In Today's Papers

By Shirley Kumar, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Brown ally quits in row over welfare reform

Work and Pensions secretary Andrew Smith has resigned amid claims he was at odds with the government’s plans for welfare reform.

Smith was alleged to be at uneasy about plans to change the rules on invalidity benefit currently claimed by three million people. His resignation has prompted a Cabinet reshuffle this week.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 1

Places in care homes fall 10,000 in a year

Care homes for the elderly and disabled have fallen 10,000 in a year bringing the total decline since 1996 to 89,000, revealed consultants Laing and Buison in a report.

The report said there was no incentive to build new care homes because fees from councils were too low.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 2

Comprise on plan to lock up mental patients

Plans to detain dangerous mentally ill people will be unveiled in a draft Mental Health Bill tomorrow.

The proposals are expected to be watered down due to an outcry from more than 60 organisations.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 4

Davis backs out of supporting book condemned as ‘Islamophobic rant’

Shadow home secretary David Davis was forced to climb down in disowning a book by the immigration whistleblower Steve Moxon.

Moxon decided not to support the book, classed as ‘Islamophobic rant’ at the last minute.

Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 8

Black boys betrayed by racist school system, says report

Research commissioned by London mayor Ken Livingstone shows black schoolboys have been betrayed by education authorities for almost 50 years.

They are struggling to overcome racism from many of their own teachers. Teachers lack of engagement with students of African-Caribbean origin has contributed to massive underachievement.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 2

People smugglers held

A gang of four have been arrested in Zeebrugge, Belgium, after allegedly trying to smuggle 31 people into Britain.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 8

Conditions at largest jail worsen

Conditions at Wandsworth Prison in South London have worsened since a critical report 16 months ago.

The prison, the largest in the country, is holding inmates in ever more cramped conditions due to a rise in prison population, revealed the chief inspector of prison’s report.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 13

Inquiry told of deadly ‘blunders’

Blunders that may have resulted in the murder of an Asian prisoner by his violent cellmate were revealed at a public inquiry yesterday.

The inquiry heard prison officers failed to search the cell of Robert Stewart who murdered Zahid Mubarek in March 2000, despite finding a weapon in the cell weeks before the killing.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 13

Church fury at mercy killing bill

Church leaders have condemned proposals to allow carers to help people die.

The Roman Catholic and Church of England Bishops say the move disclosed in the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill, a private members bill, is unnecessary and misguided.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 13

Poorest children denied nursery

Poor children are not accessing nursery places because of post code lottery, revealed the Commons Public Accounts Committee.

In the report published today, MPs said children from the worst off homes were denied places because they lived outside the 20 per cent of council wards deemed the poorest by the Department for Education and Skills.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 2

Half of the migrants allowed to stay are joining their families

Around 50 per cent of immigrants allowed to stay permanently in Britain are here to reunite with their families, according to a report commissioned by Shadow home secretary David Davis.

Out of 139,670 granted permanent settlement last year, 65,805 were dependant relatives and 19,385 were given leave to stay for work related reasons.

Source: The Daily Mail, Tuesday 7 September 2004, page 35

Scottish newspapers


Granite city’s bid to banish begging by fines and prison

Aberdeen is set to become the first local authority in Scotland to outlaw begging from its streets.

The city is set to introduce a bylaw which would make it an offence to beg in Aberdeen. Those found begging could face a fine or imprisonment.

Councillors will also be considering introducing a targeted support and care scheme for beggars as part of a package of measures to ban begging in the city.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

£2m crackdown on loan sharks aims to protect vulnerable

A government-funded scheme to crack down on loan sharks who prey on vulnerable people is set to be introduced in Glasgow.

The project, launched later this month, is aimed at tackling criminal gangs who give out quick cash loans, often using intimidation and threats of violence to extort large sums in return.

A team of eight investigators will work from Glasgow Council offices and will receive tip-offs from community police officers about illegal lenders operating across Scotland.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

Nursing home closes early after elderly residents are re-housed

Lynedoch Private Nursing Home in Edinburgh has been allowed to close after all of its residents found new homes.

In July it emerged that the home owners had given some older residents just a month to leave.

Following news of the planned closure, the Care Commission ordered the home to remain open until mid-October to give families time to make arrangements.

However, the home closed last week after all 67 residents found alternative placements.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

MS patient who fought for right to use cannabis dies at 56

A multiple sclerosis sufferer who campaigned for the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has died at her home in Orkney.

Biz Ivol died after a chest infection developed into pneumonia, according to friends.

Ivol went on trial at Kirkwall Sheriff Court in June 2003 on charges of cultivating, possessing supplying cannabis.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

Deaf wait 18 months for hearing aids

Some deaf patients in Edinburgh are being forced to wait 18 months for hearing aids, according to a survey.

The study by the British Society of Hearing Aids Audiologists found backlogs of clients at some hospitals meant patients were waiting as long as four years.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

Suicide worry

Scots are twice as likely to commit suicide than the rest of the population in the UK, a study has found.

The Scottish executive has launched a new body Choose Life, which will be devoted to raising awareness of the extent of the problem.

Source:- The Scotsman  Tuesday 7 September

Job help for parents

Single parents in Midlothian are set to be offered advice on taking steps back to employment in a series of information open days organised by Jobcentre Plus.

A team of specialists will be offering information on the wide range of help available including one-to-one support, help with CVs and finding childcare and benefits help.

Source:- Evening News  Monday 6 September

Glasgow campaign aims to beat the bigots

A campaign to stamp out bigotry in Glasgow has been launched after the number of race-related incidents in the city has risen by 13 per cent in the last year.

The council has launched a six-week campaign costing £218,000 to tackle racism and sectarianism and a spokesperson said more schemes would follow under its zero tolerance of prejudice or discrimination in any form.

A survey found two out of three Glaswegians believed bigotry blights the city.

Source:- The Herald  Tuesday 7 September

Welsh newspapers

Hostels upgrade for the single homeless

Two community hostels in Monmouthshire are being renovated to help tackle the growing problem of homelessness in the county.

Monmouthshire council hopes that the homes in Abergavenny and Chepstow, which will be turned into hostels for single homeless, people and provide 24-hour assistance to those in need will help address the problem.

Source South Wales Argus Monday September 6 page 6

Best friend tells of Laura’s last moments

Teenager Rebecca Ling has described how she tried to save the life of her best friend Laura Rhodes after changing her mind about their suicide pact.

Rebecca and Laura both took an overdose of painkillers but Rebecca changed her mind at the last minute and both girls were rushed to hospital, where 13-year-old Laura was pronounced dead. The girls met through the internet and had run away together after a family holiday.

Source Western Mail Tuesday 7 September page 1