The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 1

IQQQ Le Pen's dangerous charm Why the Italians love furs End of Ireland's soap opera Arts, people, business page 21 Crispin Aubrey: the great gas power station boom Paul Rogers: how can nuclear arms be made safe? page 27 What is depression and how can it be fought? page 29 Saving the peat moors page 7 JFK: Stone hits back page 34 40p Friday January 31 19S2 Published in London and Manchester NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR g)sEI(ls wifltiSDDir gioa Michael WhJte in New York Patrick Wintour and David Fairhall tub. yaxstH-MmoR chatlihe SHOULD Pilli-ltJA BOBOKTWO Prime Minister's phrase sheathing the ideological cutlasses rocal However, MoD nOHN MAJOR last night told President I Bush that the Bnt- I I ish Government has fvJ abandoned its long standing reservations about economic reforms in the post Soviet republics and will be campaigning for extensive Western aid for Boris Yeltsin as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister's talks in London with President Yeltsin yesterday, before both men flew separately to New York for today's special United Nations session, finally eradicated British doubts about the Russian leader's political grip and fears of a military coup. Mr Major, who went straight to dinner with Mr Bush on arrival, now believes Mr Yeltsin is "a man in a The Treasury-led switch from the cautious approach still dominant in Washington and Tokyo was signalled when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Norman Lamont, tried and failed to get G-7 backing for a rouble stabilisation fund last weekend. Yesterday's talks will lead to more intense British efforts to get the Russians into the IMF by March or April.

"It's actually happening. He's taking brave and risky We are now perhaps foremost in saying the sooner they get into the IMF the better," said a senior official on Mr Major's plane. Great significance was being placed on yesterday's assurances from Russian defence chiefs that there would be no more attempted coups. During the London meeting, President Yeltsin made a symbolic commitment to redirect his nuclear weapons away from British cities, despite a refusal from John Major to stop the expansion of the British nuclear deterrent. After four hours of talks in Downing Street, crowned by vows of mutual friendship made on the steps of Number 10, Mr Yeltsin said: "In the past the United States, United Kingdom and Europe in general were regarded as our potential enemy.

That doctrine has to be changed, and the missiles retargeted." Mr Major said the ideological News in brief Haughey to retire Charles Haughey announced his retirement as Ireland's prime minister yesterday. Page 20 Red Cross row France's Red Cross president and three government advisers have resigned after Palestinian terrorist George Habash was admitted to France for treatment forastroke.Page9 Breast is brighter Breast fed babies may become more intelligent children than bottle-fed ones. Page 4 Kidnapper escapes A man who kidnapped a woman estate agent for eight days escaped with 175,000. Page 3 Companies cleared Three companies have been cleared of conspiring to defraud the stock market over Blue Arrow; five individual defendants remain. Page 12 PHOTOGRAPH! FRANK MARTIN States on February 14 to discuss the allocation of Soviet forces as between strategic forces, centrally controlled units and the national forces.

He also apparently confirmed that Kazakhstan's tactical nuclear weapons have already been moved to Russia and that they should all have been collected there by July 1. outside Number 10 after in the also agreed a secure "chat-line" between their offices. The Prime Minister was invited by Mr Yeltsin to Moscow in the second half of this year. British sources claimed President Yeltsin had been persuaded by the MoD argument that Trident's capability would remain 10 to 15 times smaller than the likely superpower stockpiles, even after they have been slashed in 10 years. He said: "The number of nuclear weapons at the disposal of the UK is not comparable with ours and therefore the matter is uranium into fuel for light water power reactors.

The MoD has also agreed to second a small number of officials to the newly created Russian defence ministry. The British wanted to know whether Marshal Shaposhnikov could deliver on promises made by the various former republics about dismantling their redundant nuclear arsenals and preventing surplus weapons getting into the wrong hands. The marshal told Mr King he would be meeting leaders of the new Commonwealth of Independent officials pointed out that weapons could be re-aimed relatively simply. Mr King also played down the modernisation of the British deterrent, saying that only one of the four Trident submarines would be operational. The British decommissioning team going to Moscow will consist of military experts in nuclear weapons safety and accident control, plus officials from British Nuclear Fuels to advise Russians on the conversion of weapons grade plutonium and Wheels of fortune, page Cuts too fast, page Major praised, page 12; Leader comment, page 18; Fallout or farewell to arms? page 19 Police suspected 'nolt improving' THE OPEN BUSINESS SCHOOL Certificate Diploma Russian nuclear missiles no longer to be aimed at Britain.

