl, at her school in Hackney caused widespread concern. We have investigated the circumstances surrounding how this child was treated that day as fully as possible. “We’ve found that four officers involved in the incident should face disciplinary proceedings for the parts they played. Ultimately it will be for that disciplinary panel to decide whether the allegations against them are proven. We will now be liaising with the Met Police around disciplinary proceedings. We’ve kept Child Q’s representatives and the officers involved updated throughout our investigation. “Since this incident came to our attention, we have investigated four other incidents following referrals from the Met where children were strip searched in custody. “Any person subject to a search involving the exposure of intimate body parts is in a vulnerable position and they are entitled to be treated with respect and courtesy. While strip searches can be necessary for the safety of both the subjects and officers, it’s important that it’s only carried out when absolutely essential, particularly when used on children. “As a result of our investigations, we have identified a series of recommendations that we believe are pivotal to make effective changes to legislation and improve national guidance and training for officers to ensure the safety and welfare of children are prioritised when subject to searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts. “One of the areas of learning we’ve identified is around ensuring that officers across England and Wales understand their duties and responsibilities regarding the role of an appropriate adult during a strip search.” These recommendations follow learning recommendations we previously issued to the Met Police last year while our investigations were ongoing. We also held a roundtable meeting earlier this year with relevant policing bodies and key stakeholders concerning strip searches of children to discuss how organisations need to work together ensuring the wellbeing and safeguarding needs of children are met. We have begun consulting with relevant policing bodies and the Home Office on our latest national recommendations on the use of searches involving the exposure of intimate body parts and these will be published in due course. 

Other child strip search investigations

The IOPC has investigated a total of five cases involving the strip search of children following referrals by the MPS. All but one of the investigations has now concluded. A brief summary of the four other investigations: • An incident where a 15-year-old girl was arrested and detained on suspicion of knifepoint robbery and then transported to custody where they were subject to a wand search and outer clothing search at Walworth Police station in December 2020. While in custody, a sharpened wooden item fell from her clothing. The child subsequently handed over a Stanley knife and was then subject to a strip search in custody. We found the strip search was carried out in line with policy and procedures. However we found a police sergeant should face a misconduct meeting for breaching the standards of professional behaviour of duties and responsibilities, including allegations they failed to sufficiently supervise the wand or physical search carried out by another officer. Three other officers will also undergo the reflective practice review process relating to issues identified around the supervision of the girl in custody and the initial wand search.    • The strip search of a child in custody by MPS officers in 2022 where there were concerns about the suitability of the appropriate adult given her understanding of English and where no interpreter was sought. We found a custody sergeant should face a misconduct meeting for breaches of the standards of professional behaviour for allegations relating to their actions during the incident, including that they failed to ensure a suitable appropriate adult attended the strip search. We also found the child may have been treated less favourably due to their race.  • The arrest and subsequent strip search of a 16-year-old boy in Ilford, east London in January 2020, which was referred to us by the MPS in June 2022. We investigated a complaint which included allegations of excessive force by police during the arrest. We found no evidence to indicate any force used was unnecessary or unreasonable and we found the strip search, although there was no appropriate adult present, was carried out in line with MPS policy and policing powers. We found no indication that any officer behaved in a manner that would justify disciplinary proceedings.  • The arrest and subsequent strip search of a 16-year-old boy at Bethnal Green Police station in October 2020. Our investigation began in June 2022 following a complaint referral from the MPS and is in its final stages. At this stage there is no indication that any officers may have behaved in a manner that would justify disciplinary proceedings. 

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Child Q: Four Met officers served with gross misconduct notices in school strip-search investigation

• Metropolitan Police
• Tower Hamlets
• Tuesday 14 June 2022 at 7:55pm

Four Metropolitan Police officers are being investigated for gross misconduct after a 15-year-old black schoolgirl was strip-searched at school.

The teenager, referred to as Child Q to protect her identity, was strip-searched by female Met officers in 2020 after she was wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis at her east London school.

Protests and condemnation erupted after it emerged the girl was searched without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that four Met officers have been served with gross misconduct notices in connection with its ongoing investigation into complaints that Child Q was inappropriately strip-searched.

Previously, the IOPC had said it was investigating three police officers for misconduct.

A spokesman for the IOPC said: “As with all of our investigations we continually review the evidence and lines of inquiry as the investigation progresses.

“As a part of this, matters were identified which required new notices of investigation to be served on officers.

“Four constables have now been advised that they are being investigated for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct, which does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow.

“Any conduct matters identified, and their seriousness, are kept under review throughout and can be amended in light of any evidence gathered by the investigation team.”

The IOPC said its investigation is examining whether legislation, policies and procedures were followed during the strip-search of the child.

