Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 31 Januari 2015 | 14.44
Donations for a disabled pensioner who was mugged outside his home have reached more than £50,000.
After reading about the mugging of 67-year-old Alan Barnes, beautician Katie Cutler set up an online fundraising page that went viral raising over a hundred times its original £500 target in just two days.
Mr Barnes, who has disabilities from birth after his mother contracted German measles when she was pregnant, broke his collarbone when he was pushed over by his attacker.
People were moved to help after hearing that Mr Barnes was too afraid to return to his home in Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
Following reports of the attack, which police described as "disgraceful", Ms Cutler set up the Help Alan Barnes online donation page on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe.
She wrote: "I was so upset that anyone could target a disabled pensioner and be so cruel.
"We can't take away what has happened but with a little donation we can make the future a prettier one and help towards the cost of his new home. Thank you all."
One online contributor, Lorraine Susan, said: "I really hope this fund helps him get settled somewhere nice & safe.
"At least he knows there are literally thousands on his side."
Mr Barnes is a well-known figure in Low Fell and is renowned for being able to quickly calculate how many days old someone is from their date of birth.
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Video:Diplomat's 'Unnatural' Sex Report
By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent
A top British diplomat was the focus of a secret government file about his "unnatural" sexual behaviour, Sky News can reveal.
The file, which has just been released to the National Archives, names the late Sir Peter Hayman as the subject of the document prepared for then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
It has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London, under the title "PREM 19/588 SECURITY. Sir Peter Hayman: allegations against former public official of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects".
Sir Peter died in 1992 but during his career worked as a diplomat including as High Commissioner to Canada. He also worked for intelligence service MI6.
The National Archives has released the document
He was named as an abuser of children by the MP Geoffrey Dickens in the 1980s and also had links to the controversial Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE).
The files reveal for the first time that Mrs Thatcher was in regular correspondence over what she describes in one handwritten letter as the "Hayman matter".
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Gallery: Secret File On Claims Of 'Unnatural Sexual Behaviour' Of Top Diplomat
A letter from then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is among the file
The file contains the official "line" to take if questions were raised
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The document has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London
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The diplomat regularly sent obscene material through the post and kept detailed records of his sexual activities and fantasies.
Two incidents that may have been significant are noted in the report: one while Sir Peter was working in Baghdad, the other in Ottawa, Canada. No details of what happened are included.
He had also been exposed as someone with links to paedophilia in Private Eye magazine and the file shows that the official response was that the claims were "generally accurate".
Thatcher's government advisers were also acutely concerned with how they would handle questions about the diplomat, with one briefing not highlighting the line to take for any interviews.
It said: "There has been no cover up."
The existence of the file in the National Archives catalogues was highlighted by Dr Chris Murphy, a lecturer at Salford University, who alerted Sky News.
Dr Murphy said he was pleased at the decision to release the file.
He told Sky News: "I'm surprised - albeit pleasantly so - to see a decision to withhold a file under Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act reversed like this.
"In my experience this is quite unusual and I think it has to make us wonder about the decision to withhold it in the first place."
Video:Labour MP: Abuse File 'Significant'
The file has been retained on grounds of national security and held by officials at the Cabinet Office, the department responsible for the smooth running of government.
Following the Sky News report the matter was raised in the House Of Commons, where MPs called for it to be made public.
MP John Mann, who campaigns on the issue of child abuse, said: "All of these files that have been classified need to be opened up.
"This one is of great importance. There could well be some very significant information in it and it needs to be looked at."
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC - who was commissioned last year by the Home Office to examine Government files that may be relevant to the abuse inquiries - told Sky News that to the best of his knowledge he did not see this specific file during his inquiries.
Tom Watson MP said on Friday: "Without Sky News revealing the existence of this document, it wouldn't have been made available for public scrutiny.
"What else was known about Hayman and his associates?"
Confirming the decision to release it, a Cabinet Office spokesman said: "This file was originally kept closed as it contained information from the security services and advice from the law officers.
"We have reviewed that decision and have now released the file into the National Archives."
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Secret 'Unnatural Sex' File Names Top Diplomat
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Video:Diplomat's 'Unnatural' Sex Report
By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent
A top British diplomat was the focus of a secret government file about his "unnatural" sexual behaviour, Sky News can reveal.
The file, which has just been released to the National Archives, names the late Sir Peter Hayman as the subject of the document prepared for then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
It has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London, under the title "PREM 19/588 SECURITY. Sir Peter Hayman: allegations against former public official of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects".
