Friday 1 August 2003

By Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
Judge says Blunkett plan is ‘inhuman’ to
migrants
David Blunkett’s plans to deprive asylum seekers of food and
shelter unless they claim refugee status immediately on arrival to
the UK, suffered a fresh blow yesterday.
A high court judge ruled that the failure to offer asylum seekers
help while they slept rough breached their human rights by
condemning them to inhuman and degrading treatment.
Asylum support groups and human rights campaigners welcomed the
ruling, and said it would end the situation whereby persons fleeing
persecution were deprived of necessities while their applications
were processed.
Up to 3,000 asylum seekers could be affected.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 2
Police put on alert to house prisoners
Four chief constables have been placed on alert to hold
prisoners in police cells as jails in England and Wales are nearing
full capacity.
The emergency measures were put in place after the jail population
reached an historic 74,012.
Director general of the Prison Service, Phil Wheatley, has
requested help from chief constables in the West Midlands, Greater
Manchester, Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire forces.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 2
Abuse ruling
The court of appeal ruled yesterday that parents who are wrongly
accused of abusing children cannot sue the health authorities
concerned.
However the children can take action if they are victims of
negligence in an investigation of abuse or in care
proceedings.
The ruling was made in three test cases.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 2
Drunk pupils disrupting classes
A growing number of children are being disruptive in class or
missing lessons because of under-age drinking.
A schools survey found a “huge problem” of lunchtime
binges, vomiting and hangovers, and it tallies with findings that
the amount drunk by 11 to 15-year-olds has almost doubled in 10
years.
Nick Tegerdine, of the Nottingham Alcohol Problems Advisory
Service, who carried out the survey, said it was not just secondary
schools reporting problems.
“There are concerns about top-age primary pupils hanging
around with secondary pupils who drink at lunchtimes,” he
said.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 9
£1bn loss
Overpayment of income support and jobseeker’s allowance in
the year to the end of last September cost over £1
billion.
The Office for National Statistics said the figure represented a 26
per cent fall in fraud and error since 1998.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 9
Plea for disabled
The government is urging the advertising industry to help
reduce public ignorance against disability by featuring more people
with disabilities in its campaigns.
Minister for disabled people Maria Eagle said the government would
try to ensure that a fifth of its own campaigns used disabled
people.
Source:- The Times Friday 1 August page 9
Man in court over trafficking
Mousa Kamara was remanded in custody yesterday when he appeared
before Bow magistrates court in east London charged with people
trafficking and immigration offences.
The 29-year-old was one of 21 people arrested in raids targeting
alleged people traffickers.
Source:- The Guardian Friday 1 August page 6
Scottish newspapers
Social work crisis deepens as vacancies double
Unions warned yesterday that Scotland has not seen the
worst of the social work crisis, as figures published showed that
vacancies for posts had almost doubled in two years.
Statistics showed that vacancies increased from 1,526 in 2000 to
2861 in 2002. They also demonstrated that the number of people
working in the profession had risen by only 7.6 per cent since
1999.
The British Association of Social Workers warned that the numbers
would become worse as many staff reached retirement age.
Source:- The Herald Friday 1 August
Last ditch plea for Dungavel family
A fresh application for asylum was lodged by a Scottish human
rights lawyer last night on behalf of four Kurdish children, who
have been held in detention for over a year after their
mother’s plea to stay in the UK was rejected.
The last ditch attempt to prevent the Ay family being deported
comes after the House of Lords refused to consider the case.
Arrangements are in place to deport Yurdigal Ay and her four
children on Tuesday.
Source:- The Herald Friday 1 August
Rave drug brain fear
Taking the drug Ecstasy one night could affect mood and
behaviour for up to three months, scientists have claimed.
The findings suggest that clubbers who take even a small amount of
the drug risk permanent damage to brain function.
Hundreds of thousands of ‘E’ are taken in the UK every
weekend.
Source:- Daily Record Friday 1 August page 8
Welsh newspapers
Assembly steps in to save charities
Charities threatened with closure because of problems with
the Princess Diana Fund have been given a lifeline by the Welsh
assembly.
Edwina Hart, minister for social justice and regeneration, offered
the £211,328 rescue package following fears that the
charities, might have to stop vital work with vulnerable
people.
Two of the charities that received 100 per cent funding from the
Diana Fund and whose projects were threatened are Displaced People
in Action and Sova Refugees in Wales Mentoring Project.
Source:- South Wales Echo Thursday 31 July page 11
Baby seemed normal
The grandmother of a baby who was found to have a number
of serious injuries, told a court that she never realised that
anything was wrong with the child.
Kevin Manley denies assaulting the four-month-old baby he was left
to look after her for a short time.
The prosecution at Cardiff crown court allege that the baby was
injured two weeks before Christmas, but not taken to hospital until
the New Year.
The child’s maternal grandmother said that she had looked
after the child on Christmas Eve, and that at the time she appeared
a normal contented baby. The case is continuing.
Source:- South Wales Echo Thursday 31 July page 25
NHS trust’s mental health services
investigated
An investigation has been launched by the Commission for Health
Improvement (CHI) into mental health services provided by a Welsh
NHS trust.
Serious concerns were raised over the service provided by
Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust that also provides mental health
care for people in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
In a statement the trust said that it would cooperate fully with
the investigation, which is expected to take place in
September.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 1 August page 3