In Today's Papers

By Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Mubarek inquiry judge lambasts prisons policy
A High Court judge who led an inquiry into the murder of an Asian teenager killed by his racist cellmate has delivered a devastating verdict on the state of Britain’s prison system.
Source:- The Independent, Friday 30 June 2006, page 2
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Hospitals snub patients in cash row
A flagship foundation hospital trust is turning patients away in a row over funding that is exposing tensions over the government’s new system for paying for hospital care.

Source:- Financial Times, Friday 30 June 2006, page 2
 
Watchdog criticises CSA’s £500m revamp
A £550 million-plus revamp of the Child Support Agency three years ago had failed to produce any significant improvement in performance, the National Audit Office said yesterday.
Source:- Financial Times, Friday 30 June 2006, page 4
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Private sector to help NHS primary care trusts
The private sector will provide “expert help” to ailing primary care trusts, under new government proposals. A “contract notice” was placed by the Department of Health in a journal, inviting private health insurers to bid for roles running and controlling areas of primary care trusts.
Source:- The Independent, Friday 30 June 2006, page 6
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Number of children suspended from school rises by 13%
The number of badly behaved and disruptive pupils suspended from schools in England leapt by 13 per cent last year.
Source:- The Independent, Friday 30 June 2006, page 10
 
Children abused to drive out spirits
Child abuse linked to witchcraft and “possession” of evil spirits are hidden problems in Britain, children and families minister Beverley Hughes said yesterday as she announced measures to stamp out “horrific ritual abuse”.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 30 June 2006, page 2
 
Doctors agree to oppose all forms of assisted dying
Doctors gave a clear message yesterday that they were opposed to all forms of assisted dying in a series of votes at the British Medical Association annual conference.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 30 June 2006, page 8
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Scottish digest

Amnesty calls for action on sex trade trafficking
Trafficking of women and children for prostitution has become a modern day slave trade which Scottish ministers must address with dedicated services, Amnesty International has said.
The international human rights organisation also called on MSPs to put pressure on Westminster for the UK to sign the European convention on trafficking.
The government would then have to apply a 30-day "reflection period" to people brought illegally into the country before deciding whether to deport them.
Source: The Herald, Friday 30 June
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McConnell: police must stop flooding child panels
First Minister Jack McConnell has warned police and other agencies to stop passing the buck over the rising number of referrals to children's reporters.
McConnell said he welcomed the fact more agencies were willing to report cases but added: “At the same time, many of those referrals could be dealt with more effectively and more quickly in other ways.”
A group, which includes the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos), the Association of Directors of Social Work, and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, has made little or no progress in agreeing extra funding to tackle the surge.
Source: The Herald, Friday 30 June
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8 years for child sex scoutmaster
A former teacher and Scoutmaster Paul Firth has been jailed for eight years for abusing young boys over 22 years.
Firth was initially jailed for three years in 2003 for abusing two 11-year-old Scouts after being extradited from North Africa. However, further evidence of abuse emerged thereafter prompting the new charges.
He admitted abusing 13 more boys aged from eight to 16 between 1974 and 1996.Advertisement. The court heard Firth won the trust of his victims on camping trips in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Glenelg and Kyle of Lochalsh, sharing a tent with the boys.
Source: The Record, Friday 30 June
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100 people caught with drugs every day
New figures show that every day in Scotland almost 100 people are caught in possession of illegal substances.
Police found more than 34,500 people in possession of cannabis, ecstasy and other illegal drugs in 2005-6.
The number represents an increase of 2,100, or nearly 7 per cent, on the previous year.
Source: The Scotsman, Friday 30 June
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Welsh news

Where does your MP stand on Sarah’s Law?
Wales on Sunday will reveal your MP and AM’s view on Sarah’s Law this week.
The cross-party survey will show who supports and who is against the proposed legislation which would tell parents paedophiles’ whereabouts.
The law’s introduction is being debated again due to the row over the sentencing of paedophile Craig Sweeny.
Source:- icWales, Friday 30 June, 2006
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