Today's leading stories include reports on population growth and police bail.
Population growth
The population of the UK is projected to increase to just under 70 million within the next nine years, with 80 per cent of the growth driven by immigration, the Times splash, Mail, Sun, Mirror and the Today programme report.
Coverage adds that migrants arriving and having children will be responsible for 79 per cent of the increase, with the remaining growth down to more births than deaths.
The Mail adds that without immigration, the number of people in the country would fall in the next 25 years.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
We are committed to controlled and sustainable migration.
Leaving the EU means we will have full control over who can come to the UK, which means ending free movement and replacing it with a system where we decide who comes here based on what they have to offer, not where they come from.
A new points-based immigration system will be introduced in 2021.
Police bail
The Telegraph reports that according to Sir Ian Blair, a former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, “an urgent shake-up of police bail is required”.
The article notes that critics said this would lead to victims and the public being put in danger, with forces reportedly releasing suspects on bail at a much lesser rate and Sir Ian Blair is quoted as saying that "without formal bail, conditions on suspects such as not contacting the alleged victim, cannot be enforced".
A Home Office statement is carried.
Home Office spokesperson said:
Pre-charge bail remains available to the police, including where there is a need to protect witnesses and victim, and we continue to work with the police to ensure pre-charge bail conditions are being imposed where appropriate.
The police also retain the ability to extend pre-charge bail as investigations continue as long as they believe conditions are still necessary and investigations are being conducted expeditiously.
The Government is listening to the concerns that have been raised about pre-charge bail to understand the underlying issues and consider what further actions should be taken.