Tuesday 13 December 2005

By Maria Ahmed and Amy Taylor

Help for carers
A Commission for Social Care Inspection report, State of the Nation, urged more help for the five million volunteers who support elderly or disabled friends or relatives.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 9

Blunkett may join revolt over Blair’s education reforms
Two former Labour education secretaries, David Blunkett and Estelle Morris, are poised to put themselves in the frontline of opposition to Tony Blair’s blueprint for “independent state” secondary schools, which threatens to split the party.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 1

Former SAS soldier who smothered terminally ill son walks free
Andrew Wragg, who suffocated his terminally ill son with a pillow, was given a suspended sentence for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after the judge accepted his wife had been “complicit” in the boy’s death.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 3

Whitehall divisions hit antisocial behaviour bill
Tony Blair’s drive to tackle antisocial behaviour is faltering, with plans for a “Respect” bill having to be shelved because of the lack of consensus across Whitehall over what it should contain.
Blair confirmed that his Respect bill had been downgraded to a Home Office action plan.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 6

More disabled people below poverty line
Three out of 10 disabled adults of working age are living in poverty and the proportion is increasing in spite of the government’s commitment to tackle social disadvantage, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported yesterday.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 9

Girl, 19, wins book deal with guide on how to survive parent’s divorce
Libby Rees, a 10-year-old schoolgirl who wrote a self-help guide to help her deal with her parent’s divorce is to have her book published, it emerged yesterday.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 13

Children ‘at risk’ from law delays
Children who are at risk of serious harm are waiting up to nearly a year for crucial legal decisions on their future because of a shortage of judges.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 12

Family jailed for ‘honour killing’
Chomir Ali, a father who ordered his two teenage sons to carry out the so-called honour killing of an Oxford student who made his daughter pregnant was told yesterday that he must serve a minimum of 20 years in jail.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 20

Blair backs down on sickness benefits
Ministers have backed away from a radical shake-up of the welfare system amid fears that proposals cut a long-term sickness benefit will lead to a bitter fight with Labour MPs.
Source:- The Financial Times Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 1

Samaritans ready for extra callers
The Samaritans are expecting a phone call every seven seconds over Christmas and the New Year, the charity said yesterday.
Last year, the charity had 680,320 calls in December and January.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 6

Police trace mother of abandoned boy
The mother of a new-born baby found abandoned between garages on a council estate has come forward.
The boy is being looked after by staff at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Tuesday 13 December 2005 page 10

Welsh news

Deprived areas to get housing renewal aid
Some of the most deprived areas in Wales are set to receive funding to help regenerate their communities.
The Welsh Assembly government is giving out £25.8 million worth of grants to local authorities in 35 areas which are designated areas of need.
The money will be spent improving housing and amenities in each area.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 13 December