There is too much focus on the potential side-effects of medicines on information leaflets inside packs and not enough on their benefits, says the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Its new report calls for them to be rewritten to give a more balanced view.
A survey by the academy found the public was confused by information on medicines and did not trust scientific research.
Scientists said clear communication with patients was a priority.
The side-effects listed on patient information leaflets (PILs) are often very long and off-putting, the report says.
They make people unduly anxious about taking medicines and could be the reason why fewer than 50% continue with drugs they have started taking.
The likelihood of the side-effects occurring is also rarely explained - instead they are labelled "possible" or "serious".
And the benefits of the medicines are usually understated, taking up much less space on the leaflet than potential harms.
Prof Sir John Tooke, chair of the Academy of Medical Sciences report, says there is too much "impenetrable" scientific language on leaflets.
For example, the leaflet inside a box of paracetamol says that possible side-effects from taking the tablets are the chance of developing pancreatitis or hepatitis.
However, there is no information on what the conditions are or how big the risk of getting them is in reality.
Rather than clearly explaining how symptoms will reduce, too many leaflets describe what the medicine does in complicated biological terms.
"They aren't written from a consumer's perspective," Prof Tooke says.
Patients should feel confident about the medicines they are taking, rather than uneasy.
If they do not understand the information provided, they are less likely to feel good about taking them.
For legal and regulatory reasons, there is a lot of information provided - but the report asks whether it is really there to help the public.
Silvia Kirk is a mother of two from London, who took part in public workshops for the report.
"I don't always read the information leaflets in medicine packs, unless it's for my children - one of whom has asthma," she says.
"Usually my heart is all over the place as I'm reading them, because I'm wondering whether the risks outweigh the benefits.
"Some of the information doesn't make sense at all. When you're poorly you don't want to feel anxious too - and I think it's particularly confusing for older people.
"I understand it all needs to be on the leaflets, but there's too much crammed into one space. I tend to go by what the GP has said and written on the prescription.
"I only check side-effects listed on the Yellow Card website [suspected adverse reactions to licensed drugs], which I find are useful.
"A link to more detailed information online on individual medicines would be useful for me."
The report is also calling for:
The survey of about 2,000 British adults and 1,000 GPs found that a third of the public trusted evidence from medical research while two-thirds trusted the experiences of family and friends when it came to taking medicines.
Doctors said they also needed better information to help them judge the benefits and harms of medicines for patients.
In general, they welcomed the whole idea of making information on medicines clearer - for patients and doctors.
But they recognised that a degree of uncertainty was inevitable in medicine, because scientific research was always evolving.
Dr Louise Brown, senior statistician at the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, said there were other challenges to face in the shape of the internet and social media.
"We are all bombarded with an unrelenting stream of new information that is overwhelming and very difficult to process.
"Unsurprisingly, this leads to feelings of scepticism and mistrust," she said.
Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said providing accurate and accessible information on new treatments was vital.
"It is only by working in close partnership with patients, clearly and honestly explaining the scientific evidence, that we can fully realise the huge potential that 21st Century medical science offers."


Four people have been killed in a helicopter crash in rural Norfolk.

The civilian aircraft crashed in a field in Gillingham, near Beccles, at about 19:30 GMT, and all four on board were killed at the scene, police said.
The accident site is near Gillingham Hall, a stately home owned by Northern Ireland peer Lord Ballyedmond.
It is not known what caused the crash but witnesses reported fog in the area at the time and said the helicopter crashed very soon after taking off.
Norfolk Police said they would not release further details of the victims until their next-of-kin had been informed.
They also refused to comment on where it had taken off from or what its destination was but said the site would remained cordoned off during the day while examinations of the scene were carried out.
Inspector Louis Provart said: "Emergency services are working together in difficult conditions to secure the scene and carry out an initial investigation into the circumstances.
"The crash site is in a field and there are some wooded areas nearby.
"We had numerous calls throughout the course of the early evening. Those calls, as far as I'm aware, relate to the hearing of rather loud noises, indicating crashes."
Three ambulances, two doctors and one rapid response car were called to the scene, along with a police helicopter and fire services.
A spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it would be sending a team to investigate the crash site.
Gillingham is a small village in the south of Norfolk with a population of about 650.
James Avery, 34, from Great Yarmouth, said he was sitting on a bench drinking tea with a friend when he heard the helicopter take off.
He said: "I was outside McDonald's in Beccles and heard the helicopter take off from across the road.
"It was flying low and no more than 30 seconds later I heard a big bang followed by the sound of the turbine engine quickly stopping.
"It was like a whistling sound.
"Me and a friend ran across the road to the field where we thought it may have crashed but with the heavy fog, we were unable to see much of anything.
"There were some guys on scooters who were already in the field. So we just went back to McDonald's and got the attendant to ring the emergency services."
Taxi driver Mark Murray, 22, from Beccles, said: "There is a large stately home nearby and you often see helicopters coming and going from there.
"When they have a game shoot the guests often all arrive in separate helicopters. We don't know if that is linked, but that's the only helicopter activity we see in this area."
Roland Bronk, owner of The Swan House inn and restaurant in Beccles, said it had been "very foggy" in the area.
The site of the crash is about 45 miles from where four crew members died when a US military helicopter crashed in Norfolk on a training mission in a nature reserve in Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, in January.


McLaren have recruited former Volkswagen motorsport boss Jost Capito as the new overall head of their Formula 1 programme.

The German, 57, will be appointed chief executive officer of McLaren Racing, reporting to chairman Ron Dennis.
Capito will join at an unspecified date to be agreed between McLaren and VW.
Jonathan Neale, who had been in that role following the sacking of Martin Whitmarsh in early 2014, has been moved out of the racing department.
Neale will be chief operating officer of the McLaren Technology Group.
McLaren are aiming to improve their form in 2016 after a dismal first season of their renewed relationship with engine partner Honda last year, in which they finished ninth of 10 teams in the championship.
Despite having arguably the best driver line-up in F1 with former champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, their best result was a fifth place in the Hungarian Grand Prix by Alonso.
The vast majority of their 2.5-second a lap deficit to world champions Mercedes was due to the engine, but the team acknowledge the car was also not on the pace of the very best.
They are still rebuilding after two uncompetitive seasons with the standard-setting Mercedes engine in 2013 and 2014.
Dennis described Capito as "an extremely impressive, competitive and ambitious individual" and said he was confident he would "take the McLaren-Honda programme forwards towards grand prix victories and world championship successes".
Capito has most recently headed VW's rally team to three consecutive world titles since 2013 but has also held senior positions at BMW, Porsche, Ford and the Sauber F1 team.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier remains in his position, which will report directly to Capito.


Councillors are being asked to approve new criteria for requests to light up Belfast City Hall.

Coloured LED lighting was installed in 2013, allowing it to be lit up to mark significant dates or achievements.
The last 18 months have seen a big rise in requests to light the building up from support groups, in relation to medical conditions or diseases.
A report said the council was unable to recognise all of these, and that all should be refused under a new policy.
If the lighting was used too frequently, "the overall impact is diminished", added the report.
The details were outlined as part of a report submitted to Belfast City Council's Strategic and Policy Resources Committee.
Councillors on the committee are set to discuss the proposed policy on Friday.
The building is currently illuminated on 10 agreed days during the year, but the council also considers requests from charities and significant anniversaries.
The report said: "It is clear from social media and tourist feedback that the system has demonstrably enhanced the City Hall's image as a notable landmark."
However, it added that the new lighting had also resulted in "a significant number of requests for access of types not foreseen when the system was implemented".
The report said a total of 203 requests had been received in addition to the agreed list of recognised days since the system went live in 2013.
It said many of the requests were for "very worthy and important causes and very emotive issues".
But it said there were now more than 140 such diseases, conditions and other special days currently recognized internationally by the United Nations.
The report said it "would clearly not be possible to recognise all of these, so clear criteria are needed".


Sofien Moussa scored a first-half hat-trick as Dundee beat Cowdenbeath in their League Cup first-round group.

The Tunisian forward fired home from Scott Allan's pass, netted again with an overhead kick and headed a third.
Paul McGowan and Roarie Deacon threatened to add to the visitors' lead after the break.
Neil McCann's side join city rivals Dundee United on three wins from three in Group C. The top two meet at Dens Park on Sunday.
Premiership Dundee and Championship United will compete for top spot in the group and automatic qualification to the second round.
The four best runners-up from the eight groups also progress, with Scotland's European representatives Celtic, Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone entering in the second round.
Match ends, Cowdenbeath 0, Dundee 3.
Second Half ends, Cowdenbeath 0, Dundee 3.
Attempt missed. Randy Wolters (Dundee) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution, Cowdenbeath. Matthew McInally replaces Cameron Muirhead.
Hand ball by Roarie Deacon (Dundee).
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Scott Rumsby.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Scott Rumsby.
Attempt missed. Mark O'Hara (Dundee) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Shaun Rutherford (Cowdenbeath) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Mark O'Hara (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Shaun Rutherford (Cowdenbeath).
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Jamie Pyper.
Marcus Haber (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by David Syme (Cowdenbeath).
Foul by Marcus Haber (Dundee).
Robbie Buchanan (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Randy Wolters (Dundee).
Josh Morris (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Cammy Kerr (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Harvey Swann (Cowdenbeath).
Substitution, Dundee. James Vincent replaces Glen Kamara.
Foul by Kevin Holt (Dundee).
Jamie Pyper (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Dundee. Randy Wolters replaces Scott Allan.
Substitution, Dundee. Marcus Haber replaces Sofien Moussa.
Sofien Moussa (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Scott Rumsby (Cowdenbeath).
Attempt missed. Roarie Deacon (Dundee) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high.
Foul by Shaun Rutherford (Cowdenbeath).
Roarie Deacon (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner,  Cowdenbeath. Conceded by Kerr Waddell.
Corner,  Cowdenbeath. Conceded by Darren O'Dea.
Foul by Roarie Deacon (Dundee).
Harvey Swann (Cowdenbeath) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robbie Buchanan (Cowdenbeath).
Roarie Deacon (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Robbie Buchanan (Cowdenbeath).
Roarie Deacon (Dundee) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner,  Dundee. Conceded by Joe McGovern.
Attempt saved. Paul McGowan (Dundee) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.


