Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has said it is "crass" to suggest ScotRail boss Phil Verster left his job due to a row over a discount scheme.

Mr Verster took a new job two days after telling MSPs that funding had not yet been agreed for a planned "free week" for rail passengers.
Lib Dem Mike Rumbles said there was "obviously a disagreement" over funds.
But Mr Yousaf said it was "absolutely unfair" and "crass" to suggest Mr Verster had left over the issue.
He denied there had been a disagreement over who would pay for the £3m passenger discount scheme, insisting funding was "absolutely in place".
The transport minister also announced further details about the scheme, which will offer free travel to regular passengers at some point in the summer.
Mr Verster appeared before the rural economy committee earlier in the month, shortly before it emerged he was moving to a new job managing a rail project linking Oxford and Cambridge.
At that stage, Mr Verster told MSPs he "couldn't vouch for whether the scheme goes ahead or not", saying he would "prefer not to commit to a position yet".
He said talks were ongoing about how to fund the scheme, with the Scottish government suggesting the use of £1.8m from the Service Quality Incentive Regime (Squire) railway improvement fund, which he said was controlled by Abellio ScotRail alliance and built up through fines and penalties imposed for delays and other infractions.
Mr Yousaf was also meant to appear that morning, but was unable to do so due to ill health - although he was at Holyrood to take part in a vote later that same day.
In the rearranged session, he told MSPs that Mr Verster had been "speaking from memory" and probably did not have "a photographic memory of the contract in his head".
Mr Rumbles said Mr Verster had been "quite clear" about the funding position.
The Lib Dem MSP said: "He said the contractual position is that the decision about where to invest the Squire fund rests with Abellio ScotRail, not with the Scottish government. And this £1,8m he said he had 'not agreed to', and then 48 hours later he resigns.
"And now you're coming to the committee to say 'we have the funding already in place'. This is a serious point."
Mr Yousaf replied: "The insinuation is an absolutely incorrect one. It's absolutely unfair to make a suggestion that after Phil Verster's coming to committee, that somehow he resigned because of that. That's the insinuation you were making - an absolutely incorrect one, an absolutely false one to have made, and frankly a crass one.
"When it comes to spending Squire money, generally ScotRail will come with propositions but it will be a discussion with Transport Scotland and Scottish ministers, and they will come to an agreement on where to spend that money."
Mr Rumbles said there was "obviously a disagreement", given the opposing positions Mr Verster and Mr Yousaf had set out to members.
Mr Yousaf said: "There's not a disagreement. If you read Phil's remarks he said he was working from memory. I don't imagine Phil has a photographic memory of the contract in his head - he was working from memory."
Mr Rumbles said: "So he was obviously wrong when he said it was his decision and not yours?"
The minister said he would be happy to write to the committee with details of the contractual position.
During the session, Mr Yousaf announced further details of the "free week" scheme, which is intended to thank passenger for their patience after a series of disruptions to services.
The plans are that:
The government said a "further offer for leisure passengers" was "in the pipeline for later in the year".
Details of how the process will work and how people can claim their free week will be announced in due course.
Cathy Craig, commercial director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: "We are pleased to be contributing £1.8m of Squire funds for this significant benefit for passengers.
"This is a sincere token of our appreciation for their patience and understanding as we progress one of the biggest infrastructure improvements for Scotland's Railway since Victorian times.
"We are now putting the finishing touches to the process that will enable our customers to claim their free rail travel quickly and easily."


US President Barack Obama has called on African governments to give gay people equal rights by decriminalising homosexual acts.

Mr Obama made the comments in Senegal after meeting President Macky Sall on the first leg of his African tour.
Mr Sall said Senegal was a "very tolerant" country but it was "not ready to decriminalise homosexuality".
Homosexual acts are still a crime in 38 African countries, where most people hold conservative religious views.
In 2011, the US and UK hinted that they could withdraw aid from countries which did not respect gay rights.
Mr Obama said at a news conference that the issue did not come up in his discussions with Mr Sall.
Nevertheless, he believed that while different customs and religions should be respected, the law should treat everybody equally, he said.
By Thomas FessyBBC News, Dakar
While President Barack Obama's comments on gay rights may grab the headlines in the Western media, his Senegalese counterpart's response - "Senegal is not yet ready to decriminalise homosexuality" - may just be what many Senegalese wanted to hear.
As laws legalising gay marriage were being contested in the US and France recently, rumours spread in the West African country that President Macky Sall wanted to do the same. They sparked heated discussion in the local media which forced Mr Sall's administration to clarify its position that it would not legalise same-sex unions.
Many Senegalese are of the opinion that if Mr Obama came to "change" their mentality, he has had a wasted journey. Although Senegal is not one of Africa's aggressively homophobic nations, there have been cases of violent attacks against gay men and lesbians.
The fact that Mr Obama chose to visit Senegal will be what most Senegalese are likely to focus on - and the hope that this will attract more development money and investors.
Mr Obama welcomed the US Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday to strike down a law that denied the recognition of same-sex marriages.
The ruling was a "victory for American democracy and a proud day for equal rights", he said
Mr Sall said Senegal was still not ready to change its laws, but that "does not mean we are homophobic''.
This is Mr Obama's third visit to Africa since he became president in 2008.
He is also due to travel to South Africa and Tanzania.
Africa had made "amazing" strides in achieving democracy, Mr Obama said.
Senegal, a mainly Muslim country which has never experienced a coup, was one of America's "strongest partners" on the continent, he added.
"It's moving in the right direction with reforms to deepen democratic institutions, and as more Africans across this continent stand up and demand governments that are accountable and serve the people, I believe Senegal can be a great example," Mr Obama said.
Goree: Senegal's slave island
Mr Obama, along with his wife Michelle and children, was due to travel by ferry to Senegal's Goree Island, a memorial to Africans who were caught up in the Atlantic slave trade.
"A visit like this by an American president, any American president, is powerful," said White House spokesman Jay Carney ahead of the trip.
"I think that will be the case when President Obama visits and I'm sure  particularly so, given that he is African American."
On Sunday, Mr Obama is expected to visit Robben Island, where South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela was jailed for 18 of the 27 years he spent in prison, on the second leg of his African tour.
However, it is unclear whether the visit will take place because of Mr Mandela's deteriorating health, correspondents say.
Mr Obama is due to end his African tour with a visit to Tanzania, where he will pay his respects at a memorial outside the US embassy in the main city, Dar es Salaam, in honour of 11 people killed in a bombing by al-Qaeda in 1998.
He has excluded from his itinerary Kenya, where his father was born, and Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer which has been hit by an Islamist insurgency.
US officials reportedly said the indictment of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the International Criminal Court on charges of fuelling violence after the 2007 election, which he denies, made it politically impossible for Mr Obama to visit the country.


The US Congress has launched an inquiry after a video claimed to show a Planned Parenthood doctor discussing the sale of foetal body parts.

Planned Parenthood said the claims by an anti-abortion group are false and the foetal tissue is not sold for profit, but donated for research.
It is illegal to sell the body parts of aborted foetuses in the US.
House Speaker John Boehner urged the White House "to denounce, and stop, these gruesome practices".
"When an organisation monetises an unborn child - and with the cavalier attitude portrayed in this horrific video - we must all act,'' Mr Boehner said.
The group that filmed the video, the Center for Medical Progress, claimed in a statement that Planned Parenthood was selling body parts of aborted foetuses.
"Partial-birth" or late-term abortions - where foetuses are removed intact - are prohibited in most cases in the US. Medically they are known as intact dilation and extraction procedures.
Planned Parenthood called those claims "outrageous" and "flat-out untrue" and said the costs discussed in the video were to cover expenses.
"At several of our health centres, we help patients who want to donate tissue for scientific research, and we do this just like every other high-quality healthcare provider does," said Eric Ferrero, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood.
They say all donations are done in accordance with US laws regarding tissue donation and all patients who provide tissue do so voluntarily.
In the hidden camera video, Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's senior director of medical research, discusses providing foetal tissue.
She tells the filmmakers - who posed as employees of a biotech firm - that abortion doctors can adjust their methods to leave organs intact.
"We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part, I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact," Ms Nucatola said in the video.
The governors of Texas and Louisiana have also launched investigations into Planned Parenthood.
Several Republican candidates for president - including former Florida Governor Jed Bush and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina - also condemned the organisation.
"This isn't about 'choice.' It's about profiting on the death of the unborn while telling women it's about empowerment," Ms Fiorina wrote on Facebook.


Kilmarnock manager Lee McCulloch has strengthened his defensive options by signing Scotland international Gordon Greer.

The 36-year-old returns to Rugby Park for a second spell, having left the club in July 2007 to move to England.
Greer spent last season at Blackburn Rovers, making 25 appearances as the club was relegated to League One.
Killie captain Stevie Smith said: "Gordon is a really nice guy, but he obviously has really high standards."
He becomes Kilmarnock's 10th signing of the summer and Smith is pleased with the changes.
"The signings we made have brought a bit experience into the team, which was needed," said the 31-year-old full-back.
"I don't think the balance of the squad has been right for a few years.
"The manager has tried to address that by signing the likes of Kirk Broadfoot, Gordon Greer, Chris Burke and even Lee Erwin has played in the division as well."
Greer's first period at Rugby Park came in 2004 and he left for Doncaster Rovers three years later.
A loan spell, and then a permanent move, to Swindon Town followed before Greer joined Brighton & Hove Albion, where he was appointed club captain.
His season was ended by injury in February and he was released at the end of the season, but Smith has been impressed by the veteran's professionalism.
"You can tell by the way he has looked after himself," he said. "He does everything properly off the pitch.
"The new players have all played at a really good level, some of them at international level, so you don't have to worry about their standards.
"There still is a lot of young players at Kilmarnock, which is great. Everyone wants to see that.
"But having guys who have played at a really high level about the club and the standards they set personally helps everyone."
Smith thinks the arrival of Greer, fellow defender Broadfoot and winger Burke would help reduce the burden of being captain.
"It is good to have them because we had me, Kris Boyd and Jamie McDonald recently who were the experienced guys," he added.
"But this might take a bit of pressure off us because there isn't just one or two people saying, 'This is what you need to do off the field, you need to prepare right' - there are seven or eight saying it, so it is good for us to have them."
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On 23 September 1952, vice presidential candidate Richard Nixon gave a speech laying out "everything I have earned, everything I have spent and everything I own".