“We are looking at complaints that her mother was not given the opportunity to be present during the strip-search, and that there was no other appropriate adult present,” the IOPC spokesman said.

“We are also considering whether the child’s ethnicity played a part in the officers’ decision to strip-search her.”

The search of Child Q took place without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was menstruating, a safeguarding report found.

The local child safeguarding practice review, conducted by City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP), concluded the strip-search should never have happened, was unjustified and racism “was likely to have been an influencing factor”.

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Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review – Child Q

In 2  020, Child Q, a Black female child of secondary school age, was strip searched by female police officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The search, which involved the exposure of Child Q’s intimate body parts, took place on school premises, without an Appropriate Adult present and with the knowledge that Child Q was menstruating.

Due to the level of her distress, Child Q’s mother took her to the family GP who made a referral for psychological support leading to contact with Hackney Children and Families Services (Hackney CFS).

Following a multi-agency Rapid Review, the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children’s Partnership commissioned a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review. The report and statement of the CHSCP’s Independent Child Safeguarding Commissioner, Jim Gamble QPM, can be found HERE .  

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/13/before-and-after-school-childcare-what-is-wraparound-childcare/

Wraparound childcare: Everything you need to know about before and after school childcare

We’re supporting working families through the UK government’s biggest ever investment in childcare, to make it more affordable, available and flexible.

As part of this announcement, we’re expanding wraparound care for primary school children across England by increasing the number of places available, to support working families.

But what exactly is wraparound childcare? We explain everything you need to know, from what it is to how you can access it.

What is wraparound childcare?

Wraparound childcare is before and after school care for primary school aged children in England during term time, such as  and regular afterschool provision that runs until 6pm or later.

The childcare should be available every school day outside of regular  school  hours and is aimed at helping parents access more  childcare  and work the hours they want to.

This is different from out-of-school activities, or school clubs, which are less frequent and can be a one-off activity.

Around 60 percent of primary schools across England offer wraparound childcare, both before and after school.

Private, voluntary, and independent providers, including childminders and early years settings, are also able to offer wraparound childcare. Often, it’s run on a school site or another setting in the local area.

How do I find wraparound childcare near me?

Parents looking for  childcare options  for their primary school child should speak to their child’s school or the Family Information Service run by their local authority to find out what wraparound childcare is currently available in the area.

From September 2024, parents can expect to see an increase in the number of wraparound childcare places available across the country.

We expect all parents who need it to have access to wraparound childcare, either from their school or from another provider in their local area, by September 2026.

We encourage parents to talk to their child’s school or the Family Information Service in their local authority about their need for wraparound childcare, even if it’s not currently available.

Who will be eligible for wraparound childcare?

Our ambition is that all parents in England with primary school aged children will be able to access wraparound care in their local area by September 2026.

How much will it cost and is financial support available ?

Providers will set their own fees for wraparound places, so prices will vary.

Parents will pay their wraparound childcare provider directly for their child’s place.

Parents eligible for  Tax-Free Childcare  or  Universal Credit Childcare  will be able to use the support to help pay for wraparound care.

Tax-Free Childcare could save eligible parents up to £2,000 per year for children aged up to 11, or £4,000 per year for children aged up to 17 with disabilities.

Universal Credit Childcare could save eligible parents up to 85% of their childcare costs for children aged up to 16.

To check if you are eligible for Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare, visit the Childcare Choices website.

What if wraparound childcare is not available in my area ?

If you live in England you can request that your child’s school consider setting up wraparound childcare for your child if they don’t already provide it.

You should write to your child’s school by letter or e-mail and include when you most need wraparound childcare, detailing the days and times you need it. The school will get back to you with a decision within a school-term.

How are we supporting local authorities to deliver the wraparound childcare expansion?

To make more available wraparound care possible, local authorities will receive a share of £289 million to help map out and accommodate the needs of parents in their area.

They will also be able to use the funds to test different ways to increase their wraparound options, including working with local private providers or partnering with schools.

We’re also giving local authorities a share of a further £100 million to ensure childcare settings in the area – including both early years and wraparound settings – have enough physical space to roll out the programme from next year.

What else are we doing to improve access to childcare for under 5s for working parents ?

We’re doubling the amount we are investing in childcare over the next few years from around £4 billion to around £8 billion each year.

As part of this investment, by September 2025, working parents will be able to claim 30 hours childcare a week, over 38 weeks of the year, all the way through from nine months up to their child starting school.

Nurseries are also set to receive a £204 million cash boost which they can use to ease cost pressures such as staffing costs, training and bills.

You can read more about how we’re investing in childcare in England on the Education Hub .