Mike Posner has scored a second week at number one with his dance track I Took a Pill in Ibiza.

The single sold 82,000 combined copies last week, around half of which came from the song's 4.1 million streams.
The sales put I Took a Pill in Ibiza about 11,000 copies ahead of its closest rival - 7 Years by Lukas Graham.
It's the second UK hit for 28-year-old Posner - his debut single Cooler Than Me reached number five in 2010.
Posner said: "To be number one in the UK is quite an honour.
"It's very flattering to know this many people are listening to my music and enjoying it enough to give me money for it."
Fifth Harmony, the girl group formed on X Factor USA, are at number three this week with Work From Home - a new peak for the song.
Completing the top five is Zara Larsson's Lush Life at number four, and Say You Do by Sigala feat. Imani and DJ Fresh, which has climbed 46 places.
On the album chart, Adele's third album 25 scores its 12th non-consecutive week at number one.
Manchester band James's 14th studio album Girl At The End Of The World takes the number two slot, pushing Justin Bieber's Purpose down to third place.
Jess Glynne also slips a place to number four, and Iggy Pop enters at number five with his latest album Post Pop Depression.
Other new entries on this week's album chart include British electronic group Underworld, who are new at number 10 with their first album in six years, Barbara Barbara We Face A Shining Future.
Primal Scream land at number 12 with their 11th record Chaosmosis, while former No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani enters at number 14 with her third solo album, This is What the Truth Feels Like.
The Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL, debuts at number 31, as the film goes on release this weekend.
Room 94's Lost Youth enters at number 33, while 30 Goes Around The Sun by The Wonder Stuff reaches number 38.
Meanwhile, the latest Now That's What I Call Music! compilation, Now 93, has become the fastest selling album of 2016 so far, shifting 247,000 copies this week.


A collector is putting his massive haul of film and TV props on sale, because his wife says there isn't space for them all in the house.

There are 67 items in total, including a Dalek from 1966, and a Cyberman from the show's 19th series.
His rare props are expected to attract interest from people around the world, and could go for thousands of pounds.
His wife has said she might have to lock him in the shed to stop him from buying back his own favourites.
The auctioneer has said that the full collection of film memorabilia, including the Dr Who props, is the best he's ever seen.
"They are incredibly rare, to get a genuine Dalek from that period," he said.
"I've never seen one coming up for many, many, many years."


There are 10 council elections on Thursday across Greater Manchester, with seats up for grabs in two cities and eight towns across the conurbation.

In each election, one-third of the seats will be contested while in Salford, voters will also be asked to elect a city mayor.
Labour traditionally dominates Greater Manchester, and currently controls eight of the 10 councils with elections this year.
In Manchester, all 96 councillors are Labour and in Tameside, Wigan and Salford, they have near enough all of them too.
Their other councils look pretty secure as well but it will be interesting to see how much the party's grip strengthens under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
It will be a challenge to make significant further gains because, four years ago when these particular council seats were last up for grabs, Labour did well.
It is fair to say 2012 was a bad year for the Conservatives following the the "pasty tax" Budget, while the Lib Dems were suffering as a result of being in coalition with the Tories.
One true splash of blue on the electoral map, however, is Trafford and the Tories are keen to tighten their hold.
The Conservatives are also intent on making inroads at the other end of the Metrolink line.  Bury is currently run by Labour, and the Conservatives are pinning their hopes on voters there not thinking much of Mr Corbyn's leadership.
Labour have been campaigning hard in both Trafford and Bury, and the outcomes will be fascinating.
Stockport will be interesting too because while the Liberal Democrats are in charge they do not enjoy overall control.
At the moment they're the biggest party over Labour by just five councillors so there is the potential for a change of control.
The Lib Dems are also targeting gains in Rochdale, where they ran the council until only a few years ago. They are hoping to benefit from the recent controversies surrounding local Labour MP Simon Danczuk.
Elsewhere, UK Independence Party campaigners in Wigan are talking up their chances and hoping to get a bounce from the EU referendum.
It appears Bolton and Oldham, where they already have councillors, are the places where they're most likely to make gains, though.
After years of growing their support base in Manchester, the Greens are believing this could be their time to bring an end to Labour's total dominance.
Come Friday, Salford will also have a new city mayor as Labour incumbent Ian Stewart steps down.
Labour took more than half the vote four years ago, and its candidate Paul Dennett will hope to take on the role come 6 May.  He is up against Robin Garrido for the Conservatives, UKIP's Owen Hammond and Wendy Olsen for the Greens.


Alan Johnson from Labour in for Britain and former foreign secretary David Miliband visited an HSBC development in Birmingham to highlight foreign investment in the UK.

The claim: Our membership of the EU means the rest of world invests £880 a second in the UK and creates 10 new jobs an hour.
Reality Check verdict: The UK's EU membership is not the only reason why foreign companies invest here.
David Miliband said: "Our membership of the EU means the rest of world invests £880 a second in the UK and creates 10 new jobs an hour."
Taking those in turn, in 2014 there was £27.8bn of foreign direct investment in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics, which is indeed about £880 a second.
The new jobs figure is based on the UK Trade and Investment estimate of 85,000 new jobs created in 2014-15, which is just under 10 an hour.
While some foreign investors have expressed enthusiasm about the UK's EU membership, it is going too far to say that it is the only reason why foreign companies invest in the UK.
Read more: The facts behind claims in the EU debate


The new leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, has called for unity in an audio message, saying that the group will continue fighting.

Mullah Mansour was named as the new leader on Thursday, after the death of former head Mullah Omar was confirmed.
But a Taliban spokesman told the BBC he had not been appointed "by all Taliban", going against Sharia law.
The audio message said fighters should unite as "division in our ranks will only please our enemies".
It also said that the Taliban would "continue our jihad until we bring an Islamic rule in the country".
The 30-minute recording - in which a crying baby is heard at some points - was released to journalists by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid on Saturday.
The first public message from the Afghan Taliban's new leader, Mullah Mansour, indicates that his way of doing things will be different from that of his reclusive predecessor, Mullah Omar, who relied on issuing written statements.
The recording is of a speech that he made to a gathering of apparently dozens of his supporters, after his appointment on Thursday.
Faced with opposition to his selection from several high-ranking Taliban, the new leader is now focused on consolidating his power and establishing his authority.
The speech repeatedly calls for unity and is primarily aimed at calming dissent.
Mullah Mansour says that his new role is not a "kingship" but a huge responsibility.
He is also trying to present himself as a tolerant, forgiving and conciliatory person whose decisions will be "based on Islamic Sharia". There doesn't seem to be a major policy shift from the past.
In his speech, he sounds relaxed and doesn't seem to be reading from notes.
Taliban leaders 'not consulted'
Some Taliban figures have accused pro-Pakistani circles of imposing Mullah Mansour, who is known for his support for peace talks, on them.
But in the audio message, Mullah Mansour dismissed peace talks as "propaganda campaigns by the enemy".
At least one Taliban faction would have preferred Mullah Omar to be succeeded by his son.
Another Taliban spokesman, Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, said those who elected Mullah Mansour had not followed the rules.
"According to Islamic rule and principles, when a leader dies, a Shura (council) is called, then its leader is appointed," he added.


There has been widespread condemnation of Mali's troops, after they ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure.