He concluded by challenging the Democratic candidate for president, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, to do the same. Governor Stevenson took the challenge one step further, releasing his personal tax returns - the clearest account of an individual's income for the year.
The move was not reciprocated by Nixon or his running mate for president, Dwight Eisenhower.
Two decades later though, at the height of the Watergate scandal and under audit by the US tax authority - the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - then-President Nixon made his tax returns public in hopes of clearing the air.
The move did not work, but it set a precedent for making tax filings public.
"It's proof you have nothing to hide," says Joe Thorndike, a tax historian at Tax Analyst.
Donald Trump says he needs no such proof.
Claiming to face his own audit the presumptive Republican nominee has refused to release his tax returns, even as public pressure mounts for him to do so.
Every US presidential candidate since 1976 has released their tax returns, but there is no law requiring it.
Mr Trump's refusal to release them has led to mounting speculation about what he could possibly be hiding.
"Tax returns are sort of black and white and you sign your name to say this is accurate. It's not open to interpretation," says Mr Thorndike.
The first thing the public would find is what tax rate Mr Trump pays. The candidate has bragged about paying a very low tax rate and taking advantage of the complex US tax code with its many loopholes.
"Mr Trump is proud to pay a lower tax rate, the lowest tax rate possible," one of his top aides has said.
An investigation by the Telegraph newspaper found Mr Trump was involved with a deal to evade $20m (Â£13.5m) in US taxes.
It's possible his returns may hold similar bombshells, but Mr Trump's admission that he does his best to avoid taxes will likely make these less explosive.
One line of thinking has it that the returns would give a better sense of how much Mr Trump is worth. The New York billionaire has given several different figures for his net worth, which have all been higher than estimates by financial experts and publications like Forbes magazine.
But discovering whether Mr Trump is inflating his net worth may not be as easy as some hope from his tax returns.
Tax forms focus on income for the year, not total worth.
It may be possible to tell how much income Donald Trump made in a given year, but the complex way his companies earn money will still make this difficult. US real estate professionals can take tax losses based on the depreciation and other expenses for their buildings. This could allow Mr Trump to report having less income and therefore place him in a lower tax bracket.
While we may not get an exact number for Mr Trump's wealth, it is likely the returns would give a more detailed picture of his businesses.
The forms would show how much profit and loss the companies he owns distributed to him in a year. It would not give a full account of the worth of those businesses because not all profit is distributed to the owners - some is put back in to grow the business - but it would give a sense of the activity.
One thing a tax return would definitely show is how much Mr Trump gives to charity.
Mr Trump claims to give millions to charitable causes and organisations; if true, his tax form would prove that. Americans are allowed to deduct charitable donations of over $250 (Â£170) from their tax bill. If the real estate mogul donated as much as he claimed, it should appear on his tax deductions form.
Mr Trump has said he will release the returns after the audit, but doing so before would hurt his interaction with the IRS.
A person is not prohibited from releasing their tax returns during an audit - President Nixon was facing an audit when he released his - but many tax professionals do advise against it.
"Everyone is going to look at them and find something suspicious. If the statute of limitations is open the IRS might feel pressured to do an audit," says Robert Kovacev, from the law firm Steptoe.
The IRS has three years in most cases to decide whether to audit a person. Mr Trump claims to have faced audits on a continuing basis for nearly a decade.
But others argue Mr Trump would have to be particularly unlucky or bad at filing his taxes to come under the IRS's microscope so often.
The IRS uses a computer program which scores tax filings. If there are a number of unusual signals on a particular form, it is then evaluated by a human who decides whether to do an audit.
Individuals who are audited are also typically given a pass in the following year if the same issues are flagged by the computer, because IRS officials have already looked into them.
As audits can take months, and even years, Mr Trump's tax returns may not be made public until after the election - if at all.
The bombastic candidate has bucked most political precedents until now, and it's possible releasing his tax returns could be yet another.


A man has appeared in court over the death of another man who was found unconscious behind a nightclub.

Graham Thurston, 54, was discovered in the early hours of 6 August lying behind Powerhouse nightclub in Westmoreland Road in Newcastle.
Mr Thurston, of Chirton West View in North Shields, died later in hospital.
Scott Thompson, 33, of Medway Crescent in Gateshead, appeared at South East Northumberland Magistrates Court charged with manslaughter.
No pleas were entered and he was remanded in custody to appear at Newcastle Crown Court on 6 September.


Plymouth's League Two automatic promotion hopes were dealt a massive blow as they lost to relegated Dagenham & Redbridge.

Fifth-placed Argyle have drifted three points away from the top three after going 3-0 down by half-time.
A Matty Cash strike from 25 yards in between Clevid Dikamona and Christian Doidge headers had the Daggers flying.
Plymouth replied as Peter Hartley headed in and Graham Carey curled home, but it proved too late.


It is a picture that for many came to symbolise the devastation of the attack in Nice: a doll lying on the street next to a covered body.

At least 10 children and teenagers were among those killed by a driver who slammed a lorry through a crowd gathered on the Promenade des Anglais, in the southern French city.
Bastille Day is a national holiday in France, marking the start of the French Revolution, and it is when families gather to watch big fireworks displays.
The identity of the victim in the picture is not known, but the image, taken by Reuters photographer Eric Gaillard, has been widely shared on social media.
Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, one of the many foreign leaders to express solidarity, said: "We are used to seeing postcards from Nice full of beauty, not images of death with a doll near a destroyed stroller. Reacting is a moral duty."
Some 30,000 people were thought to have been attending the celebrations along the promenade, a seafront boulevard lined with palm trees and wide walking areas.
This illustration by Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff, based on the picture, has also been shared hundreds of times on Twitter.
Some have likened the image to that of Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy who died on a Turkish beach, face down in the sand. It became a symbol of the refugee crisis, last year.
Unlike other recent attacks, many of the victims in Nice are children and teenagers. A local hospital said dozens of them have been treated.
Other pictures have also shown broken toys, slippers and objects that were left behind.
"As the lorry passed by me a young boy of 10 or so just managed to leap to one side and escape by inches.
"Tragically dozens of those on foot, young and old alike, were not so lucky," Simon Coates, a solicitor from Leeds told the BBC.
"Virtually everyone I saw on the promenade was either dead or beyond real help with truly terrible injuries."
France's government has offered psychological counselling to the young and their relatives, and some of them have shared their experiences.
A journalist from the French newspaper Le Monde told the story of eight-year-old Aya, who returned to the beach front to wait for a missing friend after the attack.
Their two families were to meet in the evening for the fireworks, she says, but the friend did not come.
So Aya came back to their meeting point in the daytime, hoping to see her friend again, the journalist added. But her friend did not arrive.


Great Britain's three-person team have won world championship team shooting gold in the trap event.

The total scores of Abbey Ling, Kirsty Barr and Charlotte Kerwood took them onto 203, two points clear of second-placed Finland, with Russia in third.
None of the trio managed to secure individual medals.
"To be stood on top of the podium and hear the national anthem playing is the best feeling in the world," said Kerwood.
After securing 69 out of 75 in the opening rounds, Kerwood and Barr did make a six athlete shoot-off to decide which one shooter would proceed to the semi-finals but neither were successful.
Spain's Fatima Galvez eventually came out on top.


The NHS trust running the world renowned Addenbrooke's and Rosie hospitals in Cambridge has been put into special measures after inspectors found it to be failing patients.

But is that the view of the people who use the hospitals' services? These people got in touch with the BBC to air their opinions.
Sue Munro said: "Addenbrooke's have cared for me all my life in a timely and efficient (and considerate) way. Without them I wouldn't be alive. They're great!"
David Harding said: "Are we really surprised, for years it's had problems and worked hard at covering them up, but patients and visitors saw the truth. Now it's in the open maybe something will be done to correct the problems."
Sonya Louise-Bubbles Pledger said: "I cannot say nothing but praise - the staff do a wonderful job considering their low wages cut backs and more population."
Read more at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on Facebook.
Paul Bernal said: "I was one of the victims - an appointment delayed three months because of computer problems."
Eric and Ern Col said: "My mother came out on Sunday. Hip replacement. Treatment and care was SECOND TO NONE! Brilliant staff!"
Sharon Goddard said: "Me too 'outstanding' care received so why in Special measures? Daft."
Read more at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on Twitter.
Phil said: "Addenbrooke's has become too big and too arrogant. The lower end staff do a great job but certain consultants walk around as though they are untouchable and unanswerable."
Carole said: "I am not surprised that Addenbrooke's hospital has gone into special measures. When my late husband, who had motor neurone disease, was in there for a week it was appalling. I worked in the NHS myself for 14 years and I am horrified by how low care has sunk."
Sue said: "Addenbrooke's may be a little slow with outpatients and yes it can be annoying, perhaps we should look at a bigger picture here, they do a BRILLIANT JOB and waiting a while tells me they have time to spend with each person, to me this feels good".


