Tuesday 21 October 2003

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.
Homes plan for south east key workers
The deputy prime minister John Prescott is expected to
announce how £1 billion of government funding will be used to
help key workers such as nurses and teachers to buy homes in
expensive areas.
He will outline four funding options for key workers under the
starter home initiative that is being extended until 2006.
Source:- The Financial Times Tuesday 21 October page 4
Teething trouble for £2bn poverty relief
scheme

A £2 billion government pilot scheme to help Britain’s most
deprived communities has caused tensions amongst those it is
supposed to be helping, according to an independent
evaluation.
The research by Sheffield Hallam University found that the New Deal
for Communities had experienced several “teething problems”, and
led to the “burn out” of local leaders.
Identified concerns included the failure to meet the needs of black
and ethnic minorities and insufficient management.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 21 October page 10
How legal aid cowboys make millions from asylum
‘ghosts’

Lawyers are making tens of millions of pounds in legal aid  by
‘representing’ asylum seekers they are not in contact with.
Whitehall officials believe that the chaos of the legal aid
system’s administration is allowing firms to pursue publicly funded
cases even though the supposed client has another solicitor, moved
away from the area or left the country.
The scandal was revealed by figures showing that for every failed
asylum seeker lodging an appeal last year, two lawyers made illegal
claims.
Source:- The Daily Mail Tuesday 21 October page 10
Scottish newspapers
Police to review child protection role after baby
death

Police are to review child protection services after the inquiry
into the
death of an 11-week-old baby concluded that the death was
avoidable. An independent inquiry into the death of Caleb Ness
highlighted a catalogue
of failures among social services, health authorities and the
police. The report criticises Lothian and Borders police for
failing to pass sufficient information on to social workers.
Caleb was shaken to death by his father, Alexander Ness, in October
2001
despite being on the social services at risk register.
Source:- The Herald Tuesday 21 October
Councillors flag up fears over asylum ceremonies
Westminster plans for citizenship ceremonies for asylum
seekers have
received a frosty reception from Glasgow councillors.
The ceremonies feature the national anthem and an oath of
allegiance taken
in the presence of the Union flag.
Both Labour and SNP councillors objected to the proposed use of
symbolism in
the ceremonies, urging a minimalist format that would be welcoming
for new
citizens instead.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 21 October
Welsh newspapers
GP Hits At Police Over Violence

A south Wales GP is angry at delays in setting up a safe haven
scheme for violent patients.
Dr Greg Graham, who practises in Pontypool and Cwmbran, said that
violence was a serious problem for GPs, their staff and patients.
He warned that family doctors were losing patience with Gwent
police, and may seek help from the Home Office to try to speed up
the measures taken to deal with aggressive patients.
Source:- South Wales Argus Monday 20 October page 1
Nurse appointed to seat of honour
A Welsh nurse has been elected to one of the top posts in the
world’s biggest nursing organisation.
Eirlys Warrington will take over as chairperson of the Royal
College of Nursing, which represents more than 300,000 nurses in
the UK, with immediate effect.
Warrington has been a nurse for over 40 years and for the last 20
years she was Gwent’s clinical nurse specialist in HIV and
AIDS.
Source:- South Wales Argus Monday 20 October page 13
Petition to save care homes grow
A one-man petition to save older people from care home closures has
gathered 10,500 signatures in just 10 months.
Ken Mack of Wrexham decided to take action after seeing the
traumatic effect that the closure of a care home had on his
mother-in-law.
His petition for a bill of rights for older people has attracted
widespread interest across the UK.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 21 October page 7

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