The UN Security Council called for the "immediate restoration of constitutional rule and the democratically elected government".
The World Bank and African Development Bank said they were suspending all aid until the crisis is resolved.
The coup leaders went on state TV to say they had closed the borders. They added that the president was safe.
A government official told the BBC that President Amadou Toumani Toure was not in the custody of mutineers.
Meanwhile, soldiers looted the presidential palace in the capital Bamako, following the coup.
In a separate development, Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula and his delegation are stranded in the country, as Bamako's airport is closed.
They were attending an African Union meeting on peace and security.
By David  Zounmenou Institute for Security Studies
The mutiny comes as no surprise. Last Friday, Ecowas made an announcement that it is going to support, militarily, the national army to defeat the Tuareg. Discussions are still under way but they need to go beyond discussions and act promptly.
The region is still failing to anticipate early warning signs, such as the downfall of Libya's [former leader] Muammar Gaddafi and the anticipated impact this would have on security in the Sahel.
African leaders need to choose when it is proper for dialogue and when it is proper to protect the territorial integrity of the country using the means that are at their disposal.
President Amadou Toumani Toure failed to anticipate this and I think most African leaders failed to advise him wisely on this issue.
The West African regional body Ecowas said the mutinous soldiers' behaviour was "reprehensible".
The African Union described the coup as a "significant setback for Mali".
France, the former colonial power, also suspended its aid in protest.
The soldiers, calling themselves the Committee for the Re-establishment of Democracy and the Restoration of the State (CNRDR), have promised to hand over power to an elected government.
They said they had led Wednesday's mutiny because the government had not giving them enough arms to tackle a rebellion by ethnic Tuareg in the north of Mali.
They attacked the presidential palace, traded gunfire with soldiers loyal to the government and took over the state radio and TV broadcaster in Bamako and took it off air.
The leader of the mutiny is Capt Amadou Sanogo. In a brief TV appearance on Thursday, he announce the imposition of a national curfew and said the constitution had been suspended.
The BBC's Martin Vogl in Bamako says it is possible that the coup may falter, pointing out that the mutinous troops are poorly equipped, led by a mid-ranking soldier and they do not have the backing of all Malian forces.
The well-trained and organised Red Berets unit is loyal to the president and he is believed to be under their protection, our reporter says.
A source told the BBC that the foreign minister and a number of other ministers had been arrested by the renegade soldiers.
Mali has had democratic rule for the last 20 years, during which it has come to be considered as a model which other emerging democracies can look to.
The unrest began on Wednesday as the country's defence minister started a tour of military barracks north of the capital.
Soldiers upset with the government's handling of the Tuareg rebellion fired in the air during the inspection, prompting an immediate strengthening of security around the presidential palace.
The Tuaregs have forced the army out of several northern towns in recent months.
A presidential election was due to take place in the country in just under a month.
The government had so far refused to postpone the poll, despite the unrest involving Tuareg-led rebels.
Both the US and France have urged the soldiers and government to resolve their dispute through peaceful means.


A German former nurse, who confessed to killing more than 30 patients by administering lethal drug doses, has apologised to relatives of his victims.

The 38-year-old said he was "honestly sorry" and hoped families would find peace if he was convicted, news agency DPA reported.
Identified only as Niels H under German court reporting rules, the accused told the court he acted on impulse.
"Usually the decision to do it was relatively spontaneous," he said.
Niels H has been on trial in Oldenburg in the north of Germany since September and is accused of murder and attempted murder.
The deaths occurred at the Delmenhorst clinic, where the man worked in the intensive care unit between 2003 and 2005.
He is alleged to have killed three patients and attempted to kill two others during that time, using a heart medication that lowers blood pressure.
A psychiatric expert last month said Niels H had admitted to the crimes and also claimed to have over-medicated another 90 patients, 30 of whom died.
His plan was to trigger medical emergencies so he could resuscitate his victims but he also acted out of boredom, the court heard.
The defendant said: "There was a tension there, and an expectation of what would happen next."
He claimed that each time someone died, he decided he would never do it again. But his determination would then slowly fade, he added.
Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Niels H, who at a first trial was convicted of attempted murder in 2008 and imprisoned for seven and a half years.


Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale is in a relationship with an SNP MSP.

Ms Dugdale has been dating Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth for about four months.
At the beginning of the year the Labour leader split up with her former partner of nine years, Louise Riddell.
In a joint statement, Ms Dugdale and Ms Gilruth asked for their privacy to be respected and said they did not consider their new relationship to be "news".
Ms Gilruth was elected to Holyrood last May and is a parliamentary liaison officer to Deputy First Minister John Swinney.
The statement said: "We don't consider this to be 'news' - but we appreciate others might and we want to go about our daily lives normally.
"We would like to thank our friends, family and colleagues for their kindness over the past few months and for their love and support.
"We'd politely ask that our privacy is respected because while we are both politicians, we are also human beings - in a new relationship, which we cherish."
A close friend of the couple said: "Kez and Jenny are so happy together and make a great couple. They share much in common, but like so many couples they differ over their politics - which is something they will always agree to disagree on."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her congratulations to the couple.
She said: "So love really does conquer all! Wishing every happiness to @JennyGilruth & @kezdugdale."


Police, local authorities and the NHS have been criticised for a lack of communication following the death of a "vulnerable" 19-year-old woman who was murdered by her boyfriend.

Amelia Arnold was killed by Jack Wall in front of their baby daughter at their Stevenage home in November 2012.
A Domestic Homicide Review said agencies involved in her care were aware of domestic violence issues.
Some of the agencies said they had already acted on recommendations.
Wall, who hit Ms Arnold on the head with a "dumbbell-like" object before strangling her, was jailed for life in 2013.
The review commissioned by SoSafe, the Stevenage Community Safety Partnership, criticised Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire County Council social services, Hertfordshire Police, NHS mental health services and the Women's Centre refuge in Stevenage, which were all aware of domestic abuse issues.
The report described Ms Arnold as "vulnerable because she had problems including potential homelessness, teenage pregnancy, being a new young mum, physical and mental health and what she described as lack of family support".
It concluded "there is little evidence of inter-agency working" and at least one agency should have seen the need to sit down with others.
Richard Roberts, cabinet member for Hertfordshire's Children's Services, said: "There have been significant improvements in multi-agency working and we will continue to build on this to ensure information is shared and acted upon."
Richard Henry, Stevenage Borough Council's executive member for safer communities, said: "In line with the recommendation made in the (report), we have now reviewed and improved our staff training and awareness programmes relating to domestic abuse."
A statement from Hertfordshire Police said: "We have worked to meet the recommendations highlighted.
"There is always scope for improvement, particularly as we believe domestic abuse is under-reported and we need to encourage more victims to come forward."
The refuge and NHS mental health services have not responded to the BBC.
SoSafe said it would monitor the implementation of any improvements.


A £500,000 grant to speed up flood prevention work on the A55 in Gwynedd has been announced.

Drainage work on land between junction 12, Tal-y-Bont, and junction 13, Abergwyngregyn, will begin in the autumn, once the landowners agree.
It is part of a stretch of the A55 closed by flooding on Boxing Day.
First Minster Carwyn Jones also said a separate £1.9m Tal-y-Bont scheme is due to start in the spring and be ready for winter.
Mr Jones visited the village, also hit by flooding over Christmas, in January - a week after residents complained they had been left waiting for him after he had driven through the village without stopping.
He apologised but said he did not know they had been expecting him.
Visiting the Traffic Management Centre in Conwy on Thursday, he said: "When I saw the flooding on the A55 and then met residents of Tal-y-Bont who had been affected, I said that the money was available for a flood alleviation scheme to help reduce the risk of it happening again.
"Following discussion with Gwynedd council, I'm pleased to say that construction can start this April and will be complete ahead of next winter."
He said the A55 work "needs a great deal of planning because of its sheer scale".
"The plan is not that there are perpetual road works on the A55," he added.
"At the moment, we need to make sure that the tunnels are safe for the future.
"We're not planning any works after Easter of this year, but you have to remember that the A55 was built on the cheap, unfortunately.
"If you look at some of the sections like the tunnels, it's just the old road. We would never build a road like that now, we would build a far better road. So we have to improve the road's resilience for the future."


A pioneering cancer drug that harnesses the power of the immune system has been approved for use in the UK.

Nivolumab was one of the drugs labelled a "milestone" therapy at a major cancer conference last month.
It has been approved for lung cancer through the UK's Early Access to Medicines Scheme and has been given an EU license for melanoma.
The drug has been shown to stop skin and lung cancers from progressing, in clinical trials.
The immune system is a powerful defence against infection. However, there are many "brakes" built in to stop the system attacking its own tissues.
Cancer - which is a corrupted version of healthy tissue - can take advantage of these brakes to evade assault from the immune system.
Nivolumab takes the brakes off.
One trial of nivolumab, alongside an already approved medicine ipilimumab, stopped melanoma advancing for nearly a year in 58% of patients.
A separate trial in lung cancer showed the drug more than doubled survival times in some patients.
The treatment has now been allowed in the UK for both skin and lung cancers.
Gill Nuttall, from Melanoma UK, said: "There has been an alarming rise in the number of cases of melanoma in the UK over recent years.
"Today's news is therefore very welcome as it provides more options for patients and the potential of better, longer survival."


Game of Thrones has returned for its seventh season - and the critics are generally quite happy about it.