Electronics firm Jabil has announced plans to close down its manufacturing operations in Livingston, with the loss of about 260 jobs.

The US-owned company said it expected to end manufacturing by the end of this year following a "phased run down".
Nearly 100 "support-based employees" will continue to work at the base.
Jabil said a strategic review had concluded there was "unsustainable" demand to support manufacturing at the West Lothian site.
It has launched a formal consultation process with employees.
Jabil said its plant in Ayr would not be "impacted" by the move.
The news comes less than two years after Jabil announced it was creating more than 200 jobs with a Â£12.5m expansion of the site.
The move was supported with a Â£450,000 grant from government agency Scottish Enterprise.
The Livingston plant, which is owned by US-based manufacturing services company Jabil Circuit, builds systems for firms developing emerging technologies in sectors such as energy generation and telecommunications.
In a statement, Jabil said: "Following a detailed strategic review of the Jabil Livingston site business plan and future loading requirements, we have concluded that there is unsustainable current and future demand to support the viability of manufacturing at the site.
"After careful consideration of all possible options, we are today announcing the commencement of a formal consultation process with our employees, with the intention of a phased run down of manufacturing at the site.
"It is anticipated that manufacturing will cease by the end of calendar year 2017."
It added: "This announcement is in no way a reflection of the hard work, dedication and loyalty of our Livingston-based employees.
"We are committed to supporting them throughout the consultation process and subsequent career search."
West Lothian Council said it would do all it could to help those affected by the proposed closure.
A spokesman said: "News that the plant is to close is extremely disappointing and our immediate thoughts are with those staff affected and their families.
"We will seek to meet with the Jabil's senior management and our partners as quickly as possible to discuss all and any alternatives to safeguard these jobs."
West Lothian suffered a major jobs blow earlier this month, when pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson announced plans to close its surgical suture manufacturing plant in Livingston, threatening about 400 jobs.


Philippine legislators have called for an investigation into an alleged scam against passengers at Manila airport.

The "bullet scam" allegedly sees bullets dropped into the luggage of passengers as they go through security at the country's main airport.
Passengers are then required to pay a fine or face being charged with illegal possession of ammunition.
An overseas Filipino worker and Japanese tourist are the latest to complain.
"This is becoming an international embarrassment", said Sherwin Gatchalian, vice-chairman of the tourism committee in the House of Representatives.
Senator Ralph Recto stressed the need for intervention from authorities, adding: "There is no working system that is guarding the guards."
Gloria Ortinez - an overseas Filipino worker - was stopped from flying to Hong Kong after a bullet was found in her hand luggage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Ortinez denied the bullet was hers, saying she would never carry one because of Hong Kong's strict security laws.
Office of Transportation Security (OTS) personnel released her after several days in police detention.
Japanese tourist Kazunobu Sakamoto was found with two bullets in his luggage and arrested after failing to show documents authorising him to carry ammunition.
The reports have caused outrage, with locals criticising airport authorities. Mr Gatchalian condemned OTS staff, saying they were "not afraid to prey on foreigners".
Some of the passengers detained were released after the bullets were found to be blanks, while others were taken to court for refusing to pay fines.
Surveillance at the airport has been stepped up since the complaints began and an investigation has been launched into the personnel accused of involvement.


Workers on ScotRail are to stage a fresh wave of strikes in a long-running dispute over the increased use of trains without guards.

Members of the RMT union will walk out for 48 hours from Sunday 7 August, 24 hours on Thursday August 11 and over the weekend of 13/14 August.
The RMT is against the increased use of trains on which the driver opens and closes the doors at stations.
ScotRail has said such operations are already common on the network.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Recent rock-solid strikes on ScotRail have been supported by the travelling public who understand that the staff are fighting for the basic principles of rail safety.
"In spite of this, Abellio/Scotrail continue to ignore the strength of feeling amongst their staff and passengers over the extension of driver-only operation."
ScotRail says 59% of customers already travel on a train where the doors are safely opened and closed by the driver, and insists that the job, pay and conditions of conductors are guaranteed.
Phil Verster, managing director of Scotrail Alliance, has previously said: "This industrial action by the RMT is not about safety, it's not about a second person on a train and it's not about jobs or pay and conditions.
"It is about modernisation of the railway and preparing us for a railway that Scotland can be proud of for the next 40 or 50 years."


Pay review bodies' recommendations for public sector jobs should be respected by ministers, Michael Gove has said.

The environment secretary said that while ministers needed to reduce the deficit, they should also respect the "integrity" of the pay review process.
His comments come as the prime minister and chancellor face increasing pressure from ministers and backbenchers to end the current 1% public sector pay cap.
It follows demands within the party for an easing up of austerity.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Mr Gove said: "You've got to listen to the public sector pay review bodies.
"When they made recommendations on school teachers' pay, I think I always accepted them.
"My colleagues who deal with these pay review bodies would want to respect the integrity of that process."
Pay rises for five million public sector workers are set by independent pay review bodies, but have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013, before which there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers.
The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the cap until 2020, but some MPs are now calling for a rethink after the party lost its majority.
Some pay review bodies are expected to call for pay rises that exceed the government's cap.
The cabinet is split on the principle of scrapping the cap, but it could be dismantled bit by bit.
This month, two review bodies - dealing with the pay of police and teachers - will make recommendations.
Last year, the teachers' body said there was a case for an increase above 1%, and the police body expressed concerns about low morale in the force.
By BBC political correspondent Iain Watson
Privately, ministers believe it is perfectly possible that at least some of the pay review bodies - which also cover health service workers, prison officers and senior public servants - will call for average increases of more than 1%.
A government minister with good links to Downing Street told the BBC that review body recommendations would be honoured, even if this breaches the current pay cap.
But No 10 insists that ministers will decide whether to accept recommendations on a case-by-case basis.
So while the pay cap may not be abolished for every public sector employee all at once, it is possible that its erosion will begin soon.
Mr Gove's interview coincides with reports in some of Sunday's newspapers of a growing revolt within the Conservative Party over its approach to austerity and public spending.
The Observer says there is a "chorus of demands" from within the party for a radical overhaul of state funding, with cabinet ministers and senior MPs calling for more money for NHS workers and schools, as well as a "national debate" on tuition fees.
According to the paper, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Education Secretary Justine Greening are lobbying for an easing of austerity.
The paper says the pressure to abandon austerity puts Chancellor Philip Hammond under pressure to consider raising taxes to fund any extra public spending.
The Telegraph, meanwhile, reports that Ms Greening has told Prime Minister Theresa May she wants the government to abandon plans to cut per pupil funding over the coming years.
The paper says it is understood the education secretary wants a public statement within weeks outlining the change in direction so that schools know the funding they are to receive before they break up for the summer holidays.
According to the paper, the proposal would mean spending an extra Â£1.2bn by 2022.
The pressure to ease austerity has intensified since June's general election, with a number of backbench MPs arguing that it cost the party votes and contributed to the loss of its majority.
On Saturday thousands of people gathered in central London for a demonstration against austerity that was addressed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
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Half a million households could see a 51% increase in their energy bills this summer - if they simply allow their old fixed-price tariffs to roll over.

The warning comes from uSwitch, the price comparison and switching service.
It says the biggest increases will be for Npower customers, who could see their bills rise £399.
It adds that 50 fixed energy plans are coming to an end this summer, more than ever before.
There are 14 popular fixed-tariff deals from eight suppliers ending this month alone. The average price increase for customers whose deals end in July is £274 per year.
The biggest hikes are for those on fixed price tariffs with Npower, First Utility (£364) and EDF Energy (£360).
Fixed tariffs can protect customers against rising prices, but have cancellation charges if they wish to switch to a different supplier.
Energy regulator Ofgem says two-thirds of customers are on standard variable tariffs, which are typically higher than fixed rate tariffs and do not have cancellation charges.
Claire Osborne, from uSwitch.com said: "Switching tariff is incredibly easy and is definitely worth 10 minutes online, on the phone or on an app.
"You can switch without incurring any exit fees 42 days before the contract end date, and comparing and switching takes just minutes to do."
Ofgem said that last year saw a surge in customers changing energy suppliers, with switching reaching its highest level since 2010, at about 16% of gas and electricity customers.
Of these switches, nearly half (47%) were to small or medium suppliers.
The uSwitch site is owned by property website Zoopla. It provides a free service to consumers, but charges suppliers a fee when it switches customers to them.


Parents in England whose children are injured at birth may benefit from a new government compensation scheme.

