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Did the EU misspend enough money to build 10 new hospitals?

The European Union, like all public bodies, attracts regular criticism over how it uses public funds. Sometimes, the criticism comes from within. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is an EU body set up to examine the accounts of the Union.

In 2013, the ECA found that 4.7% of the €149 billion spent by the EU wasn't spent according to the rules. What would this €7 billion have paid for?

The post Did the EU misspend enough money to build 10 new hospitals? appeared first on Full Fact.

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GP waiting times: survey doesn’t show 14 million “forced” to wait a week or more

The Daily Mail says 14 million patients were forced to wait a week or more last year, according to new figures. But the figures don't say that.

The post GP waiting times: survey doesn’t show 14 million “forced” to wait a week or more appeared first on Full Fact.

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GP appointments: are a quarter unable to get one within a week?

In a speech today Ed Miliband has said that a quarter of people can’t get an appointment with their GP within a week. It’s a claim he’s made before. The best figures on GP waiting times show that 11% of patients couldn’t get an appointment at all the last time they contacted their GP surgery, while...

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Launch of Making Sense of Allergies

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3 million jobs “linked” to trade with the EU

Labour’s advertisement to businesses in the Financial Times today warns that the biggest risk to British business is the threat of an EU exit. The risk? Over 3 million jobs “linked to trade with the European Union”. It’s a familiar claim that often gets described as jobs ‘dependent’ on our membership with the EU — but the figures...

The post 3 million jobs “linked” to trade with the EU appeared first on Full Fact.

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How many young people could benefit from Help-to-Rent?

“Thousands of hardworking young people still have to live in the same bedroom they lived in as children.” Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat press release, 10 April 2015. The Liberal Democrats have proposed  to make government loans available to young adults so they can cover the costs of a tenancy deposit and move out of their parent’s […]

The post How many young people could benefit from Help-to-Rent? appeared first on Full Fact.

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The facts about zero hour contracts

The post The facts about zero hour contracts appeared first on Full Fact.

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Case 373 – Buses cannot stop at certain bus stops

A bus company claimed their bus could not stop at certain stops along a diversion route because of health and safety issues. READ MORE

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Key claims from the UKIP manifesto launch

UKIP pitched up in Essex today, where Nigel Farage delivered a speech launching its general election manifesto. We’ve looked at some of the headline claims on Europe, immigration, health tourism and foreign aid spending. The European Union and immigration “Save £9 billion a year in direct net contributions to the European Union budget by leaving the EU”—UKIP manifesto […]

The post Key claims from the UKIP manifesto launch appeared first on Full Fact.

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The benefit cap didn’t cause 30,000 to get back into work

George Osborne has said that 30,000 people went into work after being subject to the benefit cap. But the reality is more complex.

The post The benefit cap didn’t cause 30,000 to get back into work appeared first on Full Fact.

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Manifesto report: Immigration

In this section Independent expert commentary from the Migration Observatory Manifesto clash: net migration Manifesto clash: exit checks Manifesto clash: migration target Introduction Immigration is seen as the most important single issue facing Britain today and one of the most important issues in helping people decide how to vote. The last two decades have seen historically […]

The post Manifesto report: Immigration appeared first on Full Fact.

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FactCheck: do the Conservatives give young people the best start?

The Conservatives are urging their supporters to "share the facts" about the party's achievements in government. Should that be "share the fiction?" READ MORE

NHS Choices: Behind the Headlines
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Behind the Headlines 2014 Quiz of the Year

In 2014, Behind the Headlines covered more than 500 health stories that made it into the mainstream media.

Test your knowledge of 2014's health news with our month-by-month quiz.

If you've been paying attention, you should find this quiz both easy and fun.

Answers are at the foot of the page (no peeking!).

 

In January 2014's health news...

What was said to help make bones stronger?

1) Swimming
2) Marriage
3) Listening to classical music

Warnings were issued about the possible return of what?

1) Swine flu
2) The Black Death
3) Smallpox

 

In February 2014's health news...

What activity was said to lower your sense of wellbeing?

