Wednesday 28 May 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex
Dobson.

Scots may jail parents for child’s bad
conduct
The Scottish executive is set to publish an anti-social behaviour
bill which could lead to parents of reoffenders being sent to jail
for their child’s actions.
Parental orders are one of a range of measures in the bill, others
include: electronic curfews for under-16s; an expansion of the
youth court pilot programme; and community reparation programmes to
make young offenders repair the damage they have caused. 
Source:- The Times Wednesday 28 May page 12
Britain still the asylum capital
The prime minister’s claim that Britain is winning the war on
asylum became questionable yesterday when new figures showed that
the UK is still accepting more asylum seekers than other
countries.
A new report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees showed that
in the first three months of the year over 20,600 asylum seekers
came to the UK, 16,180 went to America, 15,000 to Germany and
12,300 to France.
The research also showed that the 32 per cent drop hailed by Tony
Blair as evidence that the situation was going to change was
actually reciprocated across Europe and could have been linked to
international factors such as the war in Iraq.
Other findings showed that Britain still received a
disproportionate 22 per cent of all asylum seekers coming to the
EU.
Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 28 May page 1
Is this Kurdish Iranian, with a history of self-mutilation,
truly desperate or simply a pawn in the asylum brigades game?
Asylum groups have been accused of exploiting the case of
a man who sewed up his mouth, eyes and ears and went on hunger
strike to try to make the authorities allow him to stay as it
emerged that no decision had been taken on whether to contest his
right to remain in the UK.
It is believed that the home office has not yet decided whether to
appeal against the decision to allow Abas Amini, a Kurdish Iranian
with a history of self harm, to stay, prompting the
accusations.
Source:- Daily Mail Wednesday 28 May page 6
Prescott housing plan branded ‘a failure’
A scheme lead by John Prescott to help public sector workers buy
houses has been branded a failure after figures show a low take up
rate.
At present 2,678 nurses, police teachers and other key workers have
brought homes under the £250 million initiative two years
after Prescott set a target of helping 10,000 people to buy
homes.
Yesterday the Liberal Democrats said the scheme is in fact
contributing to the inflated housing market, leaving the workers
who are not part of the scheme paying more for their homes.
Source:- The Independent Wednesday 28 May page 6
Guardian Society
Shadow of doubt
Voluntary groups are angry over a switch of lottery cash to
Olympics. Tash Shifrin meets charities minister Lord Filkin, who
was also kept in the dark
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page
2
Housing revenue fails to add up
Hundreds of housing projects for vulnerable people could be
scrapped because of confusion and delay over funding.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 4
Cash spur to create local green spaces
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 4
Welsh council forced to think fast over race
Conwy council has become the first public body to have a compliance
notice issued against them by the Commission for Racial Equality
(CRE) for failing to produce a race equality policy.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 4
Time out
John Cunningham on the awards that recognise employers sympathetic
to staff civic duties
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 5
Given the boot
Two years ago, an ambitious regeneration scheme promised an urban
oasis for residents of a housing estate in Liverpool. So what went
wrong?
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 6
A sporting chance
The Positive Futures programme, using football and other activities
to steer ‘hard-to-reach’ young people away from crime and social
exclusion, is to be expanded.
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 10
High achiever
Mark Blake, raising expectations and attainment among
minority ethnic pupils
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 12
Going it alone
How will plans for foundation hospitals be put into action – and
will NHS executives start managing differently?
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 13
Blue outlook
People who manage public services are in deep trouble, if a new
survey for the Audit Commission is any guide
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 14
Dial for deliverance
Counselling helpline engages young troubled Muslims
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 102
Voice of reason
Scotland’s focus on anti-social behaviour could spell the end of
its progressive youth crime policy
Source:- Guardian Society Wednesday 28 May page 104
Scottish newspapers
Slum Scotland
The health of more than 90,000 Scots is being put at risk
by conditions in slum housing, experts warned yesterday.
Around a quarter of all homes across the country are affected by
condensation, almost 3,500 homes have no bath or fixed shower, with
half that number lacking their own toilet.
The bleak picture was highlighted at the Royal Health Institute of
Scotland annual conference. The institute represents more than
1,000 environmental, community and public health officials.
Source:- Daily Record  Wednesday 28 May page 2
Employers call for more talks in nursery nurses row
Public sector union Unison was urged to return to the
negotiating table yesterday by nursery nurse employers over
workers’ claims for more money.
Cosla, representing 30 of Scotland’s local authorities urged
the union to resume talks saying a process of job evaluation must
be completed before finance could be discussed.
Unison insisted it needed a financial commitment on hours and rates
before discussions could resume.
A strike of almost 1,000 nursery nurses is planned today and
tomorrow in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders.
Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 28 May
Let refugees work and help Glasgow, urges
council
The home office will be urged to allow skilled asylum seekers to
work in areas such as health, teaching and construction in
Scotland.
Glasgow council has asked the Scottish executive for permission to
lobby the home office to relax employment restrictions on asylum
seekers.
Around 75 per cent of those seeking asylum in Scotland have
professional qualifications, and with shortages in areas such as
teaching and health, the authorities believe a potential workforce
of more than 4,000 people could be created in a bid to boost the
economy.
Source:- The Herald  Wednesday 28 May
Welsh newspapers
Carers urged: Don’t miss out on support
Carers in Newport, south Wales, are being encouraged to take
advantage of the help available to them.
As part of Carers Week next month people who take care of a loved
one who is disabled, frail or ill will be offered information on
the help and benefits available to them.
There are more than 10,000 carers in the city and many of them may
not know about the services that are on offer to support
them.
Source:- South Wales Argus Tuesday 27 May page 9
Bullies ‘Made 12-Year-Old Boy Use
Knife’
A 12-year-old schoolboy claimed that bullies drove him to threaten
other pupils with a knife.
The boy pleaded guilty to using or threatening violence and being
in possession of an offensive weapon at a youth court in
Pontypridd.
The court was told that he had endured several months of bullying
and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.
Source:- South Wales Echo Tuesday May 27 page 9
Esti ‘oblivious’ to upset caused by her
disappearance
The four-year-old girl who was missing for six weeks after her
father took her abroad, is oblivious to the notoriety that her
story has attracted.
Estelle Clayton, known as ‘Esti’, went missing from her
home on 9 April, and her disappearance sparked an international
police hunt.
She was eventually found with her father in Portugal, and is now
back with her mother in Brecon.
Source:- Western Mail Wednesday May 28 page 3