The voluntary scheme is intended to settle complaints more quickly and allow medical staff to speak openly about maternity care failings.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there was "a blame culture" among front-line staff when things go wrong.
Sweden, where such a scheme is in use, has halved serious avoidable birth injuries in seven years, he said.
The new Rapid Resolution and Redress scheme will investigate the 500 cases of avoidable harm to babies, during birth, which happen each year in England.
Currently, families have to wait more than 11 years on average for a resolution of formal legal cases.
The NHS spent more than £500m last year on resolving legal disputes after mistakes by maternity staff.
The Health Secretary has also announced other measures designed to improve the safety of maternity care in the NHS.
These include:
The Health Secretary has set a target of halving stillbirths and neonatal deaths by 2030.
At present, for every 1,000 births in England, more than seven babies are either born dead or die soon afterwards, giving it one of the worst records of any developed country.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said NHS maternity staff "did a fantastic job under huge pressure".
"But even though we have made much progress, our stillbirth rates are still amongst the highest in Western Europe," he said. "Many on the frontline say there is still too much of a blame culture when things go wrong - often caused by fear of litigation or worry about damage to reputation and careers."
He said the measures announced would help trusts to improve their approach to safety and create "an open and transparent culture", and he wants the courts to become a last resort.
"By learning from proven methods in countries like Sweden we hope to achieve a dramatic reduction in the number of tragedies where babies are lost or injured for life," he concluded.
Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal charity, said: "We're delighted that the importance of a clear national strategy for a sustained reduction in deaths has been recognised, and resources have been committed to achieve this.
"We pay tribute to the parents across the country who, by speaking out about their personal experience of bereavement, have helped us raise awareness that much more can and should be done.
"Their voices must continue to be heard as these new measures are rolled out," she added.
James Taylor, head of policy and public affairs at the disability charity Scope, said finding out that your child has been affected by a birth injury can be very traumatic.
"It is very positive that the government will be listening to disabled people and their parents on how the NHS can better support families when serious issues do occur during birth," he said.
"We would encourage families to share their experiences and contribute to this consultation."


Former Newcastle and Ipswich defender Titus Bramble has joined ninth-tier Stowmarket Town on a one-year contract.

The 36-year-old played his last game in the Premier League for Sunderland in 2013 and has been working as an academy coach at his hometown club Ipswich.
"He came to training a couple of weeks ago, enjoyed it immensely and wanted to get involved," said boss Rick Andrews.
"From what I've seen in training, he's certainly very comfortable at this level," he told BBC Sport.
Bramble made 292 Premier League appearances over a 13-year period and appeared in the Champions League for Newcastle.
He is in line to make his debut at Felixstowe & Walton United on Saturday, and will also take on a coaching role with the Eastern Counties Premier Division side.
Stowmarket first-team coach Lee Norfolk and summer signing Scott Mitchell are also coaches at Championship club Ipswich, which is how the move came about.
"Some of my players are Titus' old school friends," added Andrews. "One sacrifice of professional football is not playing with your mates. He now has that opportunity.
"Will he play 40 games this season? Probably not. Will he play a fair chunk of games? Hopefully.
"I met him for the first time on Thursday because I'd been away, but he said he was taken aback by the quality some of the boys have here."


A hundred days ago the world woke up to the news that Britain had voted to leave the European Union.

The decision sent global financial markets into a spin and saw the pound plunge to its lowest level in more than 30 years, as investors bet that the UK economy would suffer.
The FTSE 100 share index of the UK's 100 biggest companies has since bounced back, but the pound is still down at levels last seen in the 1980s.
Now we have a deadline for when the formal Brexit talks will start - the end of March 2017 - the pound has fallen back to the lows it hit in the days after the 23 June vote.
The companies whose shares have fared best since referendum day are those which make most of their money in other currencies and are less exposed to the UK economy.
So who have the markets judged to be the biggest winners and losers so far?
In the days after the referendum result, many investors started looking at FTSE 100 companies with large businesses outside the UK.
British fashion designer Burberry, which generates about 85% of its sales abroad, was one.
Even though the company warned staff it would be stronger inside the EU, its share price has shot up 24% since 23 June, adding more than £2bn to its market value and making it one of the biggest winners on the index.
Burberry is in the "sweet spot" for UK companies, says Laith Khalaf, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Because of the pound's fall, the money Burberry makes abroad in dollars, euros and yen is worth more back in the UK, and the costs in its UK head office are relatively lower, he says.
The iconic trench coat maker could also benefit from more Asian tourists bargain-hunting in the UK after the pound's fall.
"Chinese tourists are very savvy in their understanding of global foreign exchange rates," says an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, although he adds that more visitors to Burberry's UK shops could come at the expense of sales in other regions.
Like all companies on the FTSE 100, Burberry's shares have also been affected by non-Brexit issues, including a boost from last month's London Fashion Week and poaching a new chief executive from Céline.
Banking giant HSBC was also critical of the idea of leaving the EU, but since the referendum has seen its shares surge, by around 27%.
The bank - the UK's second biggest company - earns about three quarters of its profits in Asia, according to Mr Khalaf, which could explain why investors think, as with Burberry, the weaker pound will boost its prospects.
Shares in more UK-focused banks Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland have dropped 24% and 29% respectively.
The recent shift in UK interest rates will also have played a part. Lower rates make it harder for banks to make a profit but that's less of a problem for HSBC with its large overseas interests, than it is for the domestic banks.
Ian Gordon, a banking analyst at Investec, says most of HSBC's business is outside the UK, including the US, where interest rates are forecast to rise.
Royal Bank of Scotland, in comparison, is an "almost pure UK business and 'lower for longer' interest rates is a UK phenomenon," he says.
Also working in HSBC's favour, Mr Gordon adds, is that the bank is handing back $2.5bn (£1.9bn) to shareholders this year after it sold its Brazilian business.
The biggest winners, though? Mining companies. Something of a surprise for investors after the industry's volatility in the last 12 months.
Edward Sterck, a metals and mining analyst at BMO Capital Markets, says: "This time last year mining investors were feeling pretty negative, and in January many were feeling very negative indeed.
"Sitting here today they are pretty buoyant."
Mexican gold and silver miner Fresnillo's shares have risen 46%, putting it top of the post-Brexit leaderboard. Swiss mining trader Glencore is up 39% and British miner Anglo American has also gained 39%.
The companies' large foreign earnings, as well as rising metal prices, have helped turn around their fortunes.
Gold and silver have increased 6% and 12% respectively since the referendum. Seen as "safe haven" assets, they have been boosted by uncertainty in global financial markets and rock-bottom interest rates, two issues further intensified by the Brexit vote.
At the other end of the scale, the biggest loser on the blue chip index has been budget airline Easyjet.
Its shares are still down more than 34%, leaving the Luton-based firm in danger of being relegated from the FTSE 100.
Stephen Furlong, an analyst at Davy, says its shares haven't recovered since warning shortly after the Brexit vote that the weaker pound would put off some UK holidaymakers and would make fuel - which it pays for in dollars - more expensive.
"The share price has taken a hammering and there's still a lot of uncertainty," Mr Furlong says.
Analysts at Barclays estimate that factors outside the airline's control, such as terror attacks, strikes in France and congestion at Gatwick, will cost Easyjet at least £150m this year.
Also towards the bottom of the FTSE performance table is British Airways owner IAG, which has seen its shares fall 23% on similar fears about a drop-off in UK travel abroad.
Like airlines and UK banks, housebuilders are seen as the most at risk in the FTSE 100 if the UK economy slows down or enters recession.
Shares in construction companies are down significantly since the referendum, despite lower interest rates, an ongoing housing shortage and schemes like Help to Buy bolstering the property market.
Mr Khalaf says: "The big elephant in the room is what effect Brexit will have on the economy and will it take its toll on house prices?"
Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments and Persimmon, three of the UK's biggest homebuilders, have made back some share price losses, but are still down 20%, 14% and 13% respectively.
More than 100 days on, the market seems settled in its forecasts on construction firms and which other companies will gain and lose in the post-Brexit landscape, says Mr Khalaf.
"It may or may not end up being the right call but for now it looks pretty rational," he adds.


Chris Robshaw says he will back his successor if new head coach Eddie Jones strips him of the England captaincy.

The Harlequins flanker is expected to be replaced as captain for the Six Nations, with Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley a leading contender.
Robshaw led England throughout previous head coach Stuart Lancaster's reign and in 42 of his 43 international caps.
"If Eddie decides to go to someone else I'd respect that decision and fully back the person who comes in," he said.
Robshaw, 29, met with Jones to discuss his international future on 6 December, shortly after the Australian was appointed as Lancaster's successor.
Yet Robshaw said he was still "not sure" about the England captaincy situation but would be "hugely honoured" if Jones, 55, asked him to continue.
Hartley was dropped for the recent World Cup after being banned for a head-butt and has been out of action for a number of weeks with concussion.
Former Japan coach Jones is also thought to be considering moving Robshaw to blind-side flanker rather than on the open-side, where he has won the vast majority of his caps.
"As a player you want to be part of that team and my mentality is to first and foremost make sure I'm part of that team," added Robshaw.
"That has to be the focus, to make sure I'm playing."
Robshaw added he was "hugely disappointed" by England's poor World Cup campaign where they failed to advance from the group stages after defeats by Wales and Australia.
"The World Cup didn't go according to plan, but it's still a very exciting group of players that England have," he said.
"Myself and a lot of the other guys, we had our mope and dip in confidence but now we're back and enjoying it."


Nicola Sturgeon is holding a cabinet meeting to discuss the Scottish government's response to the UK voting to leave the EU.