Sir Peter died in 1992 but during his career worked as a diplomat including as High Commissioner to Canada. He also worked for intelligence service MI6.
The National Archives has released the document
He was named as an abuser of children by the MP Geoffrey Dickens in the 1980s and also had links to the controversial Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE).
The files reveal for the first time that Mrs Thatcher was in regular correspondence over what she describes in one handwritten letter as the "Hayman matter".
1/8
Gallery: Secret File On Claims Of 'Unnatural Sexual Behaviour' Of Top Diplomat
A letter from then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is among the file
The file contains the official "line" to take if questions were raised
]]>
The document has now been transferred to the archives in Kew, south west London
]]>
]]>
]]>
The diplomat regularly sent obscene material through the post and kept detailed records of his sexual activities and fantasies.
Two incidents that may have been significant are noted in the report: one while Sir Peter was working in Baghdad, the other in Ottawa, Canada. No details of what happened are included.
He had also been exposed as someone with links to paedophilia in Private Eye magazine and the file shows that the official response was that the claims were "generally accurate".
Thatcher's government advisers were also acutely concerned with how they would handle questions about the diplomat, with one briefing not highlighting the line to take for any interviews.
It said: "There has been no cover up."
The existence of the file in the National Archives catalogues was highlighted by Dr Chris Murphy, a lecturer at Salford University, who alerted Sky News.
Dr Murphy said he was pleased at the decision to release the file.
He told Sky News: "I'm surprised - albeit pleasantly so - to see a decision to withhold a file under Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act reversed like this.
"In my experience this is quite unusual and I think it has to make us wonder about the decision to withhold it in the first place."
Video:Labour MP: Abuse File 'Significant'
The file has been retained on grounds of national security and held by officials at the Cabinet Office, the department responsible for the smooth running of government.
Following the Sky News report the matter was raised in the House Of Commons, where MPs called for it to be made public.
MP John Mann, who campaigns on the issue of child abuse, said: "All of these files that have been classified need to be opened up.
"This one is of great importance. There could well be some very significant information in it and it needs to be looked at."
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC - who was commissioned last year by the Home Office to examine Government files that may be relevant to the abuse inquiries - told Sky News that to the best of his knowledge he did not see this specific file during his inquiries.
Tom Watson MP said on Friday: "Without Sky News revealing the existence of this document, it wouldn't have been made available for public scrutiny.
"What else was known about Hayman and his associates?"
Confirming the decision to release it, a Cabinet Office spokesman said: "This file was originally kept closed as it contained information from the security services and advice from the law officers.
"We have reviewed that decision and have now released the file into the National Archives."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 30 Januari 2015 | 14.44
By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent
Police officers are abusing their power to get sexual favours and drugs, a report reveals, and it's feared that new force budget cuts could breed staff anger and more corruption.
The abuse of power was first highlighted two years ago, but is happening just as much now, according to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Mike Cunningham said: "It remains a concern today and we want to see a more proactive approach by police leaders to identify officers likely to conduct themselves in this way and put preventative measures in their way.
"They have to be more vigilant. It is not decreasing and remains a significant problem.
"Like all corruption, the true scale of it is not known until you turn over the stone."
The HMIC is also concerned that more than half of corruption and misconduct investigations result in no further action.
The report's figures showed that of 4,611 investigations, 2,891 did not lead to a prosecution or internal disciplinary action.
The figures for complaints of racial discrimination were even starker.
Of 1,043 allegations, 816 resulted in no action.
Mr Cunningham said: "We are concerned about these figures.
"It could be the complaints were unfounded or malicious, but they may be inadequately investigated and the service needs to understand why so many result in no further action."
He warned, too, that dissatisfaction with more spending cuts could drive officers into corruption.
He said: "At times of uncertainty there could be a general counter-organisation attitude, people belligerent towards the service and it could encourage them, if they are prone to corruption, to let down their colleagues.
"It is incumbent on chief constables to be even more vigilant over the conduct of their staff."
The HMIC report says the 43 police forces of England and Wales have done much to tackle corruption, but need to be more proactive in rooting it out.
They need to improve internal reporting systems, which half of all officers do not believe are confidential enough and so do not use them.
Jacqui Cheer of the Association of Chief Police Officers said corruption is "neither endemic nor widespread".
"However, the actions of a few corrupt officers can corrode the reputation of the vast majority who work hard every day to protect the public," she said.
"We will continue to improve our approach so that those who are not fit to be in the police are held to account and removed."