"It was a thrill to have the show back and it looked more stunning than ever," wrote The Independent's reviewer.
"By the end of the episode it is clear that the stage is now set for a war of truly epic proportions," wrote Jess Kelham-Hohler of the Evening Standard.
Yet Digital Spy's Alex Mullane did feel the episode - entitled Dragonstone - was "a little underwhelming in places".
The first episode of the show's seventh series was broadcast in the US on Sunday evening and in the early hours of Monday morning in the UK.
Only one more season of the epic fantasy saga, inspired by the works of author George RR Martin, is planned after this one.
WARNING: the following article may contain spoilers.
Dragonstone opened in typically gory fashion with members of the late Walder Frey's house dying in numbers after imbibing poisoned wine.
It also featured the introduction of a new character, played by the Oscar-winning Jim Broadbent, as well as a cameo from pop star Ed Sheeran.
Reviews of the episode welcomed Broadbent's performance as Archmaester Marwyn, with the Hollywood Reporter saying he "fits into this ensemble flawlessly".
Yet critics were far less complimentary about Sheeran, whose appearance as a soldier was dubbed "jarring" and "unsubtle" by The Independent's Christopher Hooton.
In his role as an unnamed singing soldier, the chart-topping performer is seen telling Maisie Williams' Arya Stark that the song he is singing is "a new one".
According to the Daily Mirror, the exchange "could only have been more awkward if he'd winked at the camera after and said 'Available at all good record stores'."
Many reviewers felt the episode's main function was to set the scene for the rest of the season, with Empire's James White calling it "a fairly standard kick-off".
Yet this did not stop Forbes' Erik Kain proclaiming it to be "one of the best, most engaging season openers... filled with brilliant scene after brilliant scene."
Fans too have been in raptures, with Chris Gutierrez claiming the episode showed Game of Thrones to be "quite possibly the best show ever made".
"Arya madness. Ed Sheeran cameo. Sansa looking phenomenal. Dany finally touching Westeros. Dragons. Game of Thrones well & truly back," raved fellow Twitter user Luna.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.


Comedian Amy Schumer has called for tougher gun control laws in the US, after two women were shot dead at a screening of her movie, Trainwreck.

The star joined forces with her cousin, Senator Charles Schumer, to unveil a set of proposals for more stringent background checks on gun buyers.
"The time is now for American people to rally for these changes," she said.
President Obama recently said the failure to pass gun safety laws was the greatest frustration of his presidency.
His comments came on 23 July, just hours before a gunman opened fire on a movie theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, killing two women and injuring nine other patrons, before taking his own life.
John Houser, 59, legally purchased his semi-automatic 40-calibre handgun in Alabama in 2014, following a background check that failed to reveal he had a history of psychiatric problems and had been the subject of domestic violence complaints.
Schumer, whose film was playing at the cinema, said the incident sickened her.
"I've thought about these victims each day since the tragedy," she said at a news conference at the senator's office in New York.
"People say, 'Well, you're never going to be able to stop crazy people from doing crazy things,' but they're wrong. There is a way to stop them," she added.
Senator Schumer, a New York democrat, wants to improve background checks by creating financial incentives for states that submit information to a database the FBI uses to screen gun buyers.
His bill would also create penalties for states that fail to submit records to the database. He stressed that the proposals were about strengthening the background check system, not putting new restrictions on buyers.
He also urged Congress to provide full funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which faces a proposed 4.4% cut of $159m (Â£101m).
But with gun ownership a contentious issue in US politics, the senator acknowledged he would struggle to get his bill passed into law.
"We're up against a powerful lobby, so having people like Amy - who people respect and listen to - is a great antidote," he said. "She reaches people that, frankly, I would never reach."
Schumer, who is known for her raunchy, no-holds-barred sketch show on Comedy Central, said she expected backlash for speaking out about guns, but would not back down.
"I'll handle it the way I've handled it the last 10 years," she said. "I've had death threats and a lot of hate directed toward me. But I want to be proud of the way I'm living and what I stand for."
The star, who refused to use Houser's name, added: "Unless something is done and done soon, dangerous people will continue to get their hands on guns.
"We know what can happen when they do. I was heartbroken when I heard about Columbine and Sandy Hook and Aurora and so many other names of places that are seared into our memories. And I was heartbroken again when I heard about Lafayette.
"We'll never know why people choose to do these painful things, but sadly we always find out how. How the shooter got their gun. It's often something that shouldn't have happened in the first place.
"The time is now for American people to rally for these changes. These are my first public comments on the issue of gun violence, but I can promise you they will not be my last."
Schumer later appeared on US satirical news programme The Daily Show, where she said the Lafayette shooting had left her "heartbroken".
She said that, on the day of the incident, she had so many missed calls "I assumed there was a sex tape of me out or something.
"Then to hear that news, it broke my heart. It was so horrible.
"The second this happens, you want to act," she continued, and talked about joining up with her cousin to campaign for gun control.
"This has been in the works, and I was so happy he invited me to be a part of it."


The number of cars built in the UK last month rose by almost 8% compared with July 2016, new figures show.

Just over 136,000 vehicles were made in British factories, up 7.8% on July last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
Many carmakers increase production in July ahead of new models going on sale in September and summer shutdowns.
However, the number of cars made in the UK in the first seven months of the year fell 1.6% to about one million.
Almost four out of five cars that roll off British production lines are exported.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "As the timing and length of these manufacturing pauses can shift each year, market performance comparisons for July and August should always be treated with caution.
"But as long as the economic conditions at home and abroad stay broadly stable, we expect new car production to remain in line with expectations for the rest of 2017."
The number of cars built for the UK market rose by 17.7% to almost 30,000 in July, reversing seven consecutive months of decline.
The vehicle production total for domestic sales is down 6.5% to 212,700 compared with the first seven months of 2016.
The slowdown comes as the number of new cars registered in the UK fell almost 10% in July - the fourth month of declines. About 162,000 vehicles were sold last month.
Samuel Tombs of Pantheon Macroeconomics said the slide in sales showed consumers were becoming more reluctant to splash out on expensive purchases.
It was the first time that the SMMT had blamed uncertainty over Brexit for the decline in consumer confidence.
"Government must act quickly to provide concrete plans regarding Brexit," Mr Hawes said earlier this month.
This week, Ford became the latest carmaker to introduce a scrappage scheme, offering drivers a Â£2,000 discount for cars more than seven years old.
While Ford said the move was a bid to improve air quality by taking older, more polluting vehicles off UK roads, it would also help to boost sales.
The US company remains Britain's biggest-selling carmaker, but its sales in the first seven months of the year fell by almost 8,200 to 185,250 vehicles.


The owners of a Torfaen factory where fire broke out showed "total disregard" for safety, an investigation has found.

Brick Fabrication Limited in Pontypool was ordered to pay £30,000 following the blaze at its unit in July 2014.
Due to an "inappropriate fire alarm system", two members of staff were unaware fire had broken out and had to flee to safety amid flames and smoke.
The firm said it was "disappointed" with the outcome after admitting eight fire safety charges in court.
At Cwmbran Magistrates' Court on Monday, the prosecution said Brick Fabrication had not reviewed its fire risk assessment, which is also a legal requirement.
Magistrates fined the firm £22,350 and ordered it to pay costs of £8365.78 and a £120 victim surcharge.
Steve Rossiter, head of business fire safety at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When employees have to run under smoke and flames to escape from a building there is something seriously wrong."
An investigation found the fire started in a production area where flammable products were being sprayed in the vicinity of a power tool.
Sparks hit the residue of the flammable products and ignited.
A worker raised the alarm by shouting fire and the majority of the factory quickly evacuated.
But, because the fire alarm system was not adequate for the size and layout of the factory, two staff members taking their break in the canteen had no idea it was on fire and had to flee to safety underneath smoke and flames, placing them at "serious risk".
The investigation revealed that despite a fire risk assessment taking place in 2012, significant findings had not been acted upon, including the fitting of an automatic fire detection system.
The company also pleaded guilty to not providing adequate fire safety training for employees.
Mr Rossiter added: "In this case there was a total disregard for what are critical fire safety provisions, such as providing a basic fire alarm."


The Irish prime minister has urged the chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to explain a multi-million euro sum it was paid by Fifa to prevent a legal battle.

Football's world governing body said on Thursday that it paid the FAI 5m euros (Â£3.6m) after France controversially beat Ireland in a World Cup play-off.
FAI boss John Delaney said a deal was made to drop a claim against Fifa.
Mr Kenny said the payment, agreed in 2010, was "quite extraordinary".
Fifa is facing criminal investigations after allegations of "systemic and deep-rooted" corruption within the organisation, and its president Sepp Blatter is stepping down.
Mr Delaney said on Thursday that he had believed the FAI had a case against Fifa after French striker Thierry Henry's handball in the build-up to a decisive goal in the 2009 match in Paris which caused Ireland to miss the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
A Fifa spokesman confirmed it had "entered into an agreement with FAI in order to put an end to any claims" against it.
The fall-out has now spilled over into a summit of Ireland's cross-border peace-building North South Ministerial Council in Dublin, where Mr Kenny called on the head of Irish football to shed light on the payment.
The taoiseach (Irish prime minister) said: "I would say that any questions that need to be answered here in the interests of transparency and accountability... John Delaney should answer and will answer all of those questions, I'm quite sure."
Mr Kenny added that he believed the FAI chief's position remained "tenable".
The Irish sports minister Paschal Donohoe said he had spoken with Mr Delaney and pressed him to bring "clarity and certainty" to the matter.
"It is a significant amount of money, it is obviously something that the country does have a lot of interest in," Mr Donohoe said.
"It is in everybody's interest that these matters be cleared up."
He said he was "absolutely not aware" of any such payment and would be surprised if any of his predecessors knew about it.
Former Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce said he was "astounded" by the revelation and the FAI's payment should be investigated.
On Friday, the Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane refused to comment on the payment.
"Not today, I'm not in the mood for all that stuff today," he said when asked about the controversy.
But when asked whether Mr Delaney was "a distraction" to the national team's on-field matters, he joked: "Isn't he always?"