Thursday's referendum saw Scotland, London and Northern Ireland vote in favour of Remain - while England and Wales backed Brexit.
Ms Sturgeon said it was "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland faced being taken out of the EU against its will.
And she said a second independence referendum was "highly likely".
Scotland voted in favour of the UK staying in the EU by 62% to 38%, but the UK as a whole voted to leave by a margin of 52% to 48%.
The result saw Prime Minister David Cameron announce he would stand down by October.
Hundreds of people protested against the EU result in Glasgow and Edinburgh on Friday evening.
Ms Sturgeon said there was now a "significant divergence" between Scotland and the rest of Britain which she "deeply regretted".
She said the meeting of the Scottish cabinet on Saturday morning would "discuss our next steps in more detail".
And she said the Scottish government was to begin preparing legislation to enable another independence vote.
Ms Sturgeon has said she has "clear common cause" with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who wants London to remain in the EU despite the Brexit vote.
But she has stressed that her priority was to "act at all times in the best interests of Scotland and in a way that unites, not divides us".
It looks "highly likely", says Nicola Sturgeon, that there will now be a second referendum upon Scottish independence.
Is she enthused by this prospect? Does she thrill at the notion? Is she buffing up her best lines from 2014? The answers to those questions would be no, no and, once again, no.
To be clear, for the avoidance of any doubt, Nicola Sturgeon remains rather keen on the concept of Scottish independence. Indeed, she yearns for it.
She knows that means another referendum at some point in the future. But not now. Not in these circumstances. Not in these troubled times.
Read more of Brian's blog
Opposition leaders at Holyrood - who all backed Remain ahead of the referendum - shared Ms Sturgeon's disappointment at the result.
But both Ruth Davidson of the Conservatives and Scottish Labour's Kezia Dugdale said it did not justify holding another independence referendum.
Ms Davidson said an independence vote would not help the country achieve stability, and was not in the best interests of the people of Scotland.
She added: "The 1.6 million votes cast in this referendum in favour of remain do not wipe away the two million votes that we cast less than two years ago.
"And we do not address the challenges of leaving the European Union by leaving our own Union of nations, our biggest market and our closest friends.
"I believe in Scotland's place within the United Kingdom today as much as ever."
BBC Scotland took to the streets of towns and cities across the country to find out what people feel about the decision to leave the EU.
Ms Dugdale said she and Ms Sturgeon had "profound disagreements", about the constitutional future of Scotland, but said she stood ready to work with the first minister in the best interests of the people of Scotland.
She added: "Now is the time for calm heads. Labour's manifesto ruled out a second referendum in the lifetime of this parliament - we won't be changing our minds any time soon.
"On the question of independence, many of the fundamental questions that were unresolved and unanswered in 2014, remain so. Not least the question of currency. What we don't need today is more turmoil, more upheaval and more economic chaos."
The Scottish Greens, who support independence, have launched an online petition calling on Holyrood to "examine and exhaust every option for continuing Scotland's close ties with Europe".


West Brom winger Chris Brunt says he is "disgusted" and "ashamed" after being struck on the face by a coin thrown by a Baggies supporter.

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Brunt had gone over to give his shirt to one of the visiting fans after West Brom lost 3-1 in the FA Cup fifth round at Championship side Reading.
"If people come to football matches and think it is acceptable to throw coins at footballers or anyone else, it is disgusting," Brunt told BBC Sport.
The FA said it would investigate.
"We strongly condemn any such behaviour and will work with both clubs and the authorities to identify those responsible," the governing body said on Twitter.
A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: "The incident will be dealt with as an assault and we will be working with West Bromwich Albion and Reading to resolve the issue and identify anyone involved."
Meanwhile, the club said it would impose "the severest of sanctions" on the culprit.
The statement released read: "All our true supporters will join the club in condemning the sickening behaviour of a few individuals at the end of our FA Cup fifth-round tie."
Match report: Reading 3-1 West Brom
See all of Saturday's action
Listen: Pulis 'hopes fan gets what he deserves'
Northern Ireland international Brunt has been at West Brom since 2007 and has made more than 300 appearance for the side, but was left to remonstrate with his own fans at the final whistle at the Madejski Stadium.
"I was walking towards our supporters, and they thought it was OK to throw a coin at their own players. It's absolutely disgusting," he said.
"If someone wants to come forward and say who did it, that is not a problem, they know where I am and I am happy to discuss it like normal human beings.
"I hope the police have got hold of them because never in my life have I seen anything like that. I understand frustrations - we haven't played well in the second half and being 1-0 up you shouldn't be losing 3-1."
He added: "You go over to the fans who have travelled down to say thanks for spending their money and a small minority spoil it for them.
"There are some young kids sitting in the front row who have witnessed that and it's not on.
"I wouldn't like to bring my kids to football matches and see something like that."
West Brom manager Tony Pulis said the action was "barbaric", adding: "West Brom is a fantastic football club, a famous club, but you can't condone that.
"I think the police have to get involved in this. I don't think you can allow that to go by. That's criminal."


The reputation of Aberdeenshire Council has been damaged after an aborted trip to Legoland which led to its co-leader resigning, a meeting has heard.

Martin Kitts-Hayes had been due to attend the North Sea Commission at Legoland in Denmark in June.
But the delegation returned early as he was unhappy with the accommodation. After weeks of controversy he resigned earlier this week.
A council meeting over an internal report heard lessons must be learned.
Jim Gifford, leader of the Alliance Opposition Group, said: "We all have a job to do to rebuild the reputation of this council."
Councillor Jill Webster described the incident as a "fiasco".
Council leader Richard Thomson said it was now time to move on.
Mr Kitts-Hayes announced earlier this week he would step down from senior positions - as co-leader of the council and chairman of the policy and resources committee.
He then said on Wednesday that recent personal abuse had put an "intolerable strain" on himself and his family, and was standing down as a councillor.
He stated: "Being a councillor is just not worth the effort."
The abortive trip to Denmark cost more than Â£3,000.
The internal report revealed last week that Mr Kitts-Hayes felt his Legoland accommodation was like a "glorified shed".
Mr Kitts-Hayes, of the Progressive Independent Group, was the councillor for Inverurie and District and co-council leader with the SNP's Mr Thomson.
Council chief executive Jim Savege is carrying out a further investigation into the actions of those with access to the internal report - which was sent to councillors in confidence - after an earlier leak to the media.


A woman has been charged following an alleged road rage altercation with BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine as he cycled home from work.

He was riding in Kensington on 26 August when a row occurred which was captured on Vine's helmet camera.
Shanique Syrena Pearson, 22, has been charged with a number of offences including using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
Ms Pearson, from Vauxhall, will appear before magistrates next month.
She has also been charged with driving without reasonable consideration to other road users and failing to license a vehicle.


Cowdenbeath have signed Robbie Thomson after a successful trial for the 21-year-old goalkeeper who left Rochdale.

Thomson is the son of the former Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Dunfermline Athletic goalkeeper Scott.
Having started his career with Celtic, Thomson had loan spells with Stenhousemuir and Airdrie United before joining Rochdale in 2013.
However, the Scotland Under-19 cap made only one first-team appearance for the English League Two club.


Barcelona target Thiago Silva has signed a new contract with French side Paris St-Germain.

The centre-back joined the league champions in 2012, for £36m, on a five-year deal but it is understood he has extended his stay until 2018.
Barcelona were hoping to sign the 28-year-old Brazilian but his wage demands proved a sticking point before they were told to halt their pursuit by PSG.
The La Liga champions have said that signing a centre-back is a priority.
Veteran Carles Puyol, 35, suffered knee problems last season and had surgery in March, while fellow defenders Gerard Pique, Adriano Correia and Javier Mascherano were either injured or suspended during the campaign.
Barcelona had been linked with another Brazil centre-back, Chelsea's David Luiz, but in June denied they were interested in signing the 26-year-old, while Tito Vilanova was in charge.
But reports in Spain on Monday suggest that the Catalan giants - now managed by Argentine Gerardo Martino - are keen to recruit the player.
Bayern Munich were also linked with Luiz on Monday, but the European and German champions told BBC Sport they have enough central defenders at the club.
Luiz joined Chelsea from Benfica during the January transfer window of 2011 for about £21.3m and signed a new five-year contract last year.


The videos of an Indian man in Qatar being beaten up by a group of men from his native state of Kerala have gone viral on social media.

The assault happened reportedly over anti-Islam Facebook posts, and Qatari police had to intervene.
Some reports say the man has denied doing so and this was a case of mistaken identity.
The Indian embassy termed the incident "unfortunate" and says it has sought consular access to the man.
The incident took place near a mall in Doha on Friday, when a group approached and confronted the man about screenshots of Facebook comments against the Prophet and Islam that had been circulating among the Keralite expatriate community.
Other shoppers joined in and beat up the man, while some employees from the mall tried to stop the assault.
Several filmed the incident, and videos and photographs from the event have gone viral on WhatsApp.
The video shows a crowd of about a hundred gathered outside the mall, and a group surrounding the man and manhandling him.
Girish Kumar, president of the Doha-based Indian Cultural Centre, said such a "shameful" incident was happening for the first time in the peaceful Indian community.
"The government is still investigating."
It is not clear whether the man has been detained or held by the Qatari police.
In a post on his official Facebook page, the Kerala state president of BJP party V Muraleedharan citing Qatar authorities wrote that the injured man had not committed the crimes he had been accused of and would be released after an investigation into his assault.
In a statement emailed to the BBC, the Indian embassy said they have requested the Qatari authorities to conduct "thorough investigations into an unfortunate incident in which an Indian national was reportedly beaten up by some persons on 8 May 2015".
"The embassy is concerned about the well-being of this person and has sought consular access to him."
According to the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report for 2013, Qatari law imposes a prison sentence of up to seven years for blasphemy against Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
The law stipulates a one-year prison term or a fine of QR 1,000 ($275;Â£174) for producing or circulating material defaming the three religions.
Posting or sharing online content that "undermines" Qatar's "social values" or "general order" is also a punishable offence, according to an Amnesty report.
In a meeting convened on Sunday by the Qatari Interior Ministry and attended by Indian embassy and community representatives, authorities said nobody should take any "unlawful action".
The assault has been widely condemned by the Indian community.
"It was an unnecessary act. Even if he did say something offensive, there is a legal system in place. I am proud of being from a state where Muslims, Hindus and Christians live in harmony," said Fahd Abubaker, a second-generation Keralite in Qatar.
More than 500,000 Indians reside in the tiny Gulf state - making it the single largest expatriate group.


