What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott takes a look at what is making the headlines in Wednesday's morning papers.

The prospect of 400 job losses at the Housing Executive is the lead story in the News Letter.

It says the losses are being imposed "to meet budget reductions imposed by the assembly".

It quotes a union official, who says it "doesn't make sense" to lay off so many workers at a time when Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie had announced plans to create 5,000 new homes over three years.

The paper comments that it would be a great pity if such ambitious targets "were missed because of cost-cutting within the Housing Executive".

There are very different stories under the main headlines in the other Belfast papers.

The Belfast Telegraph has an interview with the deputy police chief in Jersey, who is investigating allegations of horrific child abuse at a former care home.

Lenny Harper is from Northern Ireland - hence the reason for the interview.

He denies being a police informer, he says he decided to go public to nail a myth that has been fuelled by rumours in recent weeks Irish News

He says he hopes the investigation will be drawing to a close by the time he retires in September.

The Irish News has another interview - this time with Jim McCarthy, a leading member of the Community Restorative Justice organisation.

In it, he denies being a police informer.

He says he decided to go public to "nail a myth that has been fuelled by rumours in recent weeks".

Teacher trouble makes the headlines in Dublin.

As the Irish Times reports, they have threatened industrial action, including a series of one-day strikes, to protest against "the government's failure to keep class sizes down".

The Irish Independent says they are on the warpath, "not just about class sizes, but also over disruption by pupils".

According to the paper, the unions are claiming that there is "too much emphasis on the needs of the disruptive student".

The story says the government has been told that children are receiving "a worse education than they did 20 years ago".

The authorities in the Commons have already spent £50,000 trying to fend off Freedom of Information campaigners on this issue, and it's likely to cost £100,000 more Sun

The papers are less than impressed with attempts to keep MPs' expenses claims under wraps.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, has decided to challenge an order by a Freedom of Information tribunal to make public the expenses of 14 current or former MPs, including Gordon Brown.

And no prizes for guessing who picks up the legal bill, says the Daily Mail.

The Sun highlights the same angle.

"You pay to keep MP perks secret," says its headline.

It reports that the authorities in the Commons have already spent £50,000 trying to fend off Freedom of Information campaigners on this issue, "and it's likely to cost £100,000 more".

The Express wonders what MPs "have to hide".

Finally, the tale of a giant rabbit.

The Daily Mail reports on the story of Amy, who is thought to be "the biggest bunny in the world".

She is 4ft long and weighs 3st 7lb.

She is almost a stone heavier than the previous record holder, Roberto, who happens to belong to the same owner.

As the paper points out, the plan now is to breed them, which may result in even bigger offspring.