News In Brief

Former Board of Trade president and Scottish Secretary Ian Lang, who lost his seat at the general election, has told his local Tory party he does not intend to stand for Parliament again. But officials said he was not bowing out of active politics. Mr Lang, who is 57, was for 18 years MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale and its predecessor constituency, until he lost his seat to the Scottish National Party on May 1. He was one of the most senior figures to lose their scalps in the election wipe-out in Scotland, where the Tories lost all 10 of their seats.

The Government is considering making the Sussex Downs a national park. Junior Environment Minister Angela Eagle hinted in the House of Commons that the area, which stretches from Hampshire into East Sussex, could be redesignated, but said it was only one of the possibilities which had to be considered. She promised the area would continue to receive protection from a conservation board after the current Sussex Downs Conservation Board is replaced by a new body.

The US Navy is planning to name one of its new vessels after wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. US Defence Secretary Bill Cohen announced that Sir Winston's daughter Lady Soames will be a joint "sponsor" of USS Churchill. She will share that duty, which includes attending the ship's commissioning, with Mr Cohen's wife, Janet. The guided missile destroyer is expected to take to the sea in about two year's time.

The Government has accepted that some parts of the country may not get sufficient nursery places by September next year. A consultation document --circulated to local authorities -- admits that in some areas the target will pose a "significant challenge". Here, they say, ministers would want to see "significant progress". The guidance proposes placing a statutory duty on LEAs to provide places for four and, eventually, three-year-olds. Before the general election, Labour condemned the Tory vouchers plan, in part because there was no evidence that it would increase the number of nursery places.

The Government has indicated that the May Day bank holiday is here to stay. The previous government had been considering changing the holiday, traditionally associated with celebrations of trade union rights, to another part of the year: suggestions had included Trafalgar Day, which falls on October 21 or All Saints Day in November. But at Commons Question Time Consumer Affairs Minister Nigel Griffiths said the May Day holiday was valued by many sections of the community, and business was against a change. Mr Griffiths joked that there might be a more recent reason to remember May 1st: "A change of name has been suggested to me for May Day - to Landslide Day, to Victory Day, even to Demolition Day! But, since we have got no wish to be triumphalist, I think we'll keep it at May Day."

Britain has decided to remain a member of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation -- reversing the previous Tory government's notice of withdrawal. International Development Secretary Clare Short said UNIDO had undergone a "comprehensive and impressive" reform programme, involving substantial staff cuts, new management arrangements and a refocusing of its priorities. "The British Government wants to work constructively within UNIDO and with all our partners to promote the process of internal change," she said.