The man behind a "callous" cold-call scam which defrauded hundreds of people and resulted in an annual turnover of £7m has been jailed.

Jonathan Rivers was head of Derby-based Wyvern Media group, which pressured firms into buying worthless adverts.
Nottingham Crown Court heard he admitted fraudulent trading after more than 500 complaints were lodged.
He was jailed for six years. Four other members of staff were jailed, with a further five given suspended sentences.
The court heard the company had 12 offices throughout the Midlands and south-west of England and at one point employed 250 people.
Rivers, 55, of Coleshill, Warwickshire, was described by Judge Stuart Rafferty as the "head, heart and soul" of the company, which had about 18,000 customers per year and an estimated annual turnover of £7m.
Trading standards officers found small firms were targeted by Wyvern with high-pressure sales techniques and multiple calls.
Once paid for, the adverts would only appear in low circulation publications put out by the media company itself.
Businesses were sometimes billed for unsolicited extra adverts.
The highest amount lost by one firm was £31,305.
Mark Hughes, from Nottinghamshire Trading Standards, said: "You would see what we call 'feeding frenzies', where they would pass details of a company around the group which would then be targeted for more advertising.
"This group were quite callous if someone made a complaint - they would threaten those individuals with legal action and, indeed, would take individuals to county court to recover the money they thought they were owed."
One victim was Jutta Patterson, whose animal rescue centre lost more than £5,000 and almost closed.
She died of cancer in 2015.
Her husband Terry said: "She couldn't sleep at night, she started smoking more and didn't eat properly... I think it affected her a lot."


Talks to try and maintain high-quality GP services in Neath Port Talbot have been taking place, amid concerns the health board there will struggle to replace departing doctors.

The Dulais Valley practice in Seven Sisters will lose two of four doctors.
As a result the Coelbren branch clinic is closed to GP appointments this week, and faces further future restrictions.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said it was not possible to maintain the level of local service.
Lindsay Davies, head of primary care and planning, said: "Like many other local practices, the partnership will shortly introduce a call management and telephone consultation system.
"This will help them manage demand more appropriately, particularly if they are successful in recruiting alternative clinical staff."


A man has been taken to hospital with minor head injuries after being hit by a bus in Edinburgh city centre.

The 49-year-old was knocked down by a number 16 Lothian Bus at the junction of Princes Street and Fredrick Street just after 13:30.
The bus was travelling to Leith when it was involved in the accident. The man is being treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Police Scotland said Fredrick Street was closed for just under an hour.
A spokesman for Lothian Buses said: "We can confirm that one of our vehicles was involved in an incident involving a pedestrian on Frederick Street this afternoon.
"Emergency services attended the scene and a male was taken to hospital."


A "callous fraudster" who conned an elderly woman out of £160,000 by convincing her he would invest her savings has been jailed.

John Burke stole money from the 83-year-old from Warrington, Cheshire, over five years, using the cash to buy a Mercedes and a new kitchen.
Burke, 74, of Teal Close in Altrincham, admitted fraud by abuse of position.
He was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
Burke befriended the woman and gained her trust between 2007 and 2012, persuading her to give him cheques, Greater Manchester Police said.
He promised she would see good returns on her investment, despite not being a registered accountant or qualified to give financial advice.
Burke was arrested in January 2015 after a family solicitor became concerned about a lack of paperwork and interest payments from the victim's purported investments.
An investigation then found he had stolen £160,000 and prepared a homemade will, which the victim had signed, appointing him as sole executor.
As well as the car and kitchen, Burke had spent most of the money on loans to another company, paying off his own debts, loaning money to a friend and other living expenses.
By 2014, the woman had been repaid just over £25,500 from the accounts held by Burke.
Det Con Laura Watson said Burke was a "callous fraudster" who had "gained and then obliterated" the trust of a "vulnerable" woman.
She added: "This is a sad case where an elderly woman has lost her savings and has been left extremely upset by what has happened."


Nigel Farage has apparently seen off a challenge to his leadership of UKIP - a move described by his former election strategist as a "coup".

He's not the only party leader to face an attempted ousting. But can you recover from such a revolt?
In 2006, the Labour prime minister was the target of what became known as the "curry house conspiracy" - a coup to remove him and install his chancellor, Gordon Brown, as prime minister.
It would lead to several of the plotters' resignations - but not Mr Blair's. However, it was successful to a degree in that it forced the party leader into naming a departure date.
The move against him was reportedly masterminded by Tom Watson, a defence minister at the time, who was also rumoured to have had a secret meeting with Mr Brown on the eve of the revolt.
Apparently, Mr Watson and three fellow West Midlands MPs - Sion Simon, David Wright (both ministerial aides) and Khalid Mahmood - met over a biryani at a Wolverhampton curry house to discuss the PM's future, before dispatching a missive calling for him to quit.
The letter - which attracted the support of a number of normally loyal Labour MPs - was leaked to the press, and ultimately resulted in Mr Watson's resignation.
In his parting letter, the West Bromwich East MP took a shot at the prime minister, who he said should step down in the interests of party and country.
Mr Blair denounced his actions and branded the former minister "disloyal, discourteous and wrong", saying he would have sacked him if he had not resigned.
But Mr Watson's departure was swiftly followed by the resignations of six other junior members of government - who had also signed the rebel letter - in protest at the prime minister's refusal to say when he would step down as Labour leader.
The whole affair resulted in Mr Blair announcing his intention to step aside within 12 months - which he duly did, on 27 June 2007.
But it did nothing to quash internal dissent and speculation in the party over the future leadership of the party.
Labour prime minister Gordon Brown found his leadership under threat in 2009 after one of his cabinet ministers dramatically quit the government and called for him to resign.
Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell - a former aide to Tony Blair - resigned from his post after the polls closed in the local and European elections, in which Labour was forecast to do badly.
Explaining his decision to quit, Mr Purnell said the prime minister made a Conservative victory "more, not less, likely".
It was Mr Brown's first direct challenge from a cabinet minister - but it would not topple the Labour leader as senior members of government refused to follow Mr Purnell's lead.
Mr Brown was safe for the time being. But several months later, in January 2010, a fresh leadership challenge was mounted by two senior former Labour cabinet ministers.
Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt wrote to all Labour MPs, saying the party was "deeply divided" over Mr Brown's leadership and that the best way to resolve the issue was by way of secret ballot.
They insisted it was not an "attempted coup" but a necessary step to resolve divisions within the party.
But the duo could only muster the public support of a handful of backbenchers long-opposed to Mr Brown, with the majority of the party's MPs less than impressed by the move, which came just weeks before the general election.
As the day wore on, a succession of cabinet ministers came out to back the PM, suggesting there was little momentum behind the plot - although it was noted that several were not exactly gushing in their support of Mr Brown.
As history tells us, neither leadership challenge bore fruit but they reflected the internal doubts and divisions over Mr Brown at the helm.
As leadership toppling attempts go, this one in 2014 was regarded as a particularly "botched" and "shambolic coup". Indeed, former Lib Dem leader Lord (Paddy) Ashdown described the move as a "plot of deep malice".
Its instigator, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott - a close ally of the-then Business Secretary Vince Cable - tried to unseat Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.
The peer was found to have commissioned secret polls suggesting the party would do better at the 2015 general election without Mr Clegg in the driving seat.
The man Lord Oakeshott had long had in mind to take Mr Clegg's place - Mr Cable, who was on government business in China at the time - was forced to publicly condemn his friend's actions and state his backing for Mr Clegg.
But Lord Oakeshott said the business secretary had in fact known about his polls and their findings.
Nevertheless, the peer - who was denounced by the Lib Dem leadership for spending money that could have been spent on campaigning - quit the party, and issued a warning shot on his way out about the Lib Dems' future prospects.
Mr Cable largely emerged unscathed but he faced questions about his loyalty to the leader. Although the two sought to put paid to reports of a rift with a (painfully awkward, 'nothing to see here, folks') stage-managed pint in a pub.
Although the revolt failed, and Mr Clegg remained at the helm, the Lib Dems did go on to suffer a trouncing at the general election, losing nearly 50 of its MPs - one of them, Mr Cable himself - prompting his leader to quit.
The Conservatives have a reputation for being more ruthless than their party rivals when it comes to getting rid of leaders they sense are no longer effectual.
But, in 1995, Prime Minister John Major - tired of persistent rumours of a leadership challenge - decided to take the bull by the horns and trigger a surprise leadership election to silence his detractors.
His own backbenchers had questioned Mr Major's ability to unite and lead the party, which was deeply divided over Europe.
So "put up or shut up", he told them as he tendered his resignation as Conservative Party leader but not prime minister.
But then stepped forward eurosceptic MP John Redwood, who resigned from the cabinet in order to contest Mr Major's leadership.
This was unexpected by many, as the PM had said there had been assurances from his cabinet that none would stand against him.
But Mr Major went on to win the ensuing election with a comfortable defeat over his challenger, who was not included in the PM's consequent cabinet reshuffle.
No further contested leadership election took place until after the Conservatives' defeat at the 1997 general election, paving the way for William Hague to take over the running of the party.
Not all attempts to oust a party leader end in failure: as Margaret Thatcher found out to her peril.
With three electoral victories under her belt, the Conservative prime minister's downfall would come at the hands of her own party - not the voters.
It was on 1 November 1990 when Geoffrey (now Lord) Howe - one of Mrs Thatcher's longest-serving ministers - resigned over differences with the party leader over Europe.
In his now infamous speech on the floor of the House of Commons, he attacked the PM's policies and leadership style, comparing being one of her cabinet ministers to opening the batting at cricket only to find his bat had been "broken... by the team captain".
It sparked the beginning of the end of the 11-year Thatcher reign.
Michael (now Lord) Heseltine seized on the opportunity to challenge the prime minister in the ensuing leadership contest, from which she would eventually withdraw and John Major emerge as her successor.
Reflecting on the revolt and its implications on the Conservative Party, Baroness Thatcher's biographer Charles Moore wrote: "Because the coup was unjustified, and so trust broke down, the politics of the next 15 years were those of civil war."