A joint declaration, called Partnership in the Nineties, stressing that Britain and Russia were "opening a new page in their relations" and leaving behind the cold war. An agreement to work together "for the reduction of forces and Britain and Russia to examine potential for cooperation "in destruction and safe disposal of surplus weapons in Britain to make available 280 million in medium-term export credit cover and investment insurance to Russia and the other republics. Telephone hotline to link Mr Major's with Mr Yeltsin's office for discus sions on growing number of shared interests. Establishment of new consulates in Edinburgh and St Petersburg. MBA -Postcode 891BB .1,., AM 0 The unr Government.

Kenneth Clarke, the Education Secretary, was uncharacteristically silent last night about its findings. Terry Melia, the acting chief inspector, said: "Much of what is going on is at least satisfactory. The positive aspects of the provision demonstrate what is possible within existing resources. The education service is like a big ship: it takes a lot to turn round." Jack Straw, the Labour education spokesman, said: "It confirms that 13 years after the Conservatives promised higher standards, 30 per cent of primary children and 27 per cent of secondary are still getting a raw deal." Matthew Taylor, the Liberal Democrats' education spokesman, said the report showed the majority of schools were doing an excellent job. Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "It is a great pity they did not stress the in John Major and Bods Yeltsin cutlasses had been sheathed, and he promised Trident "threatened no The main elements of the package agreed yesterday in clude a formal Treaty of Friendship to be signed later this year, release of 280 million export credit guarantees tor investment in Russia, the dispatch of defence ministry experts to help decommission Russian nu clear weapons, and a British commitment to press the Group of Seven leading industrial nations to establish a rouble stabilisation fund.

The two men Schools Stephen Bates Education Editor Mi EARLY a third of lessons in schools are still unsatisfactory. Her Maj esty inspectors said yesterday in their annual report on the state of the education service. The inspectorate, which is due for dismemberment by the Government, repeated criticisms in previous reports that many pupils, particularly from the ethnic minorities and in inner-cities, suffer poor teaching. It praised teachers' efforts in coping with ministers' changes, but says only 70 per cent of lessons could be classed as satisfactory and 30 per cent good. The report was immediately seized upon by Labour as proof of the Government's failure to improve standards.

The report is the fourth to be published and is notably more muted than its predecessors, being less overtly critical of the What the doctors David Brindle HOW DOES the thrusting hospital maximise its income in the market-style National Health Service? Simple: it gets patients to give far-off addresses, sends them to the wrong wards and discharges them before they are fit. These and other tricks of the trade are disclosed in the latest issue of The Health Service Journal by a health authority director of purchasing, whose job is to scrutinise and settle hospitals' bills. The anonymous director has sworn all the ruses have been used in the first year of the health market. First, and most important, is to try to stop the patient giving a local address. Stu not really worth any discussion." After parallel Downing Street economic talks between Mr Lamont and the Russian finance minister, Yegor Gaidar, the Chancellor said membership of the IMF would unlock the door to progress for the republics.

The Defence Secretary, Tom King, after talks with Marshal Shaposhnikov (described as commander-in-chief of the joint armed forces), said the Russian promise not to aim missiles at Britain was "a welcome recip worth crease in class sizes and the impact this has on education." The report says the education service is in transition but it cannot point to improved standards in primary or secondary schools. Teachers have coped conscientiously and effectively with government changes but need to acknowledge "beneficial effects" from them. The report reserves its strongest criticisms for inner-city schools and particularly their effect on ethnic minority pupils. The report says many primary teachers are being stretched to the limits of their expertise to deliver all nine national curriculum subjects to pupils in the oldest classes. It is critical too of primary teacher training, though not because of trendy teaching, but for having to squeeze in too much about the national curriculum.

Inspectors' caution, page Parliament, page Leader comment, page 18 admission shortly afterwards. "You can then charge for two admissions at average speciality costs which were, of course, based on the length of a normal admission. This will double the value of the patient at a fraction of the cost." Above all, cherish the out-of-area patient slightly injured or shaken up in a road accident. Ensure they are admitted to a comfortable bed and friendly nursing staff, even if only until a few minutes after midnight. Then ring the cash till for the cost of an overnight stay.