Gloucester prop John Afoa has been given a one-week suspension after pleading guilty to a charge of dangerous tackling.

Afoa, 33, was cited for a tackle on Harelquins' Tim Swiel in the first-half of the Cherry and Whites' 30-27 Premiership defeat on Saturday.
He will now miss the Premiership game at Bristol on 24 March.
Gloucester are ninth in the Premiership table, having lost three of their past four games.


A new river crossing in Ipswich would help cut traffic gridlock and "make room" to create jobs, an MP says.

Conservative Ben Gummer, said the plan would open up 20 acres of disused land and cost up to £80m.
It would see a fixed bridge and a swing bridge linking the town with an island site on the waterfront.
Mr Gummer, who is campaigning for the scheme with business and council leaders, said: "This is critical to the future of our town."
He said he would ask the government to fund the crossings across the River Orwell to the island.
Island owner Associated British Ports (ABP), the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, Suffolk County Council and University Campus Suffolk are backing the plan.
Mr Gummer said work around the waterfront had stalled due to the economic downturn, but the area was now becoming a "centre of excellence" for high-tech industries and services.
"We need to make room for further high-quality development if more jobs are to be created," he said.
"The construction of the wet dock crossing would unleash the island site's significant economic potential creating the circumstances for Ipswich's own Enterprise Island."
A large part of the 20-acre (8 ha) island site, which has limited access, is currently used as a lorry park.
Andrew Harston, from ABP, said: "A new crossing and increasing development on the island site would be a significant enhancement to Ipswich."
Two options are being proposed for the bridge crossings. The first would see three bridges built at an estimated cost of £78m, while the second involves two crossings costing £60m.
Mr Gummer said the project would take between 15 and 20 years to complete but hoped one of the bridges would be built within the next five years.


UK Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to trigger the formal process of leaving the European Union early next year, according to a top EU official.

European Council President Donald Tusk said Mrs May had told him the UK could be ready to begin talks by February.
The BBC's Tom Bateman says this is the clearest sign yet of when the two-year withdrawal process may start.
Mrs May's office said it would not be launched this year, but did not confirm Mr Tusk's account.
Formal negotiations over the withdrawal cannot begin until the UK triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal mechanism for leaving the union.
The timing of the process has so-far been clouded by uncertainty, with no clear signal from Mrs May's government on when it would begin.
There is also confusion over the nature of the the UK's future relationship with the bloc, especially whether it intends to remain a member of the single market.
Mr Tusk spoke from the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, where Europe's 27 other leaders are gathered for an informal summit without the UK.
Speaking about a meeting with the British PM in London last week, Mr Tusk said: "Prime Minister May was very open and honest with me.
"She declared that it's almost impossible to trigger Article 50 this year but it's quite likely that they will be ready maybe in January maybe in February next year."
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker insisted that the UK could not get access to the single market without accepting the free movement of workers.
Mrs May has indicated that in any negotiations, her government would insist on placing curbs on EU citizens entering the UK.
Our correspondent says invoking Article 50 early next year may be ambitious, as the prime  minister has made clear she she wants time to prepare the best deal for Britain.
During the Bratislava summit, the 27 remaining members states unveiled a six-month "road map" of measures designed to restore public confidence in the EU.
But rifts over the record influx of refugees and migrants were on display as soon as the meeting ended.
Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, said: "I'm not satisfied with the conclusions on growth or on immigration.
"To define as a step forward today's document on migrants would require a form of fantasy, a verbal high-wire act."


A woman with a broken neck and cancer was not informed or involved in a decision to put a "do not resuscitate" notice in her records, a high court judge has ruled.

But Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said medical staff acted professionally and in the best interest of Janet Tracey.
Mrs Tracey, 63, died at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, in March 2011.
Her husband David says the notice was put on unlawfully, which the Cambridge University Hospitals Trust denies.
Mrs Justice Davies found a second notice, which followed three days afterwards and two days before Mrs Tracey's death, was put in place with the agreement of her family, who were unwilling to speak to her about it.
The judge, who was determining disputed issues of fact, will rule on Friday whether the legal issues should now be considered at a judicial review hearing in February, which would also involve the Secretary of State for Health.
Lawyers for Mrs Tracey's family said this would clarify whether there is a legal duty to inform patients with capacity whether a DNR has been placed on their notes.
Mrs Tracey, a care home manager, died following a transfer to Addenbrooke's Hospital after breaking her neck in a car crash on 19 February - two weeks after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
The first notice, on 27 February, was cancelled on 2 March, while a second was imposed on 5 March, two days before she died.
Her husband, a retired engineer, said his wife believed she was being "badgered" into making a decision about resuscitation options.
But Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has said the claims are unsound and unfair.
It said cardiopulmonary resuscitation would have been wholly inappropriate and not in the best interests of Mrs Tracey, who also had pneumonia and required ventilation.
Mrs Justice Davies said the failure to inform or involve Mrs Tracey had "minimal causative effect", as the notice was cancelled five days later when her family objected.


Former women's hockey captain Tina Evans has returned to Wales duty ahead of their three-match series against Italy in Rome.

Wales women face the hosts three times, on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Evans won the first of her 75 caps in 2005 and ends a three-year absence.
She said, "I'm really excited to be back. It was an honour to captain Wales for a number of years and to step back on the pitch for Wales this week is going to take me back years."
Abi Welsford (capt; Swansea City Spartans), Beth Bingham (Loughborough University), Danni Jordan, (Clifton HC), Ella Jackson (GK; University of Exeter), Hannah Cozens (Loughborough University), Joanne Westwood (Swansea City Spartans), Julie Whiting (FC Lyon), Leah Wilkinson (vice capt), Holcombe HC, Lisa Daley (Swansea City Spartans), Natasha Marke-Jones (Swansea City Spartans), Phoebe Richards (Buckingham HC), Roseanne Thomas (GK; Wimbledon HC), Sarah Jones (Holcombe HC), Sarah-Jane Thorburn (Swansea City Spartans), Sian French  Bowdon (Hightown HC), Sophie Clayton (Swansea City Spartans), Tina Evans (University of Birmingham), Xenna Hughes (East Grinstead).
Find out how to get into hockey with our special guide.


The British men's handball team made an impressive return to the Copper Box with an emphatic 43-16 exhibition international victory over Ireland.

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It was the first time the team had competed at the London 2012 handball venue since the Games and the squad's first home fixture since April 2013.
The men's and women's programmes were shut down after a post-Olympic UK Sport funding axe.
However, it is hoped both squads could be re-formed in the near future.
The GB vs Ireland fixture was part of a two-day international handball event run by London GD Handball club who are based at the Copper Box Arena.
Steven Larsson and Mark Hawkins showed their Olympic pedigree with 11 and eight strikes respectively, while there were also strong contributions from Rafik Tahraoui and Ben Tyler.
"Scoring goals is always great, but it's a team game," said Larsson, who was one of four Team GB Olympians competing in the fixture.
"At the start we were a bit nervous as we haven't trained together at all, but we have to be happy with the way we played."
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Both British teams lost all their matches at the London Olympics and because they were unlikely to represent realistic medal prospects for Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020, UK Sport's 'no compromise' approach to funding saw their support withdrawn.
With the help of England Handball the GB men recently took part in a highly successful campaign at the Emerging Nations competition in Kosovo, which were their first fixtures since June 2013.
Scotland Handball assisted with a Denmark-based training camp for the women's team earlier this year and it is hoped funding can soon be found to re-start both programmes and arrange regular fixtures.


Nicola Sturgeon has travelled to Berlin for talks with a member of the German government about the UK's Brexit vote.

Ms Sturgeon met Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth, who hailed her as a "dedicated pro-European".
The first minister said she had set out Scotland's perspective on the EU referendum, saying she was aiming to strengthen Scotland's relations.
The Scottish government is considering its options after 62% of Scots voted to remain as the UK voted to leave the EU.
Speaking following talks with Mr Roth, Ms Sturgeon said Scotland was "an enthusiastic part of the EU".
She said: "Today's discussion has been a welcome and constructive opportunity to strengthen our relations to discuss the way forward for the European Union and how all voices can be heard in that process.
"Scotland chose to remain in the European Union, and the solidarity shown toward Scotland as an enthusiastic part of the EU - demonstrated once again in today's talks here in Berlin - has been very welcome."
Mr Roth said: "This has been a very pleasant and constructive conversation between two dedicated pro-Europeans and has demonstrated once again that a degree of Europe's strength lies in its diversity.
"I hope that the UK finds a way forward that will benefit Europe as a whole in the end."
Prime Minister Theresa May visited Berlin in July for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, which were also dominated by discussion of the UK's vote to leave the EU.
Ms May has pledged to consult the devolved administrations as part of the Brexit negotiations.
The Scottish government has established a Standing Council on Europe to consider how to protect Scotland's relationship with the EU, with Ms Sturgeon insisting that all possibilities including a second independence referendum should be on the table.