An on-the-run sex offender who committed crimes as a man but was tried as a woman has been arrested following an appeal on BBC's Crimewatch.

Lisa Hauxwell, 48, was sentenced to 14 years in her absence in November 2016 for rape and indecent assault.
Hauxwell, from Darlington, was arrested in Newark, Nottinghamshire on Tuesday, police said.
Hauxwell, who police said was living as a man when found, was tracked down after dozens responded to the appeal.
Nottinghamshire Police said of the 48-year-old, who committed the crimes as Craig John Hauxwell: "The fugitive had carried out the offences while living as a man, but was sentenced under the name of Lisa."
Det Insp Yvonne Dutson of Durham Police said: "This a fantastic result and due entirely to the calls we had following the appeal on Crimewatch.
"We understand Hauxwell had been living at the address in Newark for several months, without anyone knowing his true identity."
The sex assaults took place in the Newton Aycliffe area of County Durham during 2001 and 2002.
The two rapes and seven indecent assaults were described by police as "horrendous".
Hauxwell will be handed over to police in Durham "in due course", police said.


Eugene Laverty finished back in 19th position in the penultimate round of the MotoGP championship at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

The result replicated his performance at Phillip island last weekend.
Laverty has picked up nine points with the final round to come on 8 November.
The Toomebridge rider last week revealed that he will remain with the Aspar team for a sceond season to compete in the 2016 series but will switch from Honda to Ducati machinery.
Laverty had won the Open class race for the first time in his rookie season at Aragon in Spain in September.
Meanwhile MotoGP championship leader Valentino Rossi will start the final race of the season from the back of the grid after knocking Marc Marquez off his bike during the race in Malaysia.
Rossi finished third but was given three penalty points following a post-race investigation.
The race was won by Honda's Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo came second.
The final race of the season takes place in Spain in two weeks' time with Rossi leading Lorenzo by seven points.


In his first interview since leaving the bond fund Pimco, former boss Bill Gross has said he is 'uniquely exuberant' at leaving management responsibilities behind in his new job.

Speaking to Barron's, he said he had "always been an investment guy" and the "hiring, paying people, planning and so on" became a problem for him.
Mr Gross told the financial magazine that "managing money is in my blood".
The co-founder of Pimco left abruptly last week to join rival Janus Capital.
It has been reported that he was at odds with the executive committee of Pimco, the world's largest bond fund, which is owned by the German insurer Allianz.
In his interview, Mr Gross says he's grateful to Janus's chief executive for "putting this [job opportunity] together so quickly, in a matter of 24 to 48 hours at most, and I don't intend to disappoint".
While at Pimco, Mr Gross was seen as a key figure, and since his departure investors have withdrawn record amounts of money.
The Total Return bond fund, which was managed by Mr Gross, lost more than 10% of its assets in September.
"I like to get up at 5:30 in the morning and make money for clients and compete against other money managers. That's something that doesn't go away.
"I am obsessed with delivering value to investors and winning the game from a personal standpoint. Retiring at this point in my career just doesn't suit me," he states in the Barron's interview.
He has been given control of a much smaller fund at Janus, worth $13 million (Â£8m), in which he says it will be easier to implement ideas than in the $200bn (Â£125bn) portfolio he used to run.
"The bond paparazzi will be less interested in Janus than they were in Total Return," he says.
Asked where he sees bond investment opportunities at the moment, he points to Mexico, saying it is "a pretty safe emerging market," with half the debt level of the US and interest rates around 6%.


Great Britain's Joe Clarke produced a stunning final run to snatch gold in the kayak K1 at the Rio Olympics.

The 23-year-old British number one from Staffordshire qualified third fastest for the final but posted a time of 88.53 seconds to take first place.
Slovenia's Peter Kauzer finished 0.17 seconds behind the Briton, with Czech Jiri Prskavec, who picked up a penalty, taking bronze.
I thought if it goes to plan I could come away with a medal but to be Olympic champion it is something you dream about
Clarke's victory gave Great Britain their second gold of the Rio Olympics.
He told BBC Radio 5 live: "Everything pieced together so nicely, I can't put it into words. I knew I was capable, but to put down that run in the Olympic final... it is a dream come true.
"It is hard to put it into words how much work has gone into this. I have spent a lot of time here, I know this course like the back of my hand and it has paid off.
"There has been lots of ups and downs, but it is just fantastic.
"When I woke up, I struggled to have breakfast I was so nervous with all the emotions. I thought if it goes to plan I could come away with a medal, but to be Olympic champion... it is something you dream about."
Find out how to get into canoeing with our special guide.
The Stafford and Stone Canoe club slalom canoeist won the British Olympic selection trials at Lee Valley White Water Centre.
He was a promising young talent before he finally made his mark on the senior international stage in 2014, when he won a silver medal in K1 at a World Cup event.
Clarke was an outside chance for a medal going into the competition but his odds shortened after a brilliant semi-final where he was third fastest.
Slovakia's Jakub Grigar posted the best time followed by Prskavec, with world champion Kauzer fourth.
In the final, Slovenia's Kauzer led with three canoeists remaining but his lead only lasted a few seconds when Clarke set the new mark.
Prskavec was next to go and had he not picked up a penalty then the Czech would have won gold.
Another Joe Clarke on Twitter: Guys, thank you for all of the congratulations. However I am currently sitting ready to start my night shift in Worthing. #mistakenidentity
Four-time rowing gold medallist Sir Matthew Pinsent: Ha! Bravo - well played the other Joe Clarke.
GB canoeing team-mate Fiona Pennie: Did this just happen to my training buddy?!? Can't believe it!
British Canoeing: Phenomenal racing by Team GB's Joe Clarke. Completely smashed it to win GOLD.
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The mother of murdered schoolgirl Paige Doherty has described her killer's forthcoming appeal as "cruel".

Speaking in the Sunday Mail, Pamela Munro revealed that she had come face to face with John Leathem during the search to find the 15-year-old.
The 32-year-old shop owner stabbed the teenager 61 times and inflicted more than 140 injuries after she went into his shop in Clydebank on 19 March.
He dumped her body in bushes two days after the attack.
Leathem's appeal against his 27-year minimum sentence is due to be heard at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh on Friday.
Ms Munro has been campaigning against any reduction in Leathem's sentence since news of his appeal plans emerged and a petition opposing a cut in his jail term has been signed by about 11,000 people.
Ms Munro, who has three other children, said: "Even if he got out at 59, he'd still have a life, so 27 years isn't long enough. He's totally deluded. This appeal is cruel."
She added: "With the appeal being on 23 December, there is no way that our first Christmas without Paige can be a normal one - as much as we might try to make it that way for the kids."
Ms Munro also described how Leathem appeared emotionless when she went to his shop, Delicious Deli, to talk to him about putting up posters to help to find Paige.
"Looking back, he was so cold," she told the newspaper.
"There was no emotion in his voice or his face. He never showed signs of knowing anything but I'd never have guessed."
First offender Leathem was given a mandatory life sentence at the High Court in Glasgow in October and was told he must spend at least 27 years behind bars for the "savage and frenzied" murder.
He admitted the killing at an earlier court hearing.
A post-mortem examination found that Paige suffered 61 stab wounds, mainly to her head and neck, and 85 further cuts thought to have been sustained as she tried to fight off her attacker.
Sentencing judge Lady Rae described the killing as "truly reprehensible and impossible to comprehend".


Extra costs of using a mobile phone in countries across the EU are to be scrapped, MEPs have agreed, after years of negotiations.

The ban on data roaming charges from 15 June 2017 has received a final green light in the European Parliament.
Roaming charges are added by mobile operators for calls, texts and internet browsing when phone users are abroad.
An interim cap on charges will take effect from 30 April next year, prior to the full ban across the EU.
That means telecoms operators will be able to add a surcharge of no more than:
The cap would make roaming within the EU 75% cheaper during the interim period, the European Commission has said.
Some 665 MEPs voted in favour of the deal.
The aim of the ban, in part, is to prevent consumers being caught out by huge bills when downloading films or other data during their European holidays.
There have been a number of cases when mobile users have been landed with bills for hundreds of euros or pounds.
From 15 June 2017, users within the EU will be charged the same as they would in their home country.
Critics of the ban suggest the loss of revenue for mobile phone companies could push up prices in general, including prices for non-travellers.
There have been lengthy negotiations between EU officials and the mobile phone operators over the plans, which are also tied into proposals affecting how internet traffic is managed.
Yet there has been some opposition to the move in the European Parliament, partly for political reasons after the UK government used the proposals as evidence for supporting EU membership.
This was the final vote on the matter, as the majority of member states have already provisionally agreed to the plan.


The remains of a British tourist who disappeared in Canada two and a half years ago have been found.