College of Policing CEO Alex Marshall said: "Trust in police remains high and it is encouraging to see the HMIC report acknowledges all forces have begun introducing the Code of Ethics, which was created by the College to guide ethical decision making.
"Work has already begun to provide guidance to forces for best practice in managing whistleblowing.
"This should increase confidence among officers that their force will know how to deal with any disclosure appropriately."
The steady rise in childhood obesity finally seems to be slowing down, but a third of young people are still too heavy, a study has found.
In younger children it appears that the rate of obesity has even begun to fall, but there is particular concern about the number of 11 to 15 -year-olds who weigh too much.
The research, based on 20 years of electronic health records relating to more than 370,000 children aged two to 15, revealed 37.8% of boys and 36.6% of girls in the older age group are either overweight or obese.
Report author and professor of public health at Kings College London, Martin Gulliford, said: "Children in their teens are very likely to become overweight or obese as adults, and from their obesity they might be at greater risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
"The concern therefore is that future generations may not be as healthy as previous generations."
Video:Labour's Plan For Kids' Health
And that has cost implications for the NHS - but there are signs of change.
The report found that between 1994 and 2003, the prevalence of too much weight or obesity in children rose by 8% a year, but in the second decade of the study, that rate fell to an annual rise of just 0.4%.
And while one in four children in the youngest group are too heavy - up from one in five in 1994 - it is among those aged two to five that the obesity rate is slowly beginning to decline.
Video:Under-25s Turning To Gastric Bands
Prof Gulliford said: "It's an interesting finding that we see this trend level off in younger children.
"At the present time it's too early to say whether this result is down to interventions that have been rolled out to address childhood obesity - or whether this reflects some kind of saturation whereby the children who are going to become obese have become obese in the environment in this country."
In Colchester, Russell Turner runs a group called Crossfit Kids to instil a passion for being active at a young age.
Video:Obesity Costs UK More Than War
"Once they are here they don't look back," he said.
"It's really important because it starts with fun and we are shaping their mindset with regards to how they see exercise, so as they grow up hopefully they will want to carry on and participate, eat well and keep that general lifestyle going."
The children taking part in Russell's class already know the importance of exercising.
Video:'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS
James Chapman, who is seven, says it keeps him healthy and is much better than playing computer games all day.
And six-year-old Sophie Mann said she enjoys it because "you are not being lazy and you are keeping fit".
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 29 Januari 2015 | 14.43
Pollster Lord Ashcroft has told Sky News in a rare interview that the surge in support for the SNP in Scotland "is real".
It comes a day after a Sky News projection said the nationalist party could increase its number of seats at the General Election from its current six to 53.
The polling also suggested there would be a hung parliament with Labour as the largest party ahead of the Conservatives, and the SNP could hold the balance of power on 8 May.
Based on Sky's forecast, Labour and the SNP could form a 'tartan coalition'
Lord Ashcroft pointed to last year's Scottish independence referendum, where the SNP picked up 45% of the votes, as evidence of the surge.
He said: "You could say if you voted yes to independence why now wouldn't you vote for the SNP in the Westminster parliament."
Video:Projection Suggests Hung Parliament
The former Tory party treasurer suggested the political centre of gravity in Scotland was more to the left.
He went on: "Who do you want to represent you - Labour who you are not quite sure where they stand on the Scottish issue.
"Or the SNP who you do know where they stand for on Scotland. Therefore one would expect a surge for the SNP."
Lord Ashcroft is currently polling Scottish seats for the first time and the results will be published within days.
The findings may not make happy reading for Labour in Scotland.
Video:PM Defends Economic Record
He believed the May election was "finely balanced", adding "the concern seems be running that we are in for a hung parliament."
He admitted the "pendulum" was slightly towards Labour leader Ed Miliband over Tory Prime Minister David Cameron but cautioned that there was "such volatility" that that could change at any time.
The rise of Nigel Farage's UKIP was down to both the "arrogance of the Conservatives and the complacency of Labour", according to the peer.
He added: "This was something waiting to happen.
"Quite clearly with the Liberal Democrats going into coalition, you cannot be a protest party in government and expect to come out at the other end of the tunnel the same shape you went into it."
Video:Miliband Makes NHS His Battleground
He said that "fragmentation" was the price that the Lib Dems - whose support has slumped - have paid for being in the coalition.
He also argued that for UKIP, a Miliband election win could be the best result for their long-term interests.
