In Today's Papers

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.

Baby bonds 'favour children from rich families'
Children from low income families won't be helped as much as those from rich families under the child trust fund scheme planned by the government, MPs said yesterday.
The Labour-dominated House of Commons treasury committee said in a new report that rich children would be helped more due to the option for parents and friends to top up the fund by up to £1,200 between them a year.
The scheme is open to children born after 1 September 2002 and involves an initial government contribution of £250, rising to £500 for poorer children. Ministers will also contribute an as yet undecided sum when children are seven.

Source:- Financial Times Tuesday 16 December page 3
Blunkett told to shelve refugee child 'threat'
A group of MPs has warned home secretary David Blunkett that his "threat" to take the children of failed asylum seekers who refuse to leave the country into care, could drive some families underground.
The House of Commons home affairs select committee said the policy could also provide others with an incentive to "go illegal" while abandoning their children in care.
The MPs urged for the plans to be shelved and for ministers to concentrate on "a vigorous government policy of swift compulsory removals" instead.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 16 December page 7
Drugs study finds children aged 11 on heroin and crack
Children aged 11 are experimenting with crack cocaine and heroin, according to new research.
A report, produced by the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University, found that at in parts of the Wirral children form 10 per cent of new clients at drug treatment centres.
In such areas the average age of first users of heroin is 19.8 years.
Other findings show that there are at least 50 children being treated for drug addiction in clinics in Merseyside and Cheshire.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 16 December page 6
£16,000 that's what the average asylum seeker's family gets a year in handouts (and it's all tax-free!)
Asylum seekers' families get more than £16,000 in tax-free support while they are waiting for their applications to be processed, according to government figures.
Immigration minister Beverley Hughes said that the support given to an average asylum-seeking family was £1,340 a month.
The figure includes the cash benefits and housing but does not include the cost to the NHS, schools, the Home Office and court processing asylum claims.
Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 16 December page 1
Scottish newspapers
Number of people sleeping rough falls – but not by enough
The number of people sleeping rough in Scotland has fallen by a third since 2001, although the Scottish executive has failed in its pledge to eradicate rough sleeping by 2003.
In October 2003, 328 people were reported sleeping on Scotland’s streets compared to 500 people two years ago. The research, carried out by George Street Research for the executive, found a drop of almost 19 per cent in the last six months.
Margaret Curran, communities minister, said the figures showed the Rough Sleeper’s Initiative was making real progress, although she admitted that the target set in 1999 to eradicate rough sleeping was ambitious and had been missed – “but only just”.

Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 16 December
Rangers’ greats lead fight against racism
Scotland’s first anti-racism children’s seminar to help remove prejudices that separates one from another on the grounds of race and religion was hosted yesterday by Rangers Football Club.
Backed by anti-racist charity ‘Show Racism The Red Card’, Rangers invited 100 city pupils to listen to a message of tolerance by club legends.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 16 December
Anger at Dungavel ‘sop’ on children
The government tried last night to head off a row over the imprisonment of the children of asylum seekers in Dungavel detention centre in Lanarkshire.
Beverley Hughes, home office minister, announced new measures requiring ministerial authorisation in the event of a child being detained for longer than 28 days at the centre.
Last night, opponents reacted angrily to the move claiming it did not go far enough. Shona Robison, the SNP’s social justice spokesperson, called for the centre to be closed.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 16 December
Welsh newspapers
Welsh doctor ‘failed to stop organ scandal’
The Welsh medical director at the scandal-hit Alder Hey Hospital took ‘no proper steps’ to stop the widescale practice of harvesting organ parts from dead children, a professional conduct hearing has been told.
The General Medical Council was told yesterday that Dr John Martin knew that parents’ wishes were being ignored and that organs were being removed without consent, but that he failed to investigate.
The hearing was told that Martin had failed in his duty as medical director of the hospital.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 16 December page 1
Assembly to be given control over problem-hit child service
Responsibility for the troubled Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) in Wales, is to be transferred to Cardiff.
Welsh Secretary Peter Hain is expected to confirm today that a proposal outlined in the Children’s Bill, will end an anomaly that gives the Welsh assembly power over all child welfare issues, except those in family court proceedings.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 16 December page 8