In Today's Papers

By Clare Jerrom, Lauren Revans and Alex Dobson

Blair and Howard shift focus to public services

The Conservative and Labour Party leaders both called yesterday for greater choice for users in return for higher spending.

Following last week’s disappointing election results, Tony Blair promised to speed up and extend public service reform, shaping service around individual need, while Michael Howard promised pupils and patients the “right to choose” their school and hospital.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday 16 June page 2

Schools to be give more power, insist education ministers

Schools will continue to be given more power over their own financial and management decisions despite the Chancellor’s concerns about the proportion of the Department for Education and Skills’ budget spent locally and the implications of that for efficiency savings.

Education secretary Charles Clarke warned that the 2.5 per cent efficiency savings required of each government department, on top of £15 billion on administrative costs, were “not attainable” in schools, particularly when the thrust of school policy was to devolve power and money to headteachers.

But schools minister David Miliband indicated that the DfES did not want to move towards centralised control, and would concentrate instead on strategic decisions.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday 16 June page 2

Warning of race relations risk from ID cards

The Commission for Racial Equality has warned that the home secretary’s plans for national identity cards could give the police new scope to victimise blacks and Asians.

In a paper submitted to the House of Commons’ home affairs select committee, the CRE says that blacks and Asians are already much more likely to be stopped by police, and that the introduction of ID cards could see them unnecessarily inconvenienced even further.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday 16 June page 2

TUC in warning on pensions

The Trades Union Congress has warned that one in five people would not live to receive a pension if the retirement age was raised to 70.

The union added that the biggest losers would be those living in the most deprived areas, particularly some London boroughs.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday 16 June page 4

Muslim girl loses school dress battle

A Luton school did not breach a pupil’s right to education by refusing to allow her to wear strict Muslim dress in the classroom, a High Court judge ruled yesterday.

Mr Justice Bennett said Denbigh High School, which allows Muslim girls to wear the shalwar kameez, a combination of trousers and tunic, had not breached human rights laws by not allowing Shabina Begum to wear the jilbab, an ankle-length gown covering the whole body apart from the hands and face.

Justice Bennett dismissed the 15-year-old’s claim for judicial review.

Source:- Financial Times Wednesday 16 June page 6

Judge exposes asylum claim fraud

Five failed Nepalese asylum seekers lost their attempt to stay in Britain after a judge exposed a scam in which they were helped to fill in identical legal challenges.

Mr Justice Wilson said the men had been advised what to write in legal documents as the opening sentence in each claim was identical.

He said there was further evidence to support his suspicion that abuse was taking place because the typeface was identical in each of the claims.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 16 June page 2

Refugee physicians not being utilised

Hundreds of refugee doctors in Britain are not practising because they face problems funding their studies.

The British Medical Association said 955 refugee and asylum seeking doctors were registered on a database but just 57 were practising.

Many of the doctors have refugee status but have not passed the exams they need to practise here.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 16 June page 2

Boy robber wins rights case ruling

Putting an 11-year-old boy on trial in an adult court was a breach of his human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.

The judges said the unnamed boy was unable to participate effectively in the legal proceedings because of his age and low level of intellect.

The boy, who was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ detention for snatching a bag from an older woman in June 1999, has been awarded £3,500 in costs.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 16 June page 4

Clark baby death doctor abused his position

A child abuse expert who accused the husband of Sally Clark of murdering their two children, faces disciplinary action after being found guilty of abusing his professional position.

David Southall behaved in an “irresponsible and misleading” way by filing a report on Stephen Clark based on a documentary, a General Medical Council inquiry ruled.

The consultant contacted social services and the police to warn them that he thought Clark had killed his two babies and was a threat to their third child, who was in his care.

At the time of the incident, Sally Clark was serving a double life sentence for murdering their two sons. She was later freed on appeal.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 16 June page 7

Task force for Asian offenders

A task force to combat serious crime among South Asian communities is being planned in London amid concerns at rising numbers of murders and kidnap.

Senior Scotland Yard detectives want to prevent the rise of powerful, violent criminals who could dominate Asian communities and provide dangerous role models.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 16 June page 13

‘Draconian’ Mental Health Bill revived

A Bill that would force patients with mental health problems to undergo treatment will be re-introduced within weeks, according to Rosie Winterton.

The health minister has told campaigners that the government will keep its promise to reintroduce the Mental Health Bill during this parliament.

The Mental Health Alliance, which includes mental health charitis Mind and Sane, protested that the bill, which allows the detention of people with dangerous personality disorders, was draconian.

Officials at the Department of Health have sought compromise by narrowing the group of people who will be subject to compulsory treatment when they are released in the community.

Source:- Independent  Wednesday 16 June page 6

Drug trial results published

Britain’s biggest drugs firm has caved in to pressure and published research showing how an antidepressant drug was linked to suicidal thoughts in children.

GlaxoSmithKline revealed the results from nine clinical trials after it was accused of withholding data on the effects of Seroxat on children and teenagers.

Source:- Daily Telegraph  Wednesday 16 June page 2

Asylum case lawyers milk legal aid

More than 120 solicitors firms have been overclaiming millions of pounds from the legal aid budget for handling asylum cases, it has emerged.

The news comes after investigations by the Legal Services Commission that led to £8 million of legal aid being recouped from law firms.

Ten of the worst offending legal firms have had their contracts for acting in asylum cases terminated by the commission, which is responsible for legal aid.

The government is set to announce plans for a pilot of its own pubic immigration and asylum legal service.