Britain may not get a EU referendum under the Labour leader which would give UKIP another five years in which to build their party where they still have Europe as the "bogey" to go for, he claimed.
Lord Ashcroft said "disillusionment" with the two main parties meant they were polling around 60% of the vote, compared with about 90% around 20 years ago.
But he warned that with the rise of the smaller parties, it was mathematically possible for a party to have an overall majority at the election with a national share of the vote in the 20s.
Video:In The Margins
He said if that happened there would be pressure to look at whether 'first-past-the-post' was the appropriate system of government in the UK.
:: Sky looks at the 150 seats that could play a deciding role in May's General Election. Click here for the In The Margins console.
A rescue operation for a fishing boat with four crew aboard which went missing in the Channel in "very challenging" conditions has been suspended.
The RNLI said it would make a decision on resuming the search this morning.
It is believed the vessel's communications failed after the boat encountered rough seas and gale-force winds on Wednesday afternoon.
A Coastguard Rescue helicopter is scouring an area in the southeast of the English Channel, along with two all-weather lifeboats and a French search and rescue helicopter.
"The coastguard has notified other vessels in the surrounding area to remain vigilant and contact them if they locate anything," a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency added.
The 40m long fishing trawler, a Belgian vessel with a Dutch skipper, was last reported at a location approximately 10 miles from Dungeness on the Kent coast.
"It is a very large search area. The two lifeboats are operating eight miles apart. With no sightings, one does fear the worst," said RNLI spokesman Tim Ash.
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 28 Januari 2015 | 14.44
By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent
Demonstrators from around the UK are expected to gather in Lancashire today, ahead of a controversial decision on the future of fracking in the county.
It is the first time that Cuadrilla, an exploration company, has applied to develop new fracking sites since being blamed for creating earth tremors in Blackpool three years ago.
The firm suspended test drilling and abandoned its site near the seaside resort following the quakes in 2011.
The Preese Hall site remains the only place in the UK where modern fracking techniques have been used so far.
Tina Rothery says she has put her life on hold to campaign against fracking
And the new areas sit on the same massive reserve of shale gas which experts say could help revolutionise Britain's energy market.
But groups opposed to fracking say it would industrialise the countryside and pollute the environment.
Video:A Guide To Fracking
Cuadrilla has applied to Lancashire County Council for permission to frack two sites in a rural area between Preston and Blackpool.
Officers at the authority have recommended that councillors vote against the proposals because of concerns over noise and road safety.
If the councillors accept the recommendations, it will be seen as a major blow to the efforts to kick-start Britain's shale gas industry.
Anti-fracking campaigner Tina Rothery said: "Like many people in the anti-fracking movement, we have completely put our own lives on hold for four years just to get this done - because how do you walk away from this?
"Every door I would look to walk out of would have my granddaughter's face on it. I can't walk away and go 'It's okay - they'll take care of it' because it's too big."
Video:MPs Reject Fracking Moratorium
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of drilling a mile or more into the earth before water, chemicals and sand are injected under high pressure into rock, releasing the shale gas trapped inside.
In recent years, it has become one of the most divisive issues in the UK, leading to violent scenes between police and protesters at proposed sites in Manchester, Lancashire and Sussex.
Supporters such as Blackpool businessman Tony Raynor claim his interest in fracking was prompted by the local earth tremors several years ago.
"Like most people, I was ambivalent to shale gas, but the tremors made me want to find out more. Now I'm in favour," he said.
"There are fewer jobs here now than there were in 2004 and we all worry about the brain drain (from the area) and our children finding opportunities in this region. We need economic activity happening in Blackpool."
Video:Bianca Jagger Debates Fracking
The anti-fracking movement has built up considerably over recent years. Its supporters say pollution in the US has shown the process is environmentally unsustainable.
However, supporters argue that it has considerably reduced America's dependence on imported energy supplies and helped to bolster the economy.
Cuadrilla has asked that the local authority allows more time to consider its proposals for minimising the environmental impact at fracking sites. If Lancashire councillors do reject Cuadrilla's plans, the company is expected to appeal.
Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to quit the habit if they are paid, according to new research.
Figures suggest 5,000 fetuses and babies die every year as a result of mums smoking during pregnancy.
And it is claimed it can cost the NHS annually up to £64m for problems in mothers and up to £23.5m for infants.
But a new study suggests financial incentives, in the form of shopping vouchers, can motivate pregnant women to quit the habit.
"This study provides substantial evidence of a very promising and potentially cost-effective new intervention to add to present health service support," the authors wrote.