Such patients are said to be suffering a condition only just discovered in the health service: "post-traumatic financial stress Extra cash saves words, page 4 FOR 25,000 MANAGERS IT'S THE SIGN OF A BETTER CAREER More than 25,000 managers have used the Open Business School courses to develop their careers, without taking time off work. Over 4,000 leading companies make use of our courses. We can offer you a choice of short, one-off courses covering specific topics, or a programme of courses leading to three levels of recognised business qualification Certificate, Diploma, and MBA. Our courses are based upon the open learning approach pioneered by the Open University and now backed by over 20 years' proven experience. Ci- have a nationwide network of over 700 tutors, offering you regular support, tutorials and guidance to help you complete your course successfully.

To find out how we can improve your career prospects, return the coupon or call the 24-hour OBS Hotline. dealing given protection to drug dealers who were working on their behalf; charged drug users with possessing smaller amounts of drugs than they were arrested with; offered drugs as a reward to potential witnesses in a murder inquiry; planted drugs in the car of a man and fabricated evidence in an unsuccessful attempt to convict him. The allegations come at the same time as concern has been expressed about other police stations in the area, where officers have been accused of violence and fabrication of evidence. The claims also come when the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police has been making strenuous efforts through Scotland Yard's Plus programme to gain the respect and cooperation of the community. Amongst the officers moved are those who are the subject of civil proceedings for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment and others who face investigation by the Police Complaints Authority.

The investigation is being carried out by Scotland Yard's anti-corruption branch, which is based at Tintagel House on the Albert Embankment. The Met has faced a number of inquiries over the years into individual squads, including the obscene publications squad, the drugs squad and the robbery squad. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "As a result of an internal investigation following allegations made by people convicted for drug dealing offences, eight officers from the CID at Stoke Newington are to be transferred today to ether stations until an inquiry has been com pleted. None of the officers has been suspended. Details, page 2 of drugs Duncan Campbell Crime Correspondent EIGHT Metropolitan police officers based at a north London police station have been moved to new duties following allegations of police involvement in planting and dealing in drugs.

A further officer from the same station, now suspended on other matters and facing charges, has been investigated over allegations that he had been making as much as 2,000 a week from drugs. A senior member of Scotland Yard's anti-corruption squad has told a magistrate's court during this officer's bail application that he faced serious drugs inquiries. Further allegations involving other officers attached to this station, apart from these nine, suggest that there has been fabrication of evidence and planting of drugs. There has been an anti-corruption investigation, named Operation Jackpot and led by Detective Superintendent Ian Russell, into Stoke Newington police station, north London, since last year. It coincides with allegations by a woman drugs dealer based in the "front line" area of Sandringham Road that police officers were supplying her with drugs which they had taken off drug users and dealers in the area.

The woman is due to stand trial later this year. Another woman, now serving a sentence for drugs offences, has also told police investigators that she had drugs planted on her by police officers. A shake-up of the station is now underway. According to allegations made to the Guardian, officers have: offered immunity from prosecution to drug dealers in exchange for money; ordered for a healthy bank balance Inside Arte, Rwie ws 34 Environment Guardian 27 Financial News 12-14 HoaltN Ouardlan 29 Homo Haws 2-4, 6, 7 International News 9-11 Lettera 18 Obituary 36 ParHtnwtrt 8 Science 28 Sport Nww 15-17 Weattrar 35 Customer Service Centre, The Open Business School, PO Box 62S, Milton Keynes, MK1 1TY. Please send me the Open Business School I I Prospectus (CDM93) I MrMrsMissMs dents, temporary workers, members of the armed forces and others should be inveigled into giving their "permanent" address, likely to be in another health district which has no contract with the hospital and can therefore be billed for extra cash.

A patient taken to the wrong department and left, even if only for a few minutes, can enable the wily hospital to send two bills. "Some provider units have submitted such claims for admissions lasting less than a minute, but that is not considered good practice, and a period of 15 minutes is the minimum likely to be acceptable." If possible, the director suggests, try to discharge the patient before treatment is ended: most patients will readily co-operate with a re- Position Organisation. Address Telephone i ouvc uitic uy iiiuuiii me vai i limine i 0908 653473655182 (24ioiirs) 307057 770261.