1) "Bingeing" on TV box sets
2) Reading other people's posts on Twitter
3) Commuting

What video game was used to reduce food cravings?

1) Tetris
2) Minecraft
3) Modern Warfare 3

     

    In March 2014's health news...

    What was cited as a potential weapon against the obesity epidemic?

    1) Sunflower seeds
    2) Melons
    3) Seaweed

    What antisocial activity was said to trigger potentially harmful by-products?

    1) Listening to loud music on smartphones
    2) Not cleaning up your dog's poo
    3) Peeing in swimming pools

     

    In April 2014's health news...

    What quintessentially English brand was claimed to be an effective alternative to statins?

    1) Marmite
    2) HP Sauce
    3) Earl Grey tea

    What activity was said to prevent depression in older people?

    1) Sex
    2) Using the internet
    3) Joining a book club

     

    In May 2014's health news...

    England fans were warned about what in the run-up to the World Cup in Brazil?

    1) Sexually transmitted infections
    2) Depression
    3) Dengue fever

    What was said to be better than patches and gum as an aid to quitting smoking?

    1) E-cigarettes
    2) Hypnotherapy
    3) Nicotine inhalers

     

    In June 2014's health news...

    A new invention that can predict strokes was unveiled – what was it?

    1) A smartphone app
    2) A microwave helmet
    3) A retinal scanner

    What was said to damage men's sperm quality?

    1) Wearing Lycra cycling shorts
    2) Smoking cannabis
    3) Drinking energy drinks

     

    In July 2014's health news...

    Which technology company carried out a controversial experiment on some of its users?

    1) Facebook
    2) Apple
    3) Twitter

    What flavouring was said to make people feel fuller?

    1) Garlic
    2) Umami
    3) Curry powder

     

    In August 2014's health news...

    Which NHS service was said to be a waste of time by one team of researchers?

    1) NHS Health Checks
    2) NHS Choices
    3) The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

    Injections of what kitchen staple were said (wrongly) to be a potential cure for cancer?

    1) Salt
    2) Pepper
    3) Olive oil

     

    In September 2014's health news...

    One newspaper claimed eating a certain food could trigger a stroke within minutes. What food was this?

    1) Kebab
    2) Deep-fried Mars bar
    3) Bacon sandwich

    What old wives' tale may have turned out to be correct?

    1) Going outside with wet hair can give you a cold
    2) Honey can be used to treat infection
    3) Chocolate can help relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

     

    In October 2014's health news...

    What "doesn't exist", according to Italian researchers?

    1) The vaginal orgasm
    2) The male midlife crisis
    3) Love at first sight

    What was said to protect against prostate cancer?

    1) Having a cold shower at least once a week
    2) A Norwegian-style diet with lots of fish, game and preserved meat
    3) Multiple sexual partners – at least 21 over the course of a lifetime

     

    In November 2014's health news...

    Watching what classic comedy was said to help prevent vision loss?

    1) Only Fools and Horses
    2) George and Mildred
    3) Dad's Army

    What was reported to spread more than 80 million bacteria?

    1) Drinking somebody else's pint
    2) A French kiss (aka a "snog")
    3) A sneeze

     

    In December 2014's health news...

    What seems to be becoming less deadly over time?

    1) Rabies
    2) Anthrax
    3) HIV

    What could potentially save the NHS millions of pounds a year?

    1) Running operating theatres on a 24-hour-a-day basis
    2) More breastfeeding
    3) Adding fluoride to all of the English water supply

     

    Answers

    January

    What was said to help make bones stronger?

      2) Marriage – a US study found married men had increased bone mineral density compared with their single or divorced counterparts

        Warnings were issued about the possible return of what?

          2) The Black Death – DNA samples showed there have been multiple strains of the Black Death during human history, suggesting new strains could emerge in the future

             

            February 

            What activity was said to lower your sense of wellbeing?

              3) Commuting – a report compiled by the Office for National Statistics found daily commuting took a toll on most commuters' sense of wellbeing

                What video game was used to reduce food cravings?