The Iraqi army has been mopping up the last pockets of resistance from Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul, after a long battle to recapture the city.

An official declaration of victory from the government is expected soon.
Iraqi forces, backed by US-led air strikes, have tried to retake the city since 17 October last year.
IS seized Mosul in June 2014 before sweeping across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland and proclaiming a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria.
But they have been losing ground over the past nine months, as government forces advance on their former Iraqi stronghold.
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, supported by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, have been involved in the battle.
On Saturday the jihadists were desperately holding out in a tiny area near the Old City. State television said troops had expected to take full control within hours.
Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent, Mosul
After months of intense fighting that's gutted the city, the sound of gunfire is more sporadic. Coalition warplanes are still flying overhead, but there's a lull in the bombardment.
The Iraqi security forces have still been facing pockets of resistance, but they're already claiming victory against Islamic State.
That's not yet been confirmed by the Iraqi government or the US-led coalition - but an announcement is expected soon.
It'll be a significant moment - it's taken nearly nine months to oust the extremists from the city that was once their stronghold.
But even their defeat here will not mean the end of IS in Iraq.
The government announced the full "liberation" of eastern Mosul in January, but the west of the city has presented a more difficult challenge, with its narrow, winding streets.
Last October, the Iraqi army said there were 6,000 militants in the city. Fewer than 300 were thought to be holding out.
Some 900,000 people have been displaced from the city since 2014 - about half the the pre-war population- aid organisations say.
Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the destruction of the ancient mosque in the city of Mosul was "an official declaration of defeat" by IS.
Iraqi forces say IS blew up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri and its famous leaning minaret as jihadists battled to stop advancing pro-government troops.


Health campaigners have called on the Scottish government to take bold steps to tackle Scotland's alcohol problem.

A report by bodies, including Alcohol Focus Scotland and the BMA, examined the "devastating effect" alcohol has on drinkers, families and communities.
It urged ministers to set a new target to cut the amount of alcohol Scots drink by at least 10% over a decade.
Health Secretary Shona Robison welcomed the report and said the government would consider the recommendations.
Campaigners said the number of Scots dying from alcohol-related illness has doubled since the 1980s.
Their report warned that one million people in Scotland drink more than the recommended amount, with 22 per week dying as a result of their consumption.
The document has been described by those behind it as a "blueprint" for the Scottish government which will "improve the lives of millions of Scots, make our communities better and safer places to live, and reduce demand on our over-burdened public services".
It made more than 40 suggestions, including the "overarching recommendation" that the Scottish government should adopt a national target to reduce alcohol consumption by "at least 10% over the next 10 years".
The report said: "Such a target would provide a clear goal for all of those with an interest in preventing and reducing alcohol consumption and harm in Scotland, at both national and local levels, helping to ensure that efforts are focused and co-ordinated on delivering real impact."
Reducing drinking by this level could "potentially deliver a 20% reduction in deaths and hospital admissions after 20 years", it added.
The report, which was also backed by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs, and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), called for a 50p minimum unit price for alcohol to be implemented "as soon as legally possible".
Holyrood has passed legislation to bring in minimum pricing but a legal challenge to the policy has so far prevented ministers from implementing it, with the case now set to call at the UK Supreme Court.
Other recommendations included:
On pricing, the report urged the Scottish government to press UK ministers to create a new tax band for strong ciders and similar drinks "significantly increasing the rate at which these drinks are taxed to reflect their alcohol content".
The government's ambition to impose minimum pricing was part of a wide-ranging strategy to cut alcohol abuse, which was launched in 2009.
Alison Douglas, the chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that the plan was "very welcome".
But she added: "We are now eight years on and the reality is that we are not seeing the reduction in harm that we need to.
"So we are really calling on government to redouble its efforts and to show the leadership that it has shown before in trying to progress on this issue."
She said she wanted to see a reduction in the number of outlets that sold alcohol, following a "proliferation" in recent years.
"We now have 16 times as many places where you can buy alcohol as we have GP surgeries," she said.
"It shouldn't be the case that every corner shop is licensed," she added.
And she called for more nutritional information on bottles of alcohol. "Consumers have the right to know what they're drinking and what it contains.
"At the moment there's less information on a bottle of beer or a bottle of wine than there is on a pint of milk."
Speaking on the same programme, Health Secretary Shona Robsion denied the government's alcohol strategy was a failure.
She listed a series of measures, including a lower drink-drive limit and a multi-buy discount ban, which she said had led to a 2.6% reduction in alcohol consumption.
"I would say that those measures taken together have had a major impact but I would be the first to acknowledge there's more to be done," she said.
Ms Robison added: "This is a really difficult problem... and I think we are beginning to see the recognition that the impact of alcohol on families and communities being recognised far more than it was 10 years ago.
"We have put alcohol up there as a major public health issue and we have backed that up with investment - over Â£630m to tackle problem alcohol and drug use since 2008 - that is a major investment.
"But there is more to be done and I certainly welcome the input of Alcohol Focus Scotland, the BMA and others in pushing us to go further."
She added that the government was "refreshing" its alcohol framework, which was due to be published in the summer. She said they would consider all of the recommendations of the new report.


Simon Easterby says Ireland must start to beat southern hemisphere opponents away from home to improve future performances at World Cups.

An injury-hit Irish squad is in South Africa for a three-test series having never beaten the Springboks away.
Ireland play South Africa at Newlands on Saturday in the first test.
"It's important if we want to do better than getting to the quarter-final of the next World Cup," said coach Easterby.
"We have to beat them outside of Dublin."
Ireland's last match away against one of the three southern hemisphere giants was a record 60-0 defeat in Hamilton by the All Blacks four years ago.
Their last win over one of the 'big three' was at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand when they beat Australia and Easterby believes they must start to get those results more regularly.
"We need to start to build that now, not three years time when it comes to the World Cup.
"We need to beat them outside of Dublin.
"It has got to be something we are striving towards now. It's a fantastic challenge for everybody."
Ireland have travelled without injured key players like Johnny Sexton, Tommy Bowe, Sean O'Brien, Cian Healy, Rob Kearney and Simon Zebo.
Easterby claims they have accepted the injury situation and must learn to adapt to a difficult environment.
"The players understand that it is going to be different to what we are used to.
"The Six Nations Championship is a credible tournament with a lot of parochial rivalries but down here we are a long way from home.
"We want to come and lay down a marker and make a statement over the next three weeks. The squad will want to leave here feeling like we have achieved something."
Ireland also play the Springboks in Johannesburg on June 18 and Port Elizabeth on June 25.


A councillor expelled from UKIP over allegations about racist and homophobic Facebook comments has been questioned by police.

Dave Small was voluntarily interviewed by officers from West Mercia Police after they were alerted to "concerns" over his social media posts.
A property in Redditch was also searched, police said.
The force stressed Mr Small was not arrested but it would pass an evidence file to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Mr Small, who sits on Redditch Borough Council, was expelled from UKIP on Wednesday.
He was initially suspended after allegedly calling African migrants "scroungers" and Clare Balding and Sir Elton John "perverts".
In an interview with BBC Hereford and Worcester he denied being racist but admitted he was homophobic.


Outgoing Oxford United head coach Michael Appleton believes his successor will be a "very lucky" person.

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Appleton, 41, starts work as Leicester City assistant manager on Thursday after three seasons at the U's.
"I'm sure that if there's still stability in the club going forward then there will be future success," he told BBC Radio Oxford.
Appleton led Oxford to promotion from League Two and two Football League Trophy finals at Wembley.
"They (the next manager) have got a football club in a very good place," he said. "With a couple of additions, there's a really good opportunity for it to finish in the top six this season."
Appleton will thank Oxford's players in person before heading to Leicester, where the job on offer was "too good to be true", he admitted.
"To go and work in the Premier league these days because of the number of foreign managers, a lot of English coaches don't get the opportunity.
"They only tend to happen when you get promoted out of the Championship. So, I find myself lucky from that point of view," he said.
"Things change all the time and ultimately, I've been in the game long enough to realise you've got to take opportunities when they come and cherish the decent moments.
"There were no issues with Oxford United, with (owner) Darryl Eales, the board or any of the staff or players."
Appleton will find himself in the visiting team dugout at Arsenal alongside Foxes manager Craig Shakespeare on the opening day of the Premier League season in August.


A new department at the Vatican has been created by Pope Francis to oversee its finances following scandals at the institution.

The new ministry would study the "organisational and economic problems of the Holy See", said the Vatican.
An auditor will also oversee the department's dealings, it said.
In January, Italian police reported a senior Italian cleric was charged with laundering millions through the Vatican bank.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano allegedly planned to smuggle 20m euros (Â£16.5m) into Italy.
Australian Cardinal George Pell will lead the new department.
The Vatican said the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, which manages the Holy See's financial holdings, would become the Vatican's central bank, with "all the obligations and responsibilities of similar institutions around the world".
But the change would not immediately affect the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), said a spokesperson.
The IOR is one of the world's most secretive organisations. It has 114 employees and 5.4bn euros of assets.
It is undergoing a major restructuring on the orders of Pope Francis, after a commission of inquiry was set up in 2013.
He has also hired a US financial services company to examine all 19,000 accounts to ensure that international rules against money laundering are being correctly observed.


