Wednesday 14 May 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
Half of all doctors have been asked by patients to aid euthanasia,
survey reveals
Half of all doctors in Britain have been requested by
patients to help them fulfil their wish to die, according to new
research.
The independent survey of over 900 doctors, mainly GPs, by
anti-euthanasia group Right to Life also found that a quarter of
this group were in favour of a change in the law that would allow
them to help terminally ill patients to die. But further findings
showed that 60 per cent were opposed to the concept of assisted
suicide.
Source:- The Independent Wednesday 14 May page 2
Minor reshuffle fails to hide split in government
ranks
The government has strengthened the department  for international
development, previously led by Clare Short, by appointing Hilary
Benn as an extra minister.
Yesterday Benn was promoted to minister of state at the department
with Paul Goggins, MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, succeeding him
as the minister for prisons and probation. Goggins also takes on
Benn’s previous responsibility for young people.
Source:- The Independent Wednesday 14 May page 8 
Britain ‘will let Europe decide its asylum
policy’
Britain is about to sign away its asylum  policy to Europe, MPs
heard yesterday from a leading lawyer.
An EU directive will give Brussels much greater power over what the
UK can do to prevent asylum seekers from coming into the country.
It will also prevent the UK from being able to pull out of the
international conventions governing asylum, a measure the prime
minister has been considering for some time.
The warning came from Martin Howe QC, an expert in European and
constitutional law, who was giving evidence to a Commons inquiry
into asylum.
Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 14 May page 2
Isle of Man in move towards euthanasia
The Isle of Man could soon become a haven for those wanting to end
their own lives with members of the Manx parliament voting
overwhelming in favour of introducing a bill to legalise voluntary
euthanasia yesterday.
If the law was changed on the island it could end the trip abroad
for those wanting to partake in assisted suicide.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 14 May page 7
Age bar to curb forced marriages
The age at which a potential husband or wife can be
brought to Britain has been raised from 16 to 18 in an attempt to
try and prevent forced arranged marriages in the Asian
community.
David Blunkett, the home secretary, introduced the new measure on 1
April due to increasing concern about the level of young girls
forced into arranged marriages with men from their parents’
birthplace.
Source:- The Times  Wednesday 14 May page 2
Guardian Society
RNIB chief takes train route out
Ian Bruce, chief executive of the Royal National Institute for the
Blind (RNIB), is leaving the position after 20 years to focus on
developing academic courses for voluntary sector managers.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 4
Bank’s big donation sets up desk jobs
Not-for-profit recycling company Green-Works is currently
considering what to do with 7,000 desks they have been given by
HSBC, following its move to new offices.
The donation, a part of 3,000 tonnes of office furniture donated by
the bank, has created 10 six-month job placements for people who
are long-term unemployed or homeless.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 4
About turn
The benefits of simplifying and integrating  public services cannot
be underestimated to those who are heavily reliant on them. Martin
Wainwright on the councils leading by example
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 5
New horizon
How does a charity that has been working in the same way for 400
years modernise itself?
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 6
Class Action
As a new report intensifies the best way to educate disabled
children, Kendra Inman meets a mother spearheading a legal
challenge
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 10
From frontline to engine room
Profile: Christine Golden, winner of the public servant of
the year award
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 11
Dirty money
Many charities have been slow to adopt socially responsible
investment, but pressure is growing, reports Simon Birch
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 12
Up to scratch
Boardrooms are in turmoil, in both public and private
sectors, as directors, chairs and executives fight for turf. In the
first of a series, David Walker looks at ‘governance’ in the social
housing sector
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 12
Wind of change
Don’t complain if the elections shifted the power at your
town hall, Barry Quirk advises fellow managers: it’s a great
opportunity
Executive action
Council chiefs accept  responsibility for child safety
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 127
Loose connections
Unfair treatment of foster carers fuelling shortages
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 127
Closed minds
The Chinese community is suffering in silence because of the stigma
that surrounds mental illness
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 14 May page 128
Scottish newspapers
Courts could be swamped by anti-bullying cases
Courts could be swamped by bullying cases bought by
victims’ families, even though this is a slow way to deal
with the problem, Scotland’s leading bullying expert claimed
last night.
Andrew Mellor, who is manager of the Anti-Bullying Network funded
by the Scottish executive, said he expects more people to take this
step following a landmark case last week where two schoolgirls were
warned that they face prison if they continue to bully a fellow
pupil.
“I think the courts could soon be swamped if everyone wants
to go to court to get an interim interdict. I think there will be
more because this has produced an outcome,” Mellor said at a
bullying conference yesterday.
Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 14 May page 2
Tragedy mum in plea over perv list
The mother of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne was cheered by police
chiefs yesterday after she called for the public to be allowed to
see the sex offenders register.
But pregnant Sara Payne rejected calls for child killers to face
the death penalty saying no-one had the right to take the life of
another, at the Police Federation conference in Blackpool.
Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 14 May page 4
Homeless misery toll up by a third
The number of homeless people in Scotland increased by almost a
third last year, according to new statistics.
The number of homeless families with children living in bed and
breakfast accommodation more than doubled in 2002 rising from 48 to
99. A total of 155 children were living in B&Bs out of nearly
3,000 living in temporary housing.
The figures are an embarrassment to the Scottish executive, which
is committed to ending the use of B&Bs for families with
children.
Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 14 May page 12
Police put me in cuffs and threw me in jail cell after I
was raped
A deaf mute mum claims she was locked in a police cell when she
tried to tell police that she had been raped.
The distraught woman was handcuffed and kept overnight in a cell
before a sign language expert was called and the alleged attack
discovered.
The 44-year-old women’s ordeal came to light at the high
court in Edinburgh where 17-year-old James Clark denies rape.
The trial continues tomorrow.
Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 14 May page 13
Welsh newspapers
We are letting our children down again
A third council in Wales has been castigated for crucial
failures in the systems set up to protect vulnerable adults and
children.
A damming joint review report from the Audit Commission and the
Social Services Inspectorate for Wales has found that Blaenau Gwent
in south Wales is not complying with its statutory duties, is not
serving people well and has poor prospects for improvement.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 14 May page 1
Owen berated official after ‘obscene’ exams
stopped
An examiner told a child abuse inquiry how he was told by alleged
paedophile and former drama teacher, John Owen that he would never
examine again following complaints he made about inappropriate
material contained in a drama practical that Owen had
devised.
The Clywch inquiry, chaired by children’s commissioner for
Wales, Peter Clarke, is looking into Owen’s activities during
his time as a teacher in a south Wales comprehensive school. Owen
committed suicide just before he was due to stand trial on charges
of sexually abusing boys in his care in 2001.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 14 May page 5
Bill ignores Welsh patients
Hospitals in England will have no legal duty to treat Welsh
patients under the government’s sweeping health service
reforms.
Currently tens of thousands of Welsh patients receive treatment in
England each year, but the controversial Health and Social Care
Bill that will create foundation hospitals, offers no protection
for Welsh patients.
The first clause of the bill describes foundation hospitals as
providing goods and services for the purpose of the health service
in England, but omits any mention of the rest of the UK.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 14 May page 5