26 bus at Hackney at 1.30pm - when at least one of the upstairs windows on the bus was blown out. Terrified passengers were evacuated from three Tube trains and a bus in London this afternoon after a series of small explosions. Only two-thirds of non-resident parents were paying towards their children's upkeep, while accuracy had fallen from 82 per cent to 75 per cent last year.The Public and Commercial Services Union said staff were leaving in large numbers because of the stress of dealing with the computer chaos.. Just 66 per cent of fathers are complying with maintenance assessments, well below the CSA's own target of 78 per cent, and accuracy rates have plummeted."With cases costing just under £200 each to administer, it almost makes the problems with tax credit system look mild."The report, released as a photocopied document amid a flood of publications before Parliament breaks for the summer, said the backlog of cases being processed stood at 263,000.

Staff numbers have fallen by 5` per cent and computer problems left 12,000 new cases being processed by hand. David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, insisted the agency was making continuing progress, although he acknowledged: "Some significant problems remain with the new computer and telephony systems." The report showed staff numbers fell from 10,215 to 9,750 during the past year, despite warnings from the Commons work and pensions committee that cutting jobs would be a "massive breach of trust" for the workforce.David Laws, the Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman, said: "It is time they scrapped the CSA and simplified the system for collecting payments The backlog of cases has grown over the year. I think there is a lot more argument to be had about this," he said.Damian Green, a member of the 1922 Committee executive that drafted the rules, said: "It's ridiculous we will have to wait until November to get a new leader but, given where we are, this is as fast as possible.". The crisis-hit Child Support Agency has been making mistakes in one in four cases, its annual report has revealed. The new system has yet to secure the approval of the Tory party convention comprising activists, MPs and MEPs, but it is likely to go through once it has the backing of the Conservative Party board.Mr Ancram was holding out hope it would be rejected by the convention "I am sorry it has gone through I think it is a retrograde step. Under the new system, nominations will close on 20 October, followed by a consultation period lasting until 3 November with ordinary party members and hustings.The rank and file will be able to submit the list of candidates in their preferred order to MPs who will make the final choice. The first ballot among MPs will be held on 8 November, eventually being whittled down to the final two in a run-off.Mr Howard, Theresa May, the former party chairman, Michael Ancram, the deputy leader, and the new Tory MP Michael Gove were among those opposed to the changes.

He is bitterly opposed by Eurosceptics but still has the political clout and "bloke appeal" with voters to attract support from Tories who put winning the next election above purity of policy. His allies have become frustrated at his failure to make it clearer, and one of his main allies, Ian Taylor, has indicated he would support David Davis.Mr Clarke's entry into the crowded field could change the betting. He now will think that, in a vote among the MPs, he could win."Mr Clarke, who has beendefeated in leadership bids twice before, repeated his hint this week that he is seriously considering standing He gave the hint in a speech to the Tory Reform Group. Michael Howard will resign as leader on 7 October, the day after the annual party conference in Blackpool, triggering the hustings that could produce a new leader by 10 November. A former cabinet minister said: "I think it will bring Ken in, because he would not go in front of the membership, having been beaten last time by Iain Duncan Smith. Intelligent Finance, for example, currently has a rate of 5.19 per cent with no early redemption penalties: cheaper than most SVRs, and with no penalties for switching, should rates head up, not down.. Kenneth Clarke, a former Conservative chancellor, could be persuaded to run for the Tory leadership after MPs voted to remove the power to elect a new leader from grassroots activists.