By Clare Jerrom, Reg McKay and Alex Dobson.
Tories take a vow of poverty
The Tories are calling for fresh policies on tackling poverty and reforming the welfare state.
Shadow work and pensions secretary David Willetts will say that the economics based ideology of the 1980s is no longer the way to address social problems.
In a speech today, he will say: "The renewal of our approach to poverty is not just essential for people living in our most hard-pressed areas. It is also crucial to the renewal of Conservatism itself."
Willetts will reinforce his message by spending the night in a council house in Birmingham tomorrow.
His speech is intended to build on the recent call by Oliver Letwin, shadow home secretary, for a "neighbourly society", which takes account of the social causes of crime.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 27 February page 2
Take back expelled drug boys, head told
A head teacher who expelled two boys for drug dealing, has been ordered to take the pupils back to school.
Neil Brett expelled the two teenagers from St Edmun’s Roman Catholic School in Southsea, Hampshire, after they were caught selling cannabis. Another boy was given a lengthy suspension for smoking the drug.
But an independent appeal appointed by Portsmouth council, has ruled the teenagers should be taken back to school.
Brett said: "The fact that these two pupils have returned sends out a very bad signal. It says that it isn’t a serious offence and that my authority can be overturned."
Brett continued that staff at the 900-pupil school hoped they would be sent to a referral unit. The boys would now be taught in isolation.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 27 February page 3
Teenagers face tagging to beat street crime
Electronic tagging could be used to tackle hardcore teenage offenders when they are bailed.
Magistrates will get the powers to order suspects between the ages of 12 and 16 to wear tags to enable their movements to be monitored, under laws coming in on Friday.
David Blunkett announced the measures yesterday, and it is expected that 1,800 young offenders will be tagged a year. The scheme will be piloted in London, the West Midlands, Northumbria, Greater Manchester, Avon and Somerset and Thames Valley.
The home secretary said: "My message is that there will be no untouchables in the criminal justice system. It is not acceptable for young criminals to carry on offending after they have been arrested and placed on bail."
"This will be an important weapon in our armoury for reducing juvenile crime," he added.
Source:- The Times Wednesday 27 February page 4
Eight city superjails may replace 30 relics
Thirty rundown prisons may be replaced by a network of eight superjails each holding 1,500 offenders, an internal Prison Service report recommends.
Under a huge building programme, rundown jails would be replaced in "new for old" projects.
The study, commissioned by former home secretary Jack Straw suggests that the best locations for superjails that would be erected in the next few years, would be Hertfordshire, London, West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear.
Author of the report Patrick Carter said: "Too many of our prisons are old, costly and unsuitable for modern needs."
Source:- The Times Wednesday 27 February page 6
Aid workers in food for child sex scandal
Refugee children in west African have been sexually exploited as aid workers in 40 agencies have offered food rations in return for favours, a report says today.
Children in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea accuse not just aid workers of sexual abuse, but claim they have been exploited by UN peace keepers and community leaders, in a report by Save the Children and UNHCR.
The report says that in all three countries workers used "the very humanitarian aid and services intended to benefit the refugee population as a tool of exploitation".
The report says: "Most of the alleged ‘exploiters’ were male national staff who traded humanitarian commodities and services for sex with girls under 18."
Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 27 February page 1
Guardian Society
Tea and dignity
WRVS to focus on older people’s care
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 4
Hard lesson in capital
Eviction threat highlights key worker housing crisis
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 4
Balancing act
Charities lead towards service provision
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 4
Schools for scandal
Poor families rarely get help with the cost of children’s uniforms
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 5
Out of site
NHS Lift aims to offer one-stop local health centres in new or modernised premises – with the help of private sector finance.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 10
Slow to act
Business could face prosecution if they fail to adapt to the needs of disabled customers
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 104-103
A bitter pill to swallow
Mental health patients offered no alternative to medication
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 103
Rude awakening
Care providers may be forced to pay for staff on-call duty
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 27 February page 103
Scottish newspapers
Groups share £120 million to fight poverty
Nearly 50 organisations across Scotland are to share £120 million to fight poverty, the executive announced yesterday. Glasgow initiatives will receive around £3 million for Glasgow north, £3 million for Glasgow Pollok, £1 million for Gorbals and £4 million for Easterhouse.
Source:- The Herald Wednesday 27 February page 8
Welsh newspapers
Businesses lose out by failing to welcome disabled people
Welsh high street businesses are losing out because they fail to cater for the needs of disabled people.
New research from the Disability Rights Commission has found that newsagents,
gift shops, convenience stores and hairdressers are more ignorant about
disabled customers needs than anywhere else in the UK despite the fact that
Wales has a higher proportion of disabled people than the rest of the UK.
The findings of the research conducted among 100 small and medium sized
businesses in the principality coincided with the publication earlier this
week of legal guidance on disabled people's rights of access to goods and
services.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 27 February page 2