"The findings can serve as the basis for future research to include other UK centres and other health care systems."
Researchers at the University of Glasgow and the University of Stirling used 612 pregnant smokers.
They were randomly assigned to one of two groups.
Half were assigned to a group offered up to £400 of financial incentives if they took part in sessions aimed at helping them quit or actually gave up.
The other half were just offered places on help groups and a face-to-face appointment with a smoking cessation adviser, four follow-up support calls and free nicotine replacement therapy for 10 weeks.
Women who were offered shopping vouchers were significantly more likely to quit smoking (23%) than those in the control group (9%).
Written By Unknown on Senin, 26 Januari 2015 | 14.44
By Siobhan Robbins, West of England Correspondent
Children are dying needlessly because of a delay in rolling out the meningitis B vaccine in the UK, a campaign group has claimed.
The vaccination was given its EU licence two years ago in 2013, but Meningitis Now says the delay in offering the immunisation to every baby on the NHS is putting lives at risk.
Figures obtained by the campaign group suggest 24 UK children under the age of one could have died from the disease since the vaccine was approved in 2013. Since that time there have been 1,130 cases of the infection.
Meningitis Now founder Steve Dayman said: "Too many of our children are needlessly dying or left disabled due to lethargic bureaucracy."
Since 2013 there have been 1,130 UK cases of the disease
Caroline Williams, from South East Wales, lost her one-year-old son Caden to meningitis B. He died a year after the immunisation had received EU approval.
Ms Williams told Sky News the Government was risking other children's lives by not adding the jab to the NHS baby immunisation programme.
Video:Meningitis Awareness
She said: "The amount of children that could be saved with this vaccine is unbelievable. I know meningitis doesn't just affect babies but it could be saving children's lives and they're still negotiating over price, they're putting a price on children's lives."
The meningitis B vaccine is available on the NHS for groups at increased risk of invasive meningococcal infection, such as children without a spleen, and can be bought privately.
The Department of Health told Sky News the number of cases of the disease has dropped over the last decade.
Video:Brave Tommy Can Still Smile
In a statement, a spokesperson said: "We are very clear that we want to see this vaccine introduced as soon as possible to help protect children from this devastating disease.
"The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that a MenB vaccine be introduced, but only at a cost-effective price - below the price published by Novartis.
"We need to make sure NHS funds are used effectively and negotiations are continuing."
Security procedures are under review after hoax calls were made to GCHQ, during which a number for the eavesdropping agency's boss was disclosed, and to Downing Street, which connected the caller to David Cameron.
The Prime Minister ended the call when it became clear it was a prank, and Downing Street said no sensitive information was disclosed.
A review into the breach is under way at both Number 10 and GCHQ, where a mobile phone number for director Robert Hannigan was revealed to the caller.
A Government spokesman said: "Following two hoax calls to Government departments today, a notice has gone out to all departments to be on the alert for such calls.
The GCHQ headquarters in Cheltenham
"In the first instance, a call was made to GCHQ which resulted in the disclosure of a mobile phone number for the director.
"The mobile phone number provided is never used for calls involving classified information.
"In the second instance, a hoax caller claiming to be the GCHQ director was connected to the Prime Minister.
"Both GCHQ and Number 10 take security seriously and both are currently reviewing procedures following these hoax calls to ensure that the Government learns any lessons from this incident."
It is not known if the same person was behind both hoaxes, but a man claiming responsibility for the call to GCHQ described his actions to The Sun newspaper.
He claimed he was high on drink and drugs at the time and said the situation was "hilarious".
"I've just made complete monkeys out of GCHQ. I've got the mobile number of the director," he told the paper.
"What's more, I am off my face on booze and cocaine."
He added: "I'm definitely going to do it again. It was so easy."
The paper reported that the man telephoned Mr Hannigan claiming to be an ITN journalist, but said the director was suspicious and ended the call.
The mobile phone number for Mr Hannigan is understood to be for an unclassified phone, rather than one of the secure lines used for sensitive communications.
The call to Mr Cameron was made to an official mobile, but the conversation was understood to have been "quite brief".
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 25 Januari 2015 | 14.44
By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent
Prisoners caught using so-called "legal highs" will face tougher penalties following a huge increase in the use of the drugs inside jails.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has warned that the trend could be driving a spike in violence among inmates, which has resulted in prison staff being injured.
Mr Grayling told Sky News that he wanted to make sure that when legal highs were found in prisons, it was treated as seriously as if it were heroin.