Tom Billings, 22, from Oxford, was last seen hiking in the North Shore mountains on 25 November 2013.
His remains and personal belongings were spotted by hikers on Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver last month.
A post-mortem examination has been carried out and officers from Vancouver Police Department said foul play was not suspected.
Mr Billings, who was reported missing after failing to return to his accommodation in Vancouver, had been expected to return to England in December 2013.
He was described as a "seasoned traveller" and an "avid hiker" after spending eight weeks travelling in North America before he disappeared.
Speaking at a police news conference in Vancouver in 2013, Tom's father Martin Billings said his son had been hitch-hiking, travelling by bus and "couch surfing" - staying with hosts he met on the internet.
He last exchanged emails with his father on 22 and 23 November when he visited Seattle in the US, Mr Billings added.
The UK Foreign Office said it was aware of the death and that it was in contact with the family and local authorities.


A facility in County Antrim that works to reduce the harm caused by drugs will close early next year because of a lack of funding.

The Railway Street drugs misuse service in Ballymena was partly paid for by the Department of Justice.
However, it is withdrawing funding after 14 years due to budget cuts.
The service has been independently assessed as a model of best practice in helping injecting drug users across the UK.
Justice Minister David Ford said the move was "regrettable but unavoidable".
"It is one of many difficult funding decisions I am currently having to make in order to balance the books," he said.
"In light of the financial constraints being imposed I have advised the Northern Trust that the Department of Justice share of the funding for this partnership project between the justice system and the health service would cease on 28 February 2015."
Oscar Donnelly, director of mental health and disability for the Northern Trust, said: "Unfortunately the withdrawal of two thirds of the funding for the scheme means that we will not be able to sustain it in its present form.
"The trust will need to review the way in which a significantly reduced service can be provided in the future."


Great Britain's Davis Cup defence is hanging by a thread after Juan Martin del Potro beat Andy Murray to set Argentina on their way to a 2-0 lead on day one of the semi-final in Glasgow.

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Del Potro won 6-4 5-7 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 after five hours and seven minutes, before Guido Pella saw off Kyle Edmund 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 6-2.
Murray's defeat was only his third in 32 Davis Cup singles matches.
GB must win Saturday's doubles and both Sunday's singles to reach the final.
Murray is scheduled to team up with his brother Jamie for the doubles contest but admitted it would be "really tough" for him to recover following the longest match of his career on Friday.
The winners of the best-of-five tie will face France or Croatia in the final, with that semi-final level at 1-1 after day one.
The world number two hit 35 aces and battled through the longest match of either man's career, but Murray came up short against an inspired Del Potro, who lost their four-hour Olympic final last month.
"I won but I still remember the Olympic final," said Del Potro. "This is very important to me and my team and we are looking to reach another final in the Davis Cup.
"Against Andy you never know when the match will finish. He is a dangerous player, a fighter and great champion. In end I played good forehands and good serves and that was key."
Murray said: "I think it was good match. I felt there wasn't too many mistakes on important moments.
"Both of us came up with good stuff and the shot he came up with to break in the fifth set was the difference."
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Del Potro hit 26 forehand winners and broke serve six times to join Stan Wawrinka and Fabio Fognini as the only men to have beaten Murray in Davis Cup singles matches.
The Argentine, ranked 64th as he works his way back after three wrist surgeries, was the better player for the first two hours and earned a break point that would have left him serving for a two-set lead.
Murray clung on, however, levelling at one set all after breaking serve for 7-5, following a call from the crowd on set point that incensed Del Potro and Argentine captain Daniel Orsanic.
Del Potro's mix of slow, sliced backhands and huge forehands continued to trouble Murray, but the Wimbledon champion twice came back from a break down in the third before saving set point with a stunning forehand lob.
It was a shot that electrified the Scot and his home crowd, and he would edge ahead thanks to an attacking return at 5-5 in the tie-break followed by a big serve.
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Both men were unhappy with a succession of line calls and umpiring decisions, with Murray at one stage saying: "This is getting ridiculous now, it's actually getting ridiculous. It's so, so bad."
A loose Murray service game at 2-1 down was all that separated them in the fourth set, and with fatigue taking a grip they began a decider with the match entering its fifth hour.
Both players had their trainers on at the changeover to try and work some energy into their legs, and it was Del Potro who made the first push at 2-2 only for Murray to save break point with a big serve and a shout of "Let's go!"
Del Potro got the decisive break two games later with a rasping forehand winner after Murray had put a forehand volley within the Argentine's reach, and served out to the delight of the 400 travelling fans.
"I am so happy to be playing tennis again after three surgeries," said Del Potro.
"This kind of moment was what I was missing at home and I always play good in Great Britain, and here I played great, so it is a good place for my tennis."
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After the drama of the opening match it looked as though the similarly fearsome forehand of Edmund might draw the hosts level in a more low-key second contest.
The 21-year-old came back from 3-0 down to win the opening tie-break and had a break point early in the second, but Pella worked his way into the contest.
Five years older and ranked six places higher at 49th in the world, Pella's steadier play prevailed as Edmund went on to make 36 winners but 50 errors.
Pella took the second set with the lone break in game 10 and moved ahead with four straight games in the third.
Captain Smith could be heard urging on his number two player but Pella remained the dominant force in the fourth set, breaking serve at the start and going close to extending his advantage as he won in just over three hours.
"I am happy to give the team a second point after Juan Martin's amazing match," said Pella. "I was fighting every point no matter what."
Captain Leon Smith said it was one of his team's "rougher days" in the competition after enjoying "a lot of good days" in the past but he stressed the team "have to keep fighting".
He added: "Credit to Andy and Juan for a match of high quality between two of the best players in the world right now.
"It's the same for everyone, particularly Andy and Juan who win lots of matches and go deep into tournaments, but playing the Davis Cup at this time of year, a stage of the season where a lot of tennis has been played already, is difficult."
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent:
Before the opening day of this semi-final, Andy Murray had not lost a Davis Cup match since April 2014. The symbolism of Juan Martin del Potro's opening victory was not lost on the rest of the Argentine team, and Britain will now have to win from 2-0 down - as they did against Russia in the 2013 tie which sparked their return to the World Group.
Murray's five hour, seven minute match against del Potro is believed to be the longest ever completed by a British singles player. He and Leon Smith have until an hour before the start of Saturday's doubles to decide whether Dan Evans might, on this occasion, be a better partner for Jamie Murray.


UK Sport believes Great Britain could win 79 Olympic medals at Rio 2016 and be the first nation to beat its tally as hosts of the previous Games.

A final medal target - and targets for each sport - will come in July, but it is likely to be in a range of 47 to 79.
Team GB won a record 65 medals at London 2012 and 120 at the Paralympics.
"If all stars align and things go perfectly, it could be as good as 79 medals," said Simon Timson, UK Sport director of performance.
"We can be confident it will be our best ever away Games."
However, he admitted that there is "no absolute method" of forecasting a nation's likely medal haul.
Team GB won 29 golds, 17 silvers and 19 bronzes at 2012.
Timson said it would be "absolutely unprecedented" for a host country to increase its medal tally at the next summer Games.
Since the modern Olympic era began in 1896, it has never been done.
But Timpson said it was "a challenge that has kindled the fire in the bellies of our elite programmes, coaches and athletes".
He added that it was important to set an aspirational goal "to focus people's effort and to drive the intensity of that effort".
UK Sport has statistically modelled 250,000 different scenarios in Rio based on British performances in major events in 2015.
This analysis suggests GB will win 53 medals.
But a more up-to-date 'tracker', based on projections from each sport, says 71 medals might be possible.
Diving, gymnastics and swimming all posted great results in 2015, while cycling showed signs of a return to the form of 2008 and 2012.
The most recent prediction from sport statistics company Infostrada had GB in fifth place on 48 medals.
Russia was third with 70 medals, a figure that may need revising if the country's athletics team remains banned.
UK Sport's predictions for Paralympics GB were even more bullish, with a London-beating total of 124 being suggested.
Rod Carr, the chair of UK Sport, said he was confident that Rio organisers would have plans in place to combat the threat of the Zika virus at the Games.
The virus has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and has been spreading on a massive scale in the Americas, including Brazil.
Carr told BBC Sport: "Sport is important, but not that important. No-one wants to risk the lives of unborn children, mothers or families.
"At least it has happened now and not two weeks before the Games.
"There will be a massive effort to sort it out. I will be surprised if it is still a threat to the athletes in Rio.
"We will follow what is best for the athletes and their supporters."


Dundee United have made an approach to sign Partick Thistle midfielder Steven Lawless at the end of the season.

The 24-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has yet to agree an extension with United's Scottish Premiership rivals.
"We have spoken to the player and we'll see what happens there," United manager Mixu Paatelainen told BBC Scotland.
Meanwhile, Paatelainen believes that defender John Souttar will remain with United until the end of the season.
Hearts have had one bid rejected for the 19-year-old and Paatelainen says Soutar will not be sold on the cheap despite being out of contract in the summer.
"He is our player and a very valuable player," said the Finn.
"At the moment, I do expect him to stay because we need our better players at the club.
"But you never know in football. One day, someone comes in with the offer that is difficult to turn aside and things happen."
United sit bottom of the Scottish top-flight, 11 points behind Kilmarnock and a further point behind Thistle, who host United on Saturday.
Lawless joined the Glasgow club from Motherwell in 2012 and has been a regular starter under manager Alan Archibald.
He was banned in May for two matches after being found guilty of breaching Scottish FA rules on gambling.