LONDON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Most people in Britain have no plans to go out New Year's Eve, but a report published Thursday says 1.6 million of them will get into brawls.

Various surveys compiled by the Daily Mail also said an estimated 60,000 people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will spend the night in jail, which the newspaper said is certainly linked to the fact 18 million gallons of alcohol will be consumed that night.

As far as spending goes, for the 20 percent of Britons who plan to go out, Scots will spend the most despite their association with thriftiness. A Mint credit card survey said Scots on average plan to spend about $275 each. By age, 25- to 34-year-olds will fork out $250, while the overall British average is $175 per person.

While London's Tube, or subway, service plans to offer free transportation New Year's Eve, many London taxi companies charge an extra $50 per trip.

Canada's funding of clowns questioned

OTTAWA, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A Canadian politician is demanding to know why the federal government has spent $1 million on training clowns, the Toronto Sun reported Thursday.

The newspaper learned the funding came as grants in the past two years to the Montreal-based National Circus School, where students learn clowning and acrobatics.

Many of the graduates end up working with one of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil troupes, one of which has a longstanding Las Vegas contract, while five others travel the world.

Member of Parliament Pat Martin of the leftist New Democrat Party is furious.

"If we're underwriting the training for Cirque du Soleil, it's time to claim some equity share," Martin said. "There's no need to be funding Cirque du Soleil now that it's hit Vegas."

Martin said he was baffled about the government's priorities.

"What are they doing training clowns when there's a skill shortage for carpenters?" he said.

Bruce Winchester of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation agreed.

"People think there's enough of a circus going on in the House of Commons. Why would we need to train more people for that profession?"

Woman keeps lottery win secret until death

LANGSTONE, England, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A small British town is in shock one of its residents won $1.8 million in a lottery in 2001 but kept it secret until her funeral, the Daily Mirror reported.

Jaws dropped this week at the funeral of Gail German, who died of cancer at the age of 53. By her request, her will was read out loud.

"I wish my body to be buried following a service at which I would like an announcement made regarding my lottery win (of $1.8 million) in October 2001," the will said.

The unmarried woman left the $375,000 cottage where she was born to a children's hospice and gave $10,000 to the village church in Langstone, where she was buried.

The rest was left to a children's hospital in London and two other hospices, apparently to the dismay of her family -- German's sister refused to comment.

Meanwhile, a lottery spokeswoman said everyone who wins the lottery has the right to remain anonymous.

Mother wins surprise while taking ride

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A cable car ride a South African mother insisted on taking with her kids up Cape Town's Table Mountain paid off handsomely.

Boitumelo Saku-Ramolefe was clocked as the 16 millionth visitor to the site which earned her lots of gifts, including a cash award of about $266, the Cape Argus reported.

"I was confused, happy and excited," a breathless Saku-Ramolefe said as she posed for photographers on the cable car platform.

She said she didn't want her two children, ages 12 and 6, to go up the mountain by themselves because it was too cold.

"I insisted and now I'm glad we went," she said. Her other gifts included free return tickets for her family, a bottle of champagne and a meal in the mountain restaurant.

"It is fitting that in this, the year of our 75th anniversary, we end the year with the celebration of our 16 millionth passenger," said the general manager of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Co.

The company took its 15 millionth passenger about 18 months ago and estimates the 17 millionth passenger may be standing on the mountain by June 2006.