Rory McIlroy has singled out a Masters win as his main priority for 2017 as he prepares to return to action next month from injury at a WGC event in Mexico.

The world number three is recovering from a stress fracture of his rib and has not played since losing a play-off at the South Africa Open in January.
"I still have tournaments to get ready for Augusta, which is the biggest tournament of my year," said McIlroy.
"That's my main goal and will continue as my main goal until I win it."
The Northern Irishman has a best finish of fourth at Augusta in 2015 but will return to the first major of the season in April with high hopes of bettering that performance.
"I've no problem saying that. It's the one major I'm yet to win. As long as I'm good for that, I don't care what it takes," added McIlroy, in an interview with the Guardian newspaper.
The 27-year-old boasts four career majors to date but has yet to collect one of golf's premier prizes since winning the US PGA Championship in 2014.
"There is nothing like that feeling of winning a major. I won the FedEx Cup last year and that was great, as was being part of the Ryder Cup the following week, but for me winning a major - there is no greater feeling in golf.
"I haven't won in a couple of years but the greatest players in the game have gone through stretches of no majors in a couple of years.
"Jack Nicklaus went through a stretch from 1967 to 1970. Tiger won 14 of them from 1997 to 2008, but that's not normal. That is so far from the norm. I was averaging one a year over a four-year stretch which was fantastic and I could do it again."
McIlroy has missed the Abu Dhabi Championship, the Dubai Desert Classic and the Genesis Open because of his injury and is also sitting out this week's Honda Classic.
"I could have probably pushed through to play the Honda Classic but I wanted to take that extra week to make sure and, even if it comes to the point where I'm not 100% comfortable, I'll take another couple of weeks off. But I'm on target for Mexico.
"My short game is as sharp as it has ever felt because that was all I could work on for a while. My golf should be sharp enough."


A 33-year-old woman arrested by police investigating the murder of a man in north Belfast 14 years ago has been released unconditionally.

Police re-opened an investigation into the murder of David Clarke last month after detectives received new information.
The 26-year-old, who had learning difficulties, was beaten to death in his flat at Forthriver Road on 6 June 2001.
The woman was arrested on Tuesday.
At the time, police said Mr Clarke's killing was one of the most savage and brutal they had ever dealt with.
Det Ch Insp Alan Dickson said: "I would continue to ask anyone with information to do the right thing and come forward with anything they know".


Some EU leaders may be prepared to compromise on the free movement of people to help Britain stay in the single market, Tony Blair has said.

He told the Today programme one option was for Britain "staying within a reformed EU".
The ex-PM said he would not disclose conversations he had had in Europe - but insisted he was not speaking "on a whim".
The government insists Brexit will give the UK greater control of its borders.
Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said Mr Blair "hadn't really listened to the nature of the debate going on in the pubs, the clubs and school gates".
"We have to respect the referendum result," Mr McDonnell said, adding that Labour could "negotiate access to the single market".
Mr Blair spoke to the BBC after he argued in an article for his own institute that there was room for compromise on free movement of people.
He told Today the situation in Europe was different to when Britain voted to leave the EU - a move Mr Blair described as "the most serious it's taken since the Second World War".
He said France's new president, Emmanuel Macron - whose political party was formed last year - was proposing "far-reaching reforms" for the EU.
"Europe itself is now looking at its own reform programme," Mr Blair said.
"They will have an inner circle in the EU that will be part of the eurozone and an outer circle."
When pressed on what evidence there was to suggest European nations would compromise, Mr Blair said: "I'm not going to disclose conversations I've had within Europe, but I'm not saying this literally on the basis of a whim.
"They will make reforms that I think will make it much more comfortable for Britain to fit itself in that outer circle."
He said "majorities" of people in France, Germany and the UK supported changes around benefits and with regards to those who come to Europe without a job.
"I'm not saying these could be negotiated," Mr Blair said.
"I'm simply saying if we were looking at this from the point of view of the interests of the country, one option within this negotiation would be Britain staying within a reformed European Union."
He said the majority of EU migrants in the UK are "people we want in this country".
EU leaders have previously said the UK must accept free movement of people if it wants to stay inside the single market.
But in his article for the Institute for Global Change, Mr Blair said senior figures had told him they were willing to consider changes to one of the key principles of the single market.
"The French and Germans share some of the British worries, notably around immigration, and would compromise on freedom of movement," he wrote.
But last week the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the freedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital - the key principles of the single market - were "indivisible".
Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to control EU migration and has reiterated her commitment to reducing net migration to the tens of thousands.
She has said that outside the single market, and without rules on freedom of movement, the UK will be able to make its own decisions on immigration.
Mr Blair also said more was known now about the effects of the Brexit process on the UK.
"We know our currency is down significantly, that's a prediction by the international markets as to our future prosperity. We know businesses are already moving jobs out of the country.
"We know last year we were the fastest-growing economy in the G7. We're now the slowest."
Mr Blair accepted Labour was behind its leader Jeremy Corbyn "for now".
But he warned if Brexit was combined with leaving the single market, and "the largest spending programme Labour had ever proposed" the country "would be in a very serious situation."
Mr Blair said leaving the single market was a "damaging position" shared by Labour and he urged the party's leadership to champion a "radically distinct" position on Europe.
But Jeremy Corbyn said Labour's position on free movement was "very clear", adding: "We would protect EU nationals' rights to remain here, including the rights of family reunion."
Responding to Mr Blair's comments, the party leader said: "I think our economy will do very well under a Labour government.
"It will be an investment-led economy that works for all - so we won't have zero-hour contracts, insecure employment.
"We won't have communities being left behind."
Mr Blair has previously said Brexit was an issue he felt so strongly about, that it tempted him to return to politics.
But Labour MP Frank Field, who backed Brexit, said he did not think Mr Blair was "a person to influence public opinion now".
"We're now set on the course of leaving [the EU]. We actually need a safe harbour to continue those negotiations when we're out.
"And I wouldn't actually be believing those people who are set on destroying our attempts to leave, who are now appearing as wolves in sheep's clothing."
Richard Tice, of pro-Brexit group Leave Means Leave, said Mr Blair's comments "demonstrate how out of touch he is with British voters".
"The former prime minister believes that freedom of movement is the only issue with the EU, when in reality the British people also voted to leave in order to take back control of our laws and money and no longer be dictated to by the European Court of Justice," he added.
Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman said Mr Blair's assertion that Britain could find a way to remain within a reformed EU was a "dodgy claim, as opposed to a dodgy dossier".
"We've heard this all before. David Cameron was given such assurances and in the end the EU did nothing for him.
"If they do nothing for Cameron, they're not going to do anything for Blair, I'm afraid."


A murder investigation has been launched after a 37-year-old man died following a serious assault in Cardiff.

Police were called to Theodora Street, Adamsdown, at about 3:30 BST on Thursday.
The assault victim was taken to the University Hospital of Wales where he died on Sunday.
An 18-year-old from Tremorfa has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody. A 45 year-old man who was arrested has been released on bail.


Seven members of an organised crime gang have been jailed for their roles in stealing artefacts worth up to £57m from museums and an auction house.

Items including Chinese jade and rhino horn were stolen in Cambridge, Durham, Norwich and Lewes, East Sussex.
The men, from Cambridgeshire, Essex, London and the West Midlands were convicted of conspiracy to burgle between November 2011 and April 2012.
They were jailed for between four years and six years, eight months.
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The sentences were as follows:
Those jailed were found guilty by jury after a series of trials at Birmingham Crown Court.
They were part of a 14-strong gang involved in organising two thefts and an attempted theft at Durham University Oriental Museum as well as further incidents at Gorringes Auction House in Lewes, Norwich Castle Museum and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
Jurors heard exhibits stolen in Durham and Cambridge were valued at about £17m but detectives believed they could have fetched up to £57m ($79m) on the "booming" Chinese auction market.
Six other members of the gang are expected to be sentenced on Tuesday.
A 14th gang member, Robert Gilbert-Smith, 27, of no fixed address pleaded guilty on 10 March 2015 and was sentenced to 15 months in jail on 27 April 2015.


A decision to cast a man in the title role of Sleeping Beauty has been defended by a theatre.

The panto, at the Bristol Old Vic, has replaced the unconscious princess with a prince called Percy and swapped the traditional kiss for CPR.
Despite being rewritten to appeal to a modern audience, the gender swap has caused controversy.
But producer Chloe Elwood said: "There's always been a tradition of playing with gender at Christmas."
The decision has caused some controversy in the national press, with Conservative MP Peter Bone telling The Sun newspaper it was "political correctness gone mad".
Written by the Grimm Brothers in 1812, Sleeping Beauty has traditionally seen an inert helpless princess, patiently waiting to be awakened from her slumber by a kiss from Prince Charming.
But the Bristol Old Vic production has put Prince Percy into a deep sleep while it falls on a young feisty heroine to rescue him with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
"Sleeping Beauty is often very passive - she's seen as the passive heroine who gets rescued and that's not incredibly helpful in the 21st century ," said director Sally Cookson.
"So that's why I wanted to spice things up a little bit and swap it - just for a bit of fun really."
The show's producer, Ms Elwood, admits it is "quite a long way" from the traditional tale but said it is not "especially radical".
"Panto has traditionally been full of men playing women, girls playing boys - it's all very much in the spirit of the fun we expect at Christmas," she said.
"Sally's not doing anything that's especially radical, I think what people have got upset about is the notion of a high-fibre diet of feminism."


