Frontline NHS England staff will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the government will announce later. With about 110,000 of more than 1.4 million healthcare workers yet to have a first jab, Whitehall sources say a deadline will be set for next spring to give them time to get both doses. The government has already brought in a requirement for care home workers in England to be fully vaccinated from Thursday - and there are warnings of resignations. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not made proposals for compulsory vaccination of NHS workers or care home staff.
Our health editor Hugh Pym says unions are not keen on the idea of mandatory vaccination and will argue that persuasion rather than force is the best route. "The question is whether such a move in England will alienate staff already feeling the strain of growing pressure on the front line," he adds. Health service managers have expressed support for mandatory jabs, although they remain concerned about losing key workers at a time of concerns about staffing gaps. Last month, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the numbers taking up the vaccine in the social care sector "absolutely surged" after it was made compulsory.

There's been a happy ending to the story of a man stuck for more than two days after falling and injuring himself while caving in the Brecon Beacons. The man, in his 40s, is said to be "in good spirits", having finally been pulled out from the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system after 53 hours. He was stretchered to safety thanks to an effort involving about 250 people from several rescue teams. They clapped and cheered as he was taken to a waiting ambulance. Here's the full story.

Four years after the Grenfell tower block fire exposed the risk of some types of construction cladding, thousands of flat owners remain lumbered with huge bills for the removal of the flammable material from their buildings. But now the housing secretary is asking: "Why do they have to pay at all?" Michael Gove, who took over the housing brief in September, says plans to make flat owners take out loans for the work will be paused and is indicating the government should help with the costs faced by leaseholders, who are "innocent parties". Many of the "guilty men and women" responsible for "this terrible situation" were still in business, he told the Commons housing committee on Monday.

Private investors and the UK government are backing Rolls-Royce to explore the development of up to 16 small nuclear plants, to the tune of £415m. Covering roughly the space of two football pitches, the small modular reactors (SMRs) are touted as a tenth of the size and cost of a conventional plant, quicker to build and capable of powering one million homes - the equivalent of more than 150 onshore wind turbines. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng says they can help further cut the use of fossil fuels. But environmental groups say the £210m in public money would be better spent on offshore wind, tidal and solar power. Greenpeace's Dr Doug Parr says there's "still no solution to dispose of the radioactive waste" and that SMRs are more expensive than renewable technologies.

The fallout from the government's failed attempt to overturn the suspension of MP Owen Paterson, who was found to have breached lobbying rules, continues on front pages. The Times' headline describes "anger as PM skips sleaze showdown", referring to Boris Johnson missing a Commons debate on the matter. "I'm a prime minister... get me out of here!" is Metro's take on his trip north, while the debate took place. The i newspaper says Mr Johnson refused to apologise, while the Daily Express urges: "Just say sorry for the mess, prime minister." It describes "fury from the opposition and deep misgivings from many on his own side". Read the review.

A joyful tale comes courtesy of aspiring actress and Down's Syndrome activist Millie Anna, who was treated to a wizard day out with Gandalf himself - aka Sir Ian McKellen. The actor spotted one of Millie's Instagram photos, outside the Theatre Royal Windsor, and asked her to show him around town... for four and a half hours. While Millie is planning a career in the limelight, a man who has shunned attention for nearly 40 years is finally telling his story. Ken Smith has been living without electricity or running water in a hand-made log cabin on the banks of a remote loch in the Scottish Highlands. But now he's the subject of a documentary.

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