Wednesday 16 February 2005

By Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Livingstone claims “Mail” and “Standard”
provide food for racism

London mayor Ken Livingstone continued his feud with the Daily Mail
group by saying they “continue to provide food for racism
today”.

He suggested the group’s wartime owner the first Viscount
Rothermere would have been “at the front of the queue of
collaborators” had Hitler defeated Britain.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday February 16 2005 page
7

Big increase in HIV-positive blood donors is revealed

The number of HIV-positive blood donors has increased to the
highest level for 16 years. In 2003, 42 people who gave blood were
found to be unwittingly carrying the HIV virus.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday February 16 2005 page
16

Labour accuse Tories over unethical tests claim

Conservative shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley described
medical testing of immigrants as unethical and unnecessary just six
months ago, Labour claims.

The Conservatives yesterday pledged to force immigrants to undergo
medical checks to prevent them becoming a drain on the health
service.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday February 16 2005 page
2

NHS pay gap widens as chiefs earn more than prime
minister

Top pay in the NHS is becoming more like that in the
private sector with the highest paid chief executives earning more
than the prime minister.

Pay for chief executives rose between 7 and 7.5 per cent in 2003 to
2004, over twice the 3.2 per cent rise most staff received,
according to Income Data Services.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday February 16 2005 page
4

Exam results improving faster in schools backed by
business

Exam results are improving faster in specialist schools than other
state secondaries.

An evaluation by Ofsted found specialist schools, which are backed
by business, demonstrated “an impetus and climate for
improvement.” But teaching in specialist arts and modern
language colleges needed to be improved, it said.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday February 16 2005 page
6

Last stand of a gangmaster

Breeze blocks, timber and other missiles rained down on police and
council workmen as they moved in to bulldoze an illegally-built
hostel for immigrant workers in Gosberton, near Spalding in
Lincolnshire.

One man threatened to blow up a car by laying a long fuse to its
petrol tank.

Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday February 16 2005 page
10

Early-release prisoners “send crime rate
soaring”

Letting prisoners out of jail early has caused re-offending and
huge numbers of avoidable crime, according to Home Office
figures.

Almost 60 per cent of adults released from prison are convicted of
another offence within two years.

Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday February 16 2005 page
20

Murder appeal rests on life of abuse by men

The Appeal Court in London will hear fresh evidence about the
psychological effect of years of abuse on Joanne Cole, who was
convicted of the murder of her former partner four years ago.

Her legal team believe the case could clarify the law on
provocation.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday February 16 2005 page
6

Asylum debate threatens UN refugee scheme

A groundbreaking UN scheme to five refuge to some of the
world’s most persecuted refugees in Britain is being
jeopardised by the corrosive political debate over asylum.

Councillors from all the main parties have held back from
volunteering to settle the refugees in their areas.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday February 16 2005 page
8

Access all areas

A website allowing disabled people to swap homes for their
holidays has been launched. The site aims to tackle one of the most
frustrating problems faced by disabled people.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday February 16 2005
page 4

The dog days are gone

The Albion Estate Residents Group has received an award from the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for making the estate a
cleaner, greener and safer place.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday February 16 2005
page 7

The cost of lost youth

It is time for Labour to make child poverty and social exclusion
a priority, former minister Stephen Byers told the audience at the
Centrepoint 35th anniversary lecture.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday February 16 2005
page 8

City centre ban on boy who robbed 16 times in two
months

A boy of 11 has been banned from Nottingham city centre after
carrying out 16 robberies in two months. The boy was placed under
probation service supervision for 30 months after the court heard
he had “terrorised” staff and pupils at a school.

Source: – Daily Telegraph Wednesday February 16 2005
page 5

Scottish newspapers

Free health care sums are £130m out, claim economists

Leading economists have warned the Scottish executive may have
underestimated the cost of its free personal care for the elderly
policy by £130 million a year.

Jim and Margaret Cuthbert, a husband-and-wife team of economists,
published evidence which they claimed showed that the
Executive’s policy was based on flawed research and major
misjudgments.

Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 16 February

Island harness wind to chauffer disabled locals

One of Scotland’s windiest islands is to use its chief
natural resource to help power a new taxi service for its older and
disabled residents.

Although free to disabled users, other islanders will have to pay a
small hire charge to cover insurance costs.

Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 16 February

£60m black hole in the budget for elderly care

Ministers have ordered a fresh inquiry into the cost of free care
for older people as new research indicates original estimates may
have been out by £60 million a year.

A paper published yesterday claims that this funding gap will widen
in years to come, possibly by a further £130 million annually
by the year 2022.

Rhona Brankin, deputy health minister, said the executive would
examine the findings.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 16 February

Welsh newspapers

Tug-of-love father: I had no option

A father who went on the run with his daughter in New Zealand
shortly before her Welsh mother was due to bring her back home said
that he had no option.

Steve Jelicich, who is from Auckland, said that he just wanted to
protect baby Catlin and that he could offer her a better quality of
life in New Zealand.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 16 February