Friday 11 April 2003

By Amy Taylor, Nicola Barry and Alex Dobson.
Tories denounce ‘meddling’ race relations industry
The race relations ‘industry’ was attacked by
Oliver Letwin, the shadow home secretary last night, who said it
was more likely to form ethnic divisions than erode them.
While speaking about the Tory philosophy on race relations Letwin
said that Britain was a tolerant liberal society by tradition, and
a place where ethnic groups could feel comfortable without
interference from bureaucrats.
Source:- The Times Friday 11 April page 16
Children to be given a Mars a day to aid
recovery
Children in hospital should be given Mars bars and crisps to
encourage them to enjoy eating, the government’s adviser on
children said yesterday while launching the new national standards
for children’s hospital services.
The national standards, launched by Al Aynsley-Green, the clinical
director for children, are a part of the government’s national
service framework for children, young people and maternity
services.
The standards aim to ensure that the care given to children
reflects the needs of different age groups.
Source:- The Times Friday 11 April page 16
Baby girl tortured to death by mother’s boyfriend
A 23-year-old man who tortured and murdered his
girlfriend’s baby girl while baby sitting her for her mother, was
sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday.
Ross Hammond was found to be responsible for 117 injuries on
13-month-old Jade Hart by a jury at Middlesex Guildhall crown
court.
Source:- Daily Mail Friday 11 April page 21
Scottish newspapers
Parents fight to save special needs school
A campaign has been launched opposing plans to close a special
needs school and disperse its pupils to units attached to
mainstream secondary schools.
Parents of the 218 pupils of Craighead School in East Kilbride have
called on South Lanarkshire council to shelve its closure
plans.
Source:- The Herald Friday 11th April page 14
50,000 Scots children live with drug addicted
parents
More than 50,000 children live with drug addiction, according to
researchers at Glasgow University.
At least one parent tends to be addicted to drugs, forcing
grandparents to try to pick up the pieces of their lives, with
neither financial nor professional support.
Source: The Herald Friday 11th April page 8
Parents to blame as alcopop sales rise
Parents are being blamed for the dramatic revival of
alcopops.
Dr Alex Crawford of Renfrew Council on Alcohol believes sales have
rocketed because of a softening of parental attitudes.
Source:- Scottish Daily Express Friday 11 April page
20
Welsh newspapers
Disabled mother and her son killed themselves in suicide
pact
A disabled mother and her terminally ill son killed themselves in a
suicide pact, an inquest heard yesterday.
Thelma Butler, aged 71 and her son Stephen Butler, aged 54, gassed
themselves at their Carmarthen home.
Mr Butler who was a full time carer for his mother was suffering
from prostrate cancer, and Mrs Butler was severely disabled with a
hip injury and could not walk without the aid of a walking frame.
They had told relatives and friends of their decision to take their
own lives.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 11 April page 7
Council listens to young people
Young people are to play a leading role in shaping and delivering
council services in Swansea.
Members of a youth forum are expected to be co-opted onto
committees of the city and county council with the intention of
allowing more young people aged between 11 and 25 to shape
services.
Source:- Western Mail Friday 11 April page 7