Papers scrutinise Blair holiday

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Tony Blair's stay at the Florida mansion of Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb during his family holiday is widely reported in Thursday's papers.

The Daily Mail quotes Mr Gibb's wife as saying the couple had neither asked for nor received any money from the Blairs.

The Daily Mirror says Mr Blair often makes a charity donation rather than pay when staying at a friends' home.

This tactic ensures that the prime minister does not have to disclose the amount to MPs.

Food campaigns

The Daily Express is concerned about what it calls the "deadly superbug menace threatening the NHS".

It focuses on a warning given by a coroner following at least 12 deaths in the space of a month linked to infection by Clostridium difficile.

And the Guardian says consumers are to be presented with two rival advertising campaigns relating to unhealthy food.

The Food Standards Agency and manufacturers are launching adverts promoting alternative schemes.

Parental power

Freedom of information - or the lack of it - is the Independent's lead story.

It says an official report shows that 40% of requests made under Labour's right-to-know laws have been rejected. It questions why this is the case.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson tells the Times he is looking at new ways of informing parents about their children's progress at school.

He told the paper proposals involve giving parents direct e-mail and text message contact with teachers.

Bowling blunder

The Daily Star tells how Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has ridden a high-performance motorbike, 98 days after crashing a jet powered car.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reports on England's woes in the Ashes series.

It reports on the team's bowling plans - with detailed notes for tackling each opposition batsman - which fell into the hands of the Australian media.

It says: "Just when the tour of Australia appeared to have hit rock bottom" the visitors hit new depths.