You may also be interested in:

• Thousands of parents of two-year-olds benefit from 15 hours free childcare - here's how
• Free childcare: How we are tackling the cost of childcare
• How to apply for 30 hours free childcare and find out if you’re eligible

Tags: After school childcare , Before school childcare , Breakfast Clubs , Childcare , What is wraparound care , What is wraparound childcare , Wraparound care , wraparound childcare

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Money blog: McDonald's changes iconic Happy Meal box; AI-powered mortgage lender cuts rates

The fast food giant has made the change to shine a light on mental health. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog - and leave a comment or your money problem in the box below.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Archewell Foundation has been labelled "delinquent" in the US for failing to submit annual records.

A letter was sent to the charity on 3 May by by California's Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, saying it has been "listed as delinquent" for "failing to submit required annual report(s) and/or renewal fees".

The letter said an organisation listed as delinquent is banned from "soliciting or disbursing charitable funds" and its registration may be "suspended or revoked".

It is understood that a physical cheque was sent by Archewell Foundation but not received, and a new one has been sent to resolve the issue.

It is believed the charity was only made aware of this when the delinquency notice was published.

Read more on this story below...

Shares of US video game retailer GameStop have soared again today, fuelled by the return of online influencer "Roaring Kitty" to social media.

Real name Keith Gill, the influencer's first online post caused shares to jump yesterday, with another surge reported today.

The retailer's shares rallied 132% in pre-market trading before falling back to about 80% up as US markets opened. 

Mr Gill shared a meme and more than 10 clips from movies including The Avengers and Tombstone. Though the posts didn't mention any company names, GameStop and US cinema chain AMC were the most-traded stocks by investors yesterday and today, according to data from JP Morgan.

He is credited with helping to fuel the "meme stock" craze during the COVID pandemic, which saw GameStop shares rise more than 1,000%. They later collapsed as interest faded.

Tesco's managing director has seen his pay deal more than double to almost £10m. 

That's 431 times the wage of the average £23,010 salary for a Tesco worker. 

Ken Murphy received a pay packet worth £9.93m for the year to February, the supermarket's annual report revealed.

His pay deal came to £4.4m in the previous financial year. 

The rise was driven by £4.91m from his performance share plan (PSP) after he helped lead the company to higher profits in the face of challenging inflation.

This PSP payment will be paid out in Tesco shares and is based on the company's performance since 2021.

It comes on top of an annual salary of £1.64m and an annual bonus of £3.38m. 

The group's chief finance officer, Imran Nawaz, also saw his annual pay package more than double.

He received a total £4.95m for the year, jumping from £2.27m in the previous financial year.

The retailer was criticised for revealing a £2.83bn profit for the year to February when many customers had been impacted by rampant food and drink inflation. 

Alison Platt, chairwoman of the Tesco remuneration committee, said the pay boost reflects the fact "Tesco has delivered for all of its stakeholders over the last year".

She added: "Tesco remains committed to a competitive and fair reward package for all colleagues and over the last two years we have invested more than £800m in colleague pay, as well as significantly enhancing the range of wellbeing benefits we offer."

Sony's operating profit  has climbed 5% this business year - even as it forecasts lower PlayStation 5 sales. 

The Japanese entertainment and electronics company said its operating profit is expected to come in at 1.28 trillion yen (£6.5bn) in the year ending March.

Sony, a major supplier of image sensors for smartphones, said its chips business is expected to book a 40% rise in operating profit on higher sales and lower costs.

At its gaming unit, revenues are expected to fall with the PlayStation 5 in its fourth year, but Sony said user engagement and cost control could drive future profitability at the business.

It predicted PlayStation 5 sales will fall to 18 million units from last year's 20.8 million. 

Cheaper energy deals for new customers could potentially return in October, with the industry regulator announcing a review of their ban. 

Ofgem is consulting on removing the block on acquisition-only tariffs in an attempt to encourage competition between suppliers. 

The ban was introduced as a short-term measure in April 2022 to protect consumers during the energy crisis, and was due to be lifted in March next year.

Now, the regulator has said that it is the right time to consider removing it as the energy market continues to stabilise.

MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis welcomed the consultation, saying: "We need anything possible right now to stimulate competition and bring prices down." 

"In normal times, I wouldn't call for firms to be allowed to offer new customers cheaper prices than existing, yet these aren't normal times." 

Melinda French Gates has left the charity she set up with her former husband, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, after the couple's divorce. 

In a statement, she said she would step down from her position at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on 7 June. 

You can see her full statement below... 

The foundation was created in 2000 and it is one of the most influential charitable organisations in the world. 

It has spent billions working to tackle poverty and disease around the world. 

Bill and Melinda Gates announced they were divorcing three years ago after being married for 27 years. 

An AI-powered mortgage lender has cut rates for a second time this week. 

MPowered has reduced all its two and five year fixed deals, with rates starting at 4.37% down from 4.59%. 