                  1) Tetris – a small study found after playing Tetris for three minutes, participants reported a reduction in immediate cravings for food and drink by around 20%

                     

                    March

                    What was cited as a potential weapon against the obesity epidemic?

                      3) Seaweed – lab research suggests alginates, a substance found in seaweed, may reduce the amount of fat the body digests

                        What antisocial activity was said to trigger potentially harmful by-products?

                          3) Peeing in swimming pools – the mixture of urine and chlorinated swimming pool water was shown to produce potentially harmful chemicals known as nitrogen-containing disinfection by-products

                             

                            April

                            What quintessentially English brand was claimed to be an effective alternative to statins? 

                              3) Earl Grey tea – the research involved an extract called HMGF, taken from the bergamot fruit, a citrus fruit used to flavour teas such as Earl Grey; but the results (in rats) were inconclusive

                                What activity was said to prevent depression in older people?

                                  2) Using the internet – a survey of 3,075 retired people found regular internet use was associated with a lower risk of depression

                                     

                                    May

                                    England fans were warned about what in the run-up to the World Cup in Brazil?

                                      3) Dengue fever – prediction models suggested mosquito activity could combine with weather patterns to create the ideal environment for the spread of dengue fever in the city of Recife (but as England failed to come top of their group, they never played in the city)

                                        What was said to be better than patches and gum as a smoking quitting aid?

                                          1) E-cigarettes – a UK study found people who used e-cigs were 60% more likely to quit than those who tried nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) patches or gum, or willpower alone

                                             

                                            June

                                            A new invention that can predict strokes was unveiled. What was it?

                                              2) A microwave helmet – the helmet uses a microwave scattering technique to check if bleeding has occurred inside the brain

                                                What was said to damage men's sperm quality?

                                                  2) Smoking cannabis – researchers found cannabis use was associated with a higher rate of abnormal morphology (the shape of individual sperm)

                                                     

                                                    July

                                                    Which technology company carried out a controversial experiment on some of its users?

                                                      1) Facebook – in a controversial psychological experiment, Facebook filtered the content that appeared on some users' news feeds to see if this could have an emotional effect

                                                        What flavouring was said to make people feel fuller?

                                                          2) Umami – umami, a flavour associated with Japanese food, was found to reduce food cravings

                                                             

                                                            August

                                                            Which NHS service was said to be a waste of time by one team of researchers?

                                                              1) NHS Health Checks – researchers found no difference in the prevalence of diseases such as diabetes in GP practices that offer NHS Health Checks

                                                                Injections of what kitchen staple were said (wrongly) to be a potential cancer cure?

                                                                  1) Salt – while researchers did find a way to use salt to kill cancerous cells (in a lab), this is a long way from a cure for cancer

                                                                     

                                                                    September

                                                                    One newspaper claimed eating a certain food could trigger a stroke within minutes. What food was this?

                                                                      2) Deep-fried Mars bar – this (allegedly) staple Scottish snack was found to slightly reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain, an effect highly unlikely to trigger an actual stroke

                                                                        What old wives' tale may have turned out to be correct?

                                                                          2) Honey can be used to treat infection – "friendly" bacteria found in fresh honey was found to be effective in slowing the growth of drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA

                                                                             

                                                                            October

                                                                            What "doesn't exist", according to Italian researchers?

                                                                              1) The vaginal orgasm – according to two Italian sexologists, the vaginal orgasm, an orgasm that occurs during penetrative sex, "doesn't exist"; they argue female orgasm can only be achieved during oral sex or masturbation

                                                                                What was said to protect against prostate cancer?

                                                                                  3) Multiple sexual partners: at least 21 over the course of a lifetime – a Canadian study came up with the very precise figure of 21 or more sexual partners to reduce prostate cancer risk (20 doesn't count)

                                                                                     

                                                                                    November

                                                                                    Watching what classic comedy was said to help prevent vision loss?

                                                                                      3) Dad's Army – in fact, a clip from Dad's Army was just one of many visual cues used in an experiment to track differences in eye movements in people with glaucoma compared with people with normal vision

                                                                                        What was reported to spread more than 80 million bacteria?

