THE Labour Party is offering to sell policy documents to Westminster lobbyists in return for pounds 1,000-a-year subscriptions. The Independent has learnt that the drive to engage the interest of professional public relations firms starts with a special Labour Party seminar at the end of this month at the party's Millbank headquarters .

A children's Budget may cut juvenile crime and give help to families. By David Walker

A newt idea

I've never really trusted people with flash key-rings. The sort of person who squanders hard-earned cash on redundant gew-gaws like this invariably also has a nasty silver credit-card holder they're desperate to show you.

ADOLESCENTS in the Nineties spend more than twice as long playing the field in their search for a mate as they did 40 years ago. Young people are having sex earlier - on average at 17, compared with 20 for men and 21 for women in the Fifties - but the age at which they settle down with a partner or get married is unchanged - 22 for women and 24 for men.

Controversy dogs Radio 4's schedule changes, due on air in April. James Boyle, the station's controller, is on the road to canvass audience opinion and to explain his rationale. Paul McCann listens in and wonders whether the public's voice will really be heard.

LAST WEEK I was able to indulge in a great luxury. While most scientific meetings are organised along fairly specific lines, where the subject is clearly demarcated, I organised a one-day seminar with eight speakers of my choice on any topic.

There have always been university drop-outs. But research to be presented at a seminar sponsored by `The Independent' next week suggests numbers could be much higher than previously thought - as many as 60,000 a year. They go for many reasons - financial and personal - but many feel let down by the experience of university life, wasting an estimated pounds 91m of taxpayers' money every year. What should be done?

THINK MIME, think Marcel Marceau or, even worse, physical theatre. But hang on a second, let those scales drop from your eyes, because a lot has changed in the world of visual theatre over the past few years, and this year's London Mime Festival, now in its 20th year, has one of the most exciting line-ups for ages.

Businesses are constantly being urged to look overseas for sales and opportunities, writes Roger Trapp. But, often, the truth is that they do not know where to cast their eye. Or, even if they do, how to act on what they see.

Clifford Cumber complains about the amount of teaching he receives while studying philosophy at York (Your Views, 11 December). But his account is mistaken and misleading.

A senior Labour figure yesterday urged the Government to be more radical in its plans for raising standards in schools. Judith Judd, Education Editor, listened to the views expressed at a Fabian Society seminar.

Since the attempts to censor david Cronenberg's Crash any film which attempts to tackle sex and violence feels threatened with a ban. Chris Darke examines offerings at the London Film Festival whose controversy might outweigh their worth.

The Government will today try to convert European partners to its ethical foreign and arms trading policies. Kim Sengupta examines radical and controversial proposals being put forward to exercise international control on the weapons of death.