Thursday 2 January 2003

By Amy Taylor and Alex Dobson.

L-test plan for electric wheelchairs

Electric wheelchair users could soon have to take a driving test
before being allowed on the streets in the vehicles, and may be
subjected to speed restrictions, under a government review of
legislation.

The 145,000 users could also be required to take out third-party
insurance as a result of the department of transport commissioned
review that comes in response to concerns that the greater use of
the vehicles may result in more accidents from reckless driving and
congestion on pavements.

Source:- The Times Thursday 2 January page 3

Thousands ‘losing out’ on tax credits

A tax credit aimed at helping new parents in the first year of
their child’s life was condemned yesterday for failing to reach
hundreds of thousands of families.

The Conservatives said the credit had the lowest take up rate
ever recorded with fewer than one in five families who could
benefit putting in an application.

The baby tax credit was announced by Gordon Brown in his 2001
budget, offering up to £1,000 to “around 500,000” parents of
newborn children every year. However, figures released yesterday
show only 85,000 families had applied for the credit since it was
introduced last April.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 2 January page 2

Teenager remanded over fatal attack on bus

Brian McCormack, a 19-year-old from Fallowfields, Manchester,
was remanded in custody yesterday charged with murdering a man who
was attacked on a bus in Manchester city centre.

Jolyon Griffin, an IT worker from Stockport, Greater Manchester,
died on Christmas Day, eleven days after being attacked.

Source:-The Independent Thursday 2 January page 4

Racism ‘stops black staff getting top college
jobs’

Institutional racism is stopping black lecturers from reaching
senior positions in further education colleges, and threatening to
undermine the educational achievements of ethnic minority students,
according to a three-year study.

Despite being better educated than their white colleagues,
ethnic minority staff were found to be less likely to hold
prestigious posts, the study by the Commission for Black Staff in
Further Education found.

Source:-The Independent Thursday 2 January page 5

Civil servant squares up to anti-social
behaviour

Louise Casey, Whitehall’s least conventional civil servant,
takes over today as director of a home office unit dealing with bad
behaviour.

Casey, a civil servant for barely three years, becomes head of a
new anti-social behaviour unit. Its first task will be to produce
the anti-social behaviour bill promised in the Queen’s speech.

Casey was formerly deputy director of the housing charity
Shelter, and joined Whitehall to launch the rough sleepers’
unit.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 2 January page 8

Welsh newspapers

Neglect case couple bailed

A man and a woman have been arrested after two young children
were found in a street in a north Wales town.

A four-week-old boy and a three-year-old girl were found in
Betws-y-Coed, and were taken to a local hospital where the boy was
treated for suspected hypothermia. The girl also received treatment
for cuts and bruises.

Police have been questioning the man and woman after allegations
of child neglect and assault, and the children are now the subject
of a protection order.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 2 January page 3