                                                                                          2) A French kiss (aka a "snog") – an intimate kiss lasting at least 10 seconds was estimated to transfer 80 million bacteria between partners

                                                                                             

                                                                                            December

                                                                                            What seems to be becoming less deadly over time?

                                                                                              3) HIV – strains of HIV in South Africa and Botswana were found to be less virulent than other strains; the virus could be adapting as a result of natural selection (viruses that kill all of their host population don't last long in evolutionary terms)

                                                                                                What could potentially save the NHS millions of pounds a year?

                                                                                                  2) More breastfeeding – a modelling study estimated a reduction in childhood diseases, as well as breast cancer rates, would save the NHS millions of pounds

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                    Scores:

                                                                                                    • 0-2: Doctor Leo Spaceman (30 Rock)
                                                                                                    • 3-5: Doctor Douglas "Doogie" Howser (Doogie Howser, M.D.)
                                                                                                    • 6-8: Doctor Harold Legg (Eastenders)
                                                                                                    • 9-11: Doctor Abby Lockhart (ER)
                                                                                                    • 12-15: Doctor Miranda Bailey (Grey's Anatomy)
                                                                                                    • 16-19: Doctor Gregory House (House)
                                                                                                    • 20-23: Doctor Zachary Smith (Lost in Space)
                                                                                                    • 24: Nurse Jackie (Nurse Jackie)

                                                                                                    Thanks for taking part. We hope you had fun and have a happy 2015.

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                    Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter.

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                                                                                                    Victoria Derbyshire debate so far

                                                                                                    Some of the big issues from this morning’s Victoria Derbyshire debate on BBC 2: Jobs The Coalition’s record on jobs enters the spotlight again. Business Minister Matthew Hancock claimed the government has created a record number of jobs. Yes, although the employment rate – also at or near record levels – is a more useful […]

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                                                                                                    Is two thirds of UK law made by the EU?

                                                                                                    The post Is two thirds of UK law made by the EU? appeared first on Full Fact.

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                                                                                                    Fact Check: Are young people being priced out of living where they grow up?

                                                                                                    The claim “In many parts of our country it has become normal for young people to leave, though not out of choice. This might be to find work, but more and more, it is to find a home that they can afford.” Greg Clark, Communities Secretary, 2 July 2015 The background Are young people being forced to move away from where they grew up, thanks to lack of affordable housing? That was the claim from Greg Clark today, who told a Local Government Association conference that the “defining test” for current politicians was ending the housing crisis. He said: “For centuries, to be exiled – to be sent away – was considered to be an extreme penalty, reserved for the most serious of offences against the community. “If we want to maintain the chain of community – and a place for the next generation – then we must make sure we have the homes to welcome them to. The responsibility lies with us – national and local leaders alike.” Are young people really being increasingly “exiled” from where they grew up? The analysis We asked the Department for Communities and Local Government for evidence to back up this worrying claim, […] READ MORE

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                                                                                                    Inquiry into the non-publication of government research

                                                                                                    Sense About Science is starting an inquiry into the delayed publication and suppression of government research. READ MORE

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                                                                                                    £21 billion saved? Welfare spending over the last parliament

                                                                                                    George Osborne says the government legislated for £21 billion in welfare savings over the last parliament. What actually happened to spending?

                                                                                                    The post £21 billion saved? Welfare spending over the last parliament appeared first on Full Fact.

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                                                                                                    Prisoners absconding: an open and shut case?

                                                                                                    This week's Prime Minister's Questions heard many claims about prisoners on the run. We establish the facts.

                                                                                                    The post Prisoners absconding: an open and shut case? appeared first on Full Fact.

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                                                                                                    Why is net debt falling as a share of GDP?

                                                                                                    The government are now on-course to meet their original debt target, with net debt as a share of GDP falling in 2015-16. What's changed since December?

                                                                                                    The post Why is net debt falling as a share of GDP? appeared first on Full Fact.

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