By Clare Jerrom.
Drug war on wealthy
Affluent middle class cocaine users are being targeted by the police in a new tactical blitz on drug abuse, it emerged yesterday.
‘Zero tolerance’ policy is being introduced in the heart of London’s theatre-land following complaints from residents about drug loitering.
City professionals will be prosecuted if found in possession of small amounts of Class A drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy.
According to police, professionals such as bankers and other office workers buy a quarter of all drugs sold in the West End.
Source:- Daily Mail Thursday 8 November page 39
Church charity chiefs face financial crisis
The Children’s Society is to scrap its work in Wales and drastically scale down its projects in England in a bid to rectify its financial crisis.
The withdrawal from Wales will save the charity £1.3 million, and another £5.1 million will be saved by closing 26 projects in England and cutting fund raising budgets.
Ian Sparks, chief executive of the Children's Society, said: "These have been tough decisions to take, but in the circumstances, and given our financial situation we feel there is no alternative."
Source:- Daily Telegraph Thursday 8 November page 15
Parents told: you are free to smack
It is expected the government will tell parents in England and Wales that they can continue to smack their children without interference from the state.
Alan Milburn will not follow the example set in Scotland where the administration is preparing to outlaw all physical punishment of under threes.
Ministers have decided there is no need to change the law to comply with a European Court of Human Rights ruling that the UK failed to protect a boy whose stepfather beat him with a cane.
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 8 November page 1
Prisons chief keeps his job
Martin Narey became the first director general of the prison service to have his contract renewed for a second three-year term.
Source:- The Guardian Thursday 8 November page 12
Children get royal support
Queen Rania of Jordan showed her support for children’s rights yesterday as she unveiled an NSPCC undercover unit in south London, which investigates paedophile activity and other crimes against young people.
Queen Rania, who is accompanying her husband on a three-day state visit to Britain, has been a campaigner against child abuse since she became queen in 1999.
Source:- The Times Thursday 8 November page 5
Scottish news
Pupils made ecstasy from internet
One of Scotland’s best-known independent schools has expelled four boys for making an ecstasy-type substance from internet instructions.
The 17-year-old pupils at Glenalmond College became ill on Saturday after trying the substance on school premises.
School spokesperson Jeremy Poulter said the school had a strict policy on drugs and the teenagers had to be expelled.
"Teenage boys will be tempted to experiment and it is a cause of great concern that such information should be on the net," Poulter added.
Source:- Daily Telegraph Thursday 8 November page 5
Cancer warning kept from Deacon
Health minister Susan Deacon never saw a letter warning of a crisis at Scotland’s largest cancer centre, even though the letter was addressed to her.
The letter, sent in April, warned her that Glasgow’s Beatson cancer centre was "lurching from crisis to crisis", but was replied to by a junior civil servant without Deacon being aware of the crisis.
Deacon has now made public a series of emergency measures in a bid to solve the problems. She has called for outside experts to sort out the beleaguered North Glasgow Trust, which runs the centre. Consultants will have more say in decision-making and extra support will be given to cancer clinicians.
Source:- The Herald Thursday 8 November
Charity payout just 3.6p in pound
A Glasgow-based charity raised almost £150,000 from the public in its first year, but distributed only £5,405 to good causes for children.
The payout means the equivalent of 3.6p in every pound went directly to the disabled and disadvantaged.
The Children’s Appeal Foundation kept almost two thirds of the income for a director’s remuneration, staff wages and commission to collectors. It also spent £13,000 on travel expenses.
The charity is under investigation by a division of the crown office.
A spokesperson from the crown said: "The Scottish Charities Office is aware of this charity. They closely monitored its operations last year, and are awaiting its accounts to February 2001, which are expected within weeks. If there is cause for concern, like any charity that is investigated, then action will be taken. That will depend on the outcome of inquiries."
Source:- The Herald Thursday 8 November
