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Cameron makes tax pledge in conference speech

David Cameron pledged to raise the threshold for the 40p income tax rate from £41,900 to £50,000 over the course of the next parliament.

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Minister 'will look at women-only train carriages'

Introducing women-only train carriages could help combat a rise in sexual assaults on passengers, a Transport minister has said.

Conservative MP Claire Perry said such carriages already existed in Japan "because there is a particular problem with groping and low-level violence".

"It is a very interesting question and I will look at all ideas," she said.

A carriage reserved for women and children in Thailand. Credit: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha

There are also women-only cars on selected trains in countries such as Thailand, India and Brazil.

There were 1,117 sexual offences recorded by British Transport Police (BTP) in the 12 months to March 2014 - a 20.8% annual increase.

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