In Today's Papers

By Mithran Samuel, Maria Ahmed and Derren Hayes

MPs say illegal migrants should be able to work

A cross-party group of MPs have backed a campaign to give illegal migrants who can speak English and have been in the country for four years the right to work.

Labour deputy leadership candidate Jon Cruddas has tabled a cross-party motion backing the demands of the Strangers into Citizens campaign, which will hold a rally in Trafalgar Square on 7 May on the issue.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 26 April 2007 page 18

Howard joins critics of Home Office ‘gimmick’

The government could introduce an early release scheme after prisons and probation services are transferred to the new Ministry of Justice next month, despite the opposition of prime minister Tony Blair, it has been reported.

Reports in the New Statesman also claimed that home secretary John Reid, whose department will lose responsibility for criminal justice policy, would rush out a series of announcements during the period between Blair’s resignation and his successor taking over, expected at the end of June.

These would include confirming its decision not to import a version of “Megan’s Law”, the US legislation that permits the disclosure of convicted paedophiles’ identities to local communities.

The Home Office has dismissed the claims.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 26 April 2007 page 19

NHS admits 17 trusts are mired in debt

The Department of Health last night named 17 NHS hospital trusts across England which are mired in debts worth hundreds of millions of pounds and cannot survive without a fundamental reorganisation.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 26 April 2007 page 4

Home tutoring lifts IQ of autistic children

Autistic children who receive intensive one-to-one tutoring when very young have shown dramatic increases in IQ levels which can allow them to go into mainstream schools, according to research published yesterday.

The two-year study into early intensive behavioural intervention also found young people showed more advanced language and daily living skills than a control group, who received standard educational support, such as speech therapy.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 26 April 2007 page 12

Violence related to alcohol is reduced

Fewer people were treated in hospitals for drink-related violence in the first year of relaxed licensing laws.

Source:- The Times, Thursday 26 April 2007, page 2
 
Teaching makes autistic toddlers brighter

Toddlers found to have autism who undergo intensive teaching programmes from the age of 3 can raise their IQ by as much as 40 points, according to a three-year study.

Source:- The Times, Thursday 26 April 2007, page 29

Prison complaints

The Prison Service is to overhaul its staff complaints procedure after being threatened by the Equal Opportunities Commission with a formal investigation into sexual harassment.

Source:- The Times, Thursday 26 April 2007, page 2
 
How welfarism is destroying Britain!

Melanie Phillips passionately argues that the Welfare state is to blame for many of Britain’s problems

Source:- The Daily Mail, Thursday 26 April 2007, page 17
 
Scottish news

Quarriers staff in one-day strike over pay

Staff at Quarriers have gone on strike in a dispute over pay in what is the first industrial action in the 137-year-old history of one of Scotland's biggest charities.

About 100 Unison members took part in a one-day walkout at four of 127 projects run by Quarriers across Scotland and in Bath over a 2.5% pay offer.

Projects affected included Seafield School in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, which caters for 66 boarding and day pupils with social and emotional behavioural difficulties, and North Ayrshire Supported Living in Saltcoats, which provides shelter for young men and women aged 16-25.

Source:- The Herald, Thursday 26 April