It comes alongside figures that show a 27-fold increase in seizures of these "new psychoactive substances" in prisons, from just 16 in 2010 to 436 in 2014.
Under the new crackdown offenders could face prosecution, have their jail sentences extended by up to 42 days, be segregated from other prisoners, confined to their cells for 21 days, placed in higher security prisons or banned from any physical contact with visitors.
Video:Legal Highs 'Deadlier Than Heroin'
The new powers will be outlined in guidance sent to prison governors in England and Wales this week by the Ministry of Justice.
It comes as Sky News obtained exclusive access to HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire during a major operation that saw 60 National Crime Agency officers and extra police drafted into the prison to try to tackle the problem.
Dawn raids were carried out on cells, while every vehicle and person entering the site was searched.
Sniffer dogs were used in the operation, which uncovered a number of packages of "legal highs", alongside smaller amounts of cannabis, mobile phones and weapons.
Video:Legal Highs Warning
Staff told Sky News that there had been a large rise in the use of legal highs, with inmates acting erratically and violently when high.
One prison officer described prisoners as displaying "incredible amounts of strength" and "aggression" after taking the drugs – which can be smuggled in by visitors or even thrown over the walls.
The prison governor, Susan Howard, said the operation had focused on legal highs because of concerns about the effects.
She said it was not just the risk to her staff, but also to the prisoners themselves who could suffer raised heartbeats, strokes or even put themselves at danger of death.
Video:Britain: A Legal High 'Hub'
"A tiny amount of this could have catastrophic effects," she said, pointing to seized drugs, which are known by street names such as "Spice" and "Black Mamba".
Mr Grayling described the drug abuse as a "new phenomenon".
He added: "What we're also hearing is that these substances seem to be part of the problem around increasing violence in our prison estate.
"No one should be under any illusion how dangerous the abuse of any drug is. We are determined to make sure governors have every power at their disposal to detect supply, punish those found using or dealing, and enforce a zero tolerance approach."
Video:Campaign Warns Over Legal Highs
The drugs are popular because they are difficult to detect as they are odourless and sniffer dogs have not been trained up to identify them.
Under the plans dozens of specialist dog teams will undergo training to search for these synthetic drugs.
A new project will also mean 10,000 urine samples will be tested for them in 10 prisons in northwest England.
A nurse infected with Ebola while working in Sierra Leone has said she is "happy to be alive" as she left hospital after making a full recovery.
Pauline Cafferkey is now free of the deadly virus after more than three weeks in a specialist isolation unit, where for a time she was critically ill.
She admitted she still felt "quite weak", but said she was looking forward to going home.
She also thanked staff at the Royal Free Hospital in London, whom she credited with saving her life.
Ms Cafferkey was diagnosed with Ebola after returning to Glasgow and was initially admitted to the city's Gartnavel Hospital on 29 December, before being transferred to the Royal Free the following day.
Video:Ebola Nurse Leaves Hospital
The nurse, from Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, had volunteered with Save The Children at the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kerry Town before returning to the UK.
Ms Cafferkey, who was discharged from hospital on Saturday, said: "I am just happy to be alive. I still don't feel 100%, I feel quite weak, but I'm looking forward to going home.
"I want to say a big thank you to the staff who treated me - they were amazing. They were always very reassuring and I knew I was in the best hands.
Video:Ebola Nurse Flies To Sierra Leone
"They saved my life."
Ms Cafferkey was treated in the hospital's high level isolation unit (HLIU) for more than three weeks.
She said listening to music and having "lots of Irn-Bru" had helped in her recovery.
Video:Ebola Nurse Being Treated In London
While in hospital she was under the care of the infectious diseases team, led by Dr Michael Jacobs.
He said: "We are delighted that Pauline has recovered and is now well enough to go home. I am very proud of the staff who have been caring for her.
"It is because of the skill and hard work of the entire team that she is now able to go home."
Video:How Ebola Attacks The Human Body
Save The Children has launched an investigation into how Ms Cafferkey was infected, but admits it may never establish the exact circumstances.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "I am delighted that Pauline Cafferkey has been discharged from hospital and can now return home.
"Her selflessness and courage are remarkable and she represents the very best of NHS values.
Video:Ebola: Busting The Myths
"I would like to thank all the staff at the Royal Free who have worked tirelessly to provide her with world class care and treatment."
Prime Minister David Cameron added: "It's great to see Pauline Cafferkey looking so well after her battle with Ebola. She's been extraordinarily brave."
