This compares to one in 100 on the Pill and one in 50 couples who use condoms.The deputy medical officer, Dr Jeremy Metters, advised women who were concerned to consult their GP or family planning clinic but stressed that the Government was not saying the device was not safe or should not be used by those for whom it is suitable."Family planning is all about choice, the woman's choice the couple's choice," he said "They must use the method which best suits their needs. "For many years Muslim parents have, through their taxes, been funding schools for other denominations. "I am pleased to be able to approve sound proposals which demonstrate that these new schools will comply with the statutory provisions governing all maintained schools, such as delivering the national curriculum and offering equal access to the curriculum for boys and girls."Schools have to meet criteria which include a good standard of education, the national curriculum, suitably qualified staff, equal opportunities for boys and girls, suitable buildings and financial competence.Zafar Ashraf, a spokesman at the over-subscribed Islamia school, said the school, which charges pounds 2,200 a year, faced a shortfall of pounds 250,000 this year. Two Jewish schools will also get public funding - the Mathilda Marks Kennedy primary School in Barnet, London and a new Jewish primary school in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire.Last month the Islamia school threatened to sue the Government because it had received no decision on an application for state-funding submitted a year earlier.The three existing schools have been given grant-maintained status but will be expected to become voluntary- aided, like other church schools, when a Bill which abolishes grant-maintained status becomes law later this year.Mr Blunkett is also expected to approve a new Jewish Orthodox primary school in Hertfordshire.Officials made it clear that the Government had consistently said that applications for state funding would be decided on their merits.Previous applications have been turned down because buildings or the curriculum were unsuitable or because there were already too many school places in the area.Mr Blunkett yesterday reassured critics of state-funded Muslim schools that boys and girls would be treated equally and the national curriculum, which has brought complaints from some Muslim parents, would be taught. For years Muslims have complained that white middle-class parents could send their children to religious schools free while Muslim, often working- class, parents had to pay. Previous governments twice turned down applications but now David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Education, has agreed Muslims should be allowed state-funded schools in the same way as Anglicans and Roman Catholics. The two schools are the Islamia primary School in Brent, London, founded by Yusuf Islam, formerly the singer Cat Stevens, and the Al Furqan primary school in Sparkhill, Birmingham At present, parents at both pay fees.

The first two Muslim schools to receive state funding were announced by the Government yesterday. Judith Judd, Education Editor, explains how an 11-year fight came to an end. When the tax element is stripped out, the base fare collected by the airline is as low as pounds 120 for 7,000 miles of air travel.. The London discount specialist Flightbookers was yesterday offering flights from Gatwick to Boston or New York on a Continental Airlines/Virgin Atlantic codeshare flight for pounds 170 return, for travel until the end of March. One reason why fares have fallen so sharply since the start of the year is a new Advertising Standards Authority rule requiring advertised fares to include pre-payable taxes. BA is advertising Amsterdam for pounds 79, saving pounds 20 on its lowest fare before the rule came into effect.As usual, travel agents are undercutting the official fares still more.

Of course, you need to get to the Far East in the first place. Discount agents were yesterday quoting one-way fares to Bangkok as low as pounds 240 on Aeroflot via Moscow, or on Uzbekistan Airways via Tashkent.A fares war has also broken out across the Atlantic. Fares announced yesterday have returned to levels last known 20 years ago, when Laker's Skytrain was in operation.British Airways yesterday matched Virgin Atlantic's cuts, reducing return economy fares to Boston and New York to pounds 189. Airlines belonging to the International Air Transport Association fix fares between themselves, resulting in high prices for travellers who need flexibility - mainly people flying on business.

But these fares are not immediately adjusted after wide currency swings.Anyone aiming for Lagos in luxury should buy a ticket in South Korea; the weakness of the won means the Seoul- London-Lagos return first-class fare has shrunk below pounds 2,500, saving more than a third on the London-Lagos ticket alone.Complex regulations can entangle the unwary traveller. If, for example, you wish to break your Bangkok-Santiago journey in London, the fare doubles to pounds 3,583 - but this still saves nearly pounds 1,500 on the normal London-Santiago fare.The fluctuations can also mean some flights become virtually free. A one-way London-New York Concorde fare costs pounds 3,500; travelling from Jakarta to London in first adds only pounds 350 to the price. To reach Santiago in comfort, the obvious choice is British Airways' Club World. It a monopoly on the route to the Chilean capital from London, and charges pounds 5,023 return.Yet if you buy a BA Club World ticket from Bangkok to Santiago, flying via London, the fare falls by two-thirds to pounds 1,714 - even though you are travelling almost twice as far.Air fares are one of the few surviving global commercial stitch-ups. Air travellers who fly to Asia now could buy up their ticket requirements for the whole year ahead - and save thousands of pounds.For many journeys, Independent research shows, Bangkok and Seoul are the ideal places to buy tickets, wherever your final destination might be.

And Simon Calder, Travel Editor, reveals that British business travellers are squandering a fortune by buying tickets here rather than abroad. January to March is traditionally a buyer's market for economy fares, but this winter the discount-flights business is offering even lower prices. Many of the bargains are to Asia, where airlines have experienced falling inbound traffic as a result of economic chaos. To fill the planes, they are forced to offer fares as low as pounds 299 to China's capital and back. Some passengers could be business travellers aiming to cash in on distortions in international fare structures, amplified by the weakness of Asian currencies.