"The swap markets are moving at pace at present, and it is important that as a responsible lender we are able to react and pass on any savings we can to borrowers," said Matt Surridge, sales director of MPowered Mortgages. 

"I'm therefore really pleased we are one of the first, if not the first, to cut rates this week, having already cut rates once in the past week." 

The company uses AI in its mortgage process and is a fully digital platform. 

McDonald's has decided to remove the iconic smile from its Happy Meal box in a bid to teach children about their emotions. 

Instead, a sheet of stickers depicting different moods will be placed inside, which children can use to express their feelings. 

A QR code for a mental health hub will also be placed on the red packaging to provide its younger customers with different resources about emotional wellbeing. 

The move comes as part of Mental Health Week, with research by the fast food chain finding nearly half of children feel pressure to be happy all the time. 

Football legend Rio Ferdinand has teamed up with the company to support the campaign, which runs until 19 May. 

The father-of-five said: "It's our job to empower our children to express themselves freely and support them every step of the way in understanding that it's okay to not be happy all the time." 

The Traitors' winner Harry Clark has revealed he's only spent some of his prize money so far, and it's gone towards clearing his relatives' debts. 

The 23-year-old won £95,150 after successfully convincing his fellow contestants that he was a faithful in the second season of the show. 

Speaking on the TV BAFTAs red carpet, the former British Army engineer said his dad has stopped him from spending the cash and has been looking after him. 

"He's got his head screwed on. He's been making sure I can get my first place," he told reporters.

"I've just given my family some dosh, just to pay off their debts and stuff like that, so they don't have to worry anymore. 

"That's all I've wanted to do in my life." 

Police are no longer interested in dealing with shoplifting and retailers are being forced to spend "a lot of money" on protecting themselves, the chairman of M&S has claimed. 

Archie Norman said stores have resorted to installing new camera systems and employing store detectives to try to keep crime rates down. 

"We get very little help from the police," he told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.

"I think we have to accept that the police are not interested in this sort of crime any more. Whether we like it or not, that's the way it has gone." 

Shoplifting is at the highest levels since records began in 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

It has risen by 37% since last year.

Mr Norman said thefts had surged since the pandemic, and the rising cost of living crisis was also causing problems. 

"When people are hard up, or particularly when there's a growth in other forms of crime, particularly drugs-related crime, then one way of financing it is to go and steal from shops… it's understandable given what we've been through in the last couple of years, we've seen more of that," he added.

A change to the law in 2014 now means shoplifting goods worth less than £200 is only a summary offence. 

This may have prompted police to pay less attention to it, and it has been on the rise since.

Home Office data also show the number of shoplifting charges has fallen in recent years. 

Taking further action wasn't considered to be "in the public interest" in most cases. 

Sky News has contacted the Home Office for comment.

By James Sillars , business news reporter 

The prospects for a Bank of England interest rate cut are almost 50/50.

That's according to the latest financial market expectations in reaction to this morning's employment figures.

They showed the pace of wage growth remaining stubbornly high - overshooting the expectations of economists.

Strong wage growth is not what the Bank wants to see, as it fears a surge in consumer spending power driving a new wave of inflation.

There is a further set of wage data before the Bank's next rate-setting meeting on 20 June.

That may not help those seeking a cut in borrowing costs, however, as it will reflect the impact of April's big rise in the National Living Wage.

Away from the interest rate cut speculation, the FTSE 100 has opened flat for a second day.

Currys is among stocks doing well on the wider stock market.

The electricals retailer saw its shares trading almost 8% higher in early deals after it raised its annual profit outlook.

Those of Greggs, however, were down almost 1% despite a leap in sales.

The bakery to fast food chain said its performance was in line with expectations and, as such, it had no impact on its forecasts for the full year.

Wages grew by 6% in the three months to March, excluding bonuses, according to the Office for National Statistics.

This is slightly above economists' expectations - bad news for the Bank of England, which wants to see wage growth fall to help ease inflation as it weighs when to cut 16-year-high interest rates.

The Bank is watching wages closely as it looks to bring inflation back to its 2% target, and cooling earnings growth is seen as being key to paving the way for it to begin cutting rates.

In real terms - taking Consumer Prices Index inflation into account - pay rose 2.4% across the period.

In March alone, that figure was 3% - the highest level of growth since July 2021, when it hit 3.9%.

"Earnings growth in cash terms remains high, with the recent falls in the rate now levelling off while, with inflation falling, real pay growth remains at its highest level in well over two years," said ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown.

Meanwhile, unemployment ticked up to 4.3% from January to March, compared to 4.2% in the previous three months, December to February. 

The number of job vacancies remains about pre-pandemic levels, but has been declining for 22 consecutive months, said Ms McKeown.

"With unemployment also increasing, the number of unemployed people per vacancy has continued to rise, approaching levels seen before the onset of COVID-19."

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