Source:- The Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 1

Detainees held in ‘filthy’ conditions

The Home Office admitted last night that detainees at an immigration removal centre in Doncaster had been thrown into the punishment cells at a neighbouring prison without proper authorisation.

Immigration minister Des Browne pledged that the practice would end by October as Anne Owers published an inspection report into Lindholme centre condemning the conditions.


The chief inspector of prisons highlighted that little improvement had been made to the centre since it was inspected two years ago and concluded that it was not an appropriate place to hold immigration detainees.

Source:- The Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 11

Carers hope to stay in contact

Cash injection sought to continue successful telephone project

Source:- Society Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 4

Community spirit

After tackling homelessness and drug dependency on the streets of London for four decades, the Rev Ken Leech, founder of the charity Centrepoint, is retiring.

Source:- Society Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 6

Steps in the right direction

The canteen of a London hospital is not where you would expect to watch classical ballet. But these performances form part of an innovative programme for mental health patients.

Source:- Society Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 8

Write and wrong

New research into young offenders suggests that screening for dyslexia would be beneficial in identifying sufferers and providing the support they need to stay out of trouble.

Source:- Society Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 12

What else can I do?

After taking time off to start a family, Penny wants to return to nursing, but not to her old job on a hospital ward.

Source:- Society Guardian  Wednesday 16 June page 144

Scottish newspapers

Anger as sex offences buck falling trend

Recorded crime in Scotland fell by five per cent to the lowest level in almost a quarter of a century, according to Scottish executive figures.

But women’s groups yesterday rounded on ministers for failing to tackle an alarming rise in the number of sexual crimes.

Cases of rape and attempted rape rose by 8 per cent while other sexual crimes such as indecent assault and offences connected with prostitution also rose.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 16 June

9 out of 10 firms ‘would not employ blind staff’

Nine out of 10 employers may be breaking the law and discriminating against blind job seekers, according to a report by the Royal National Institute for the Blind Scotland.

The study reveals 92 per cent of employers surveyed believe it would be “difficult or impossible” to employ a blind or partially sighted person.

Despite discrimination being illegal, employers put people with a sight problem top on a list of people they would not employ.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 15 June

Childcare academy will offer students one-year route to jobs

A childcare academy is to be launched by Edinburgh Council in August under an initiative thought to be the first of its kind.

The plan is part of the local authority’s strategy to recruit new carers to a profession.

Applicants to the academy, to be based in Pilton, will need no formal qualifications. The academy will offer students one-year on the job training for posts with after school clubs or as assistants in nurseries with the chance to progress to  qualify as nursery nurses.

Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 16 June

Care worker suspended over sick mobile snaps

A care home worker has been suspended following allegations that he used a mobile phone to take degrading photographs of older female residents.

The pictures are alleged to show five women aged between 67 and 98 in various states of undress. Policed were called after a worker made a complaint against a colleague at Parkhouse Manor Nursing Home. Bosses have suspended Joseph Shearer while an investigation is carried out.

Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 16 June page 9

Death trial is told of bruises on toddler

A child allegedly killed by his mother was covered in bruises when he was left with a childminder, a court heard yesterday.

Childminder Alexander Hastie told Manchester Crown Court she changed the boy’s nappy and found further bruising after his mother Lorna Gray had commented: “Look at him, anyone would think he is a battered child.”

The baby, called John, died in March last year in the home of Gray’s lover James McEwan, who she met on the Internet.

The court heard that John had 200 injuries to 92 areas of his body, including a split liver.

Gray and McEwan deny manslaughter and two charges of child cruelty. The trial continues.

Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 16 June page 9

Teen tragedy

A teenager at a school where bullies drove another girl to suicide has hanged herself.

Erin Payne was found in her bedroom by a family member and police are investigating why the 15-year-old killed herself.

However, they claim there is no evidence she had been the victim of bullies.

Suzy Barclay died at the same school, Balwearie High in Fife, in 1997 after being hounded by bullies.

The Samaritans have launched a campaign to combat the rise in teen suicides.

Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 16 June page 23

Welsh newspapers

Killed by waiting

A widow has told how her husband died after waiting three years for a vital heart operation and six years for a suitable house.

Cath Partridge said that her husband Douglas endured intense pressure while waiting for a triple heart by-pass because of blocked heart vessels. She describes too how she lobbied Caerphilly Council in south Wales in an effort to find a suitable house with a downstairs toilet and she claims that both the NHS and the council let her husband down.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 15 June page 1

Yobs could soon be ordered off the streets

Young people who make life a misery for Newport residents could soon be ordered off the streets at night.

Police are looking at imposing a curfew in some of the city’s trouble spots to help put an end to antisocial behaviour. Gwent police have just revealed that they will be enforcing dispersal orders in the Rhymney Valley for two months from June 18.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 15 June page 5

New twist in bridge row

Blaenau Gwent Council may be in line to be dubbed the worst service provider in the UK by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) because of a controversial landmark footbridge.

Alun Thomas of the DRC said that the new St Paul’s bridge in Cwm that has steep steps leading up to it on both sides is highly dangerous for disabled people. The council and the bridge designers have agreed to consult with the DRC and other advisory bodies over the access issues.

Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 15 June page 11

Credit union put paid to loan sharks

Loan sharks who charge exorbitant interest rates are being shown the door in one Welsh town thanks to the success of a financial co-operative.

The Save Easy Llanelli and District Credit Union has already loaned out more than well over £2.5 million and has some 2,500 members. Save Easy is a credit union that has been successful not only in Wales but in other parts of the UK. As a result of that success it has now been chosen to pilot a new initiative enabling people in Llanelli to access low cost loans and secure savings facilities through two local post offices.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 16 June page 5