Antrim fought back from six points down at half-time to beat Down 1-24 to 0-23 in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final.

Down led 0-13 to 0-7 at half-time but Conor Carson's goal helped the Saffrons snatch a four-point win at Loughgiel.
The sides were still level with four minutes of normal time left but Antrim hit five of the last six scores to edge the verdict.
Derry, meanwhile, were relegated to the Nicky Rackard Cup as they were beaten 2-22 to 0-15 by Roscommon at Newry.
Wicklow led by 0-12 to 0-5 at half-time, and kicked on with a brace of goals in the second half.
Antrim were forced to dig deep against a determined Down side and the Saffrons needed a late save from keeper Chrissy O'Connell to remain on course for a return to the top flight.
Down led by 0-13 to 0-7 at half-time, with Danny Toner, Donal Hughes and Conor Woods among those performing strongly for the visitors.
The Mourne County were never headed in the first half and with Ciaran Clarke, Conor Johnston and John Dillon having to battle hard to keep Antrim in the game.
But the Antrim struck a crucial blow a minute after the restart as captain Carson netted from a free.
Scores from Eddie McCloskey and Clarke tied the game nine minutes after the restart, and although Down regained the lead, Antrim now had the momentum.
The sides were tied on eight occasions in the second half before Antrim delivered a strong finish to see them into the final where they will face either Kildare or Meath, who meet in Newbridge on Sunday.
Armagh qualified for a Nicky Rackard Cup final meeting with Mayo after they defeated Fingal 3-19 to 1-11 in Dublin.
SATURDAY'S GAA RESULTS
Christy Ring Cup semi-final
Antrim 1-24 0-23 Down
Christy Ring Cup relegation play-off
Derry 0-15 2-22 Roscommon
Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals
Mayo 1-18 2-11 Donegal
Fingal 1-11 3-19 Armagh
Lory Meagher Cup
Sligo 1-22 2-05 Leitrim
Warwickshire 7-16 2-11 Lancashire


Czech director and teacher Otakar Vavra, whose students included One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest director Milos Forman, has died in Prague aged 100.

Vavra directed more than 50 films from the 1930s onwards, including 12 during the Nazi occupation of his country.
Golden Queen, winner of top prize at the 1965 San Sebastian film festival, and 1967's Romance for Bugle, are considered to be among his best works.
In the 1950s he helped to set up Prague's Famu film school.
Forman, who won two best director Oscars - in 1976, for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and in 1985, for Amadeus - was among his students there.
Vavra also taught Jiri Menzel who directed films including Closely Observed Trains, winner of the best foreign language film Oscar in 1968.
FAMU dean Pavel Jech hailed Vavra as "one of the most significant people in the history of Czech cinema and the teacher of the most important Czech film generation".
But Vavra's critics complained his films followed Communist ideology too closely.


Northern Ireland manufacturers are struggling at a time when the local private sector has just recorded its fastest growth in 16 months.

Businesses generally have had "a very encouraging start" to 2016, according to data compiled for Ulster Bank.
In January, the pace of job creation among the companies surveyed was above the UK average for the first time in almost two years.
The bank said manufacturing was a key area of concern.
Its chief economist, Richard Ramsey, said "doom and gloom" in the global economy will impact further on Northern Ireland manufacturing in the months ahead.
The bank produces a Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) each month which records things like new orders, employment and exports.
Mr Ramsey said job losses had been reported in the manufacturing sector for a fifth month running.
"Manufacturing orders have been flat or falling in four of the last five months.
"January's decline represented the sharpest fall since September 2012."
The services sector was "the star performer" last month.


Record numbers of older people are embracing social media and smart technology, according to a report from watchdog Ofcom.

But many of them remain wary of about using the internet, with a fifth of over-65s saying they are not confident online.
Despite that, four in 10 baby-boomers - aged 65 to 74 - use a smartphone.
And nearly half of net users in the same age group now have a social media profile.
About nine in 10 of those opt for a Facebook account, with only 6% choosing WhatsApp and 1% signing up for Instagram.
Meanwhile, most of the older age group - over-75s - say they have no plans to go online.
Although older adults were increasingly connected, they still spent less than half the amount of time online that the younger generation did, the report found.
Over-65s spent 15 hours online each week, compared with 32 hours among the 16-24 age group.
When questioned about some of the big issues such as data privacy, a significant number (16%) of over-55s said they never considered it.
Less than half (46%) felt able to identify sponsored links in search engines, with only three in 10 over-75s and four in 10 65-74s aware of personalised advertising.
Alison Preston, head of media literacy at Ofcom, said: "The UK's older generation is beginning to embrace smart technology, and using it to keep in touch with friends and family.
"But some older people lack confidence online, or struggle to navigate search results.
"Many are new to the internet, so we'd encourage people to help older friends or family who need support getting connected."
The findings are from Ofcom's annual adult media literacy report.


A leading environmentalist has criticised the lack of attention given to climate change during the general election campaign.

James Lovelock told Radio 4's Today programme he was "shocked" at the lack of coverage so far.
His views were echoed by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, who said there had been a "total lack" of vision on the issue.
Prof Hoskins said tackling climate change would be "key" to ensuring prosperity in the future.
Mr Lovelock, the creator of Gaia theory, told Today: "I'm shocked because it is a key thing that they should be talking about. In a way we are fiddling while Rome burns and we certainly could be looking at a lot of suffering and a lot of unpleasantness."
He said former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as a scientist, was the one politician who "fully understood the issue".
"She understood very well and got us thinking the right way", he said. "But there has been no politician since that has been able to do that."
Prof Hoskins, director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, said politicians had failed to adopt a long-term approach.
He told Today: "It seems that when we get to the discussions it all goes down to the lowest level of what's going to make someone happy for next five minutes and the politicians seem to think that's going to buy their votes."
The main political parties have failed to set out distinct visions on the issue, he added.
"I can't say that I can see any big difference in the statements they have been making just recently," he said.
"This is an incredibly important year for the world, setting the framework for where the world is going in the next 30 years. And yet we don't hear that."


Prison fires in England and Wales have reached record levels, according to official figures.

There were 2,580 incidents last year, the equivalent of 50 blazes every week - double that of two years previously.
The total includes accidental and deliberate fires. The Ministry of Justice said most were "relatively minor".
Thameside Prison in London recorded the most fires last year - 101.
The Ministry of Justice figures emerged after a Commons question from Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron.
HMP Birmingham, the scene of a riot involving hundreds of inmates last December, recorded 82 fires, followed by Nottingham's 78, Doncaster's 75 and 73 in Sheppey and Swaleside.
Ten prisons recorded one fire incident during the year, including Thorn Cross in Cheshire, Huntercombe in Oxfordshire and Full Sutton in Yorkshire.
There was a spate of outbreaks of disorder in prisons in 2016, when inmates set fire to their own cells.
In HMP Featherstone in the West Midlands, where there were 13 recorded fires in 2016, prisoners started multiple fires during a week-long outbreak of disorder last August.
And in November, a fire outbreak during a riot at HMP Moorland in Doncaster left cells damaged and two inmates injured.
The following January a prisoner at HMP Winchester in Hampshire needed medical treatment after a fire broke out in a prison cell. The prison recorded 47 fires last year.
Fire outbreaks have started to become more common over the past two years.
The number of prison fires between 2005 and 2013 remained steady at between 900 and 1,100 each year. However in 2014 this increased to 1,236 and in 2015 there were 1,935 blazes.
Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said that the fire incidents covered a "wide range of circumstances" including accidental fires and deliberate acts of arson.
He added that the government would "never compromise" on inmates' safety.
"Staff are trained to respond to emergency situations in a timely, appropriate manner," he said.
"Although the Fire Service routinely attend fire incidents in prisons, the majority are relatively minor in their nature."


The trial of Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi on tax fraud charges has begun in Spain.

Messi and his father Jorge, who manages his financial affairs, are accused of defrauding Spain of more than €4m (£3m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.
The authorities allege that the two used tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights.
The Spanish tax agency is demanding heavy fines and prison sentences. They deny any wrongdoing.
The trial is expected to last for three days, with Messi appearing in court on Thursday.
The income related to Messi's image rights, including contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company.
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Messi's lawyers had argued that the player had "never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analysing" the contracts.
But the high court in Barcelona ruled in June 2015 that the football star should not be granted immunity for not knowing what was happening with his finances, which were being managed in part by his father.
Messi and his father made a voluntary €5m (£3.8m, $5.6m) "corrective payment" - equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest - in August 2013.
Messi is the five-time World Player of the Year and one of the richest athletes in the world.