What the papers say - August 6, 2007

People across the country made the most of the hottest temperatures of the year yesterday as experts gave warning that another bout of dreary weather was imminent. Parks and beer gardens across the country were packed with people at the weekend but The Met Office has forecast unsettled weather over the next fortnight, with showers merging into longer spells of rain - The Times​

Nightclubs that use scanners to check clubbers' ID are to be investigated by Britain's privacy watchdog. The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has questioned whether clubs should be able to retain private information, including an individual's address and photograph - The Guardian​

Parents are taking their children to accident and emergency departments unnecessarily and are clogging up the system, the head of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said. Dr Hamilton said that minor cases need to be treated elsewhere, as A&E paediatricians are also seeing a rise in binge drinking among children, attention deficit disorder and allergies. She blamed pop stars and celebrities who are pictured drunk for fuelling the rise in binge drinking in children - Daily Telegraph​

The minimum legal driving age is expected to rise to 18 as part of reforms to cut the number of deaths caused on Britain's roads by novice drivers. There will also be a zero alcohol limit for newly-qualified drivers of all ages for a year after they pass the test, a consultation paper to be published this August will propose - The Times, Daily Mail, The Sun​

Smokers puffing away outside pubs and clubs are fuelling a massive surge in texting. Orange customers sent an extra 7.5 million texts in the fortnight after the July 1 smoking ban, compared with the previous two weeks - The Sun​

The Labour government is in denial about the continuing existence of the north-south prosperity divide, which is has failed to close despite 10 years in power, according to a left-leaning think-tank - The Financial Times, The Sun​