Wednesday 25 February 2004

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson

Asylum applications drop by 41 per cent

The number of people applying for asylum has fallen by almost
35,000 last year, new figures reveal.

It is hoped that the 41 per cent drop will appease voters concerned
about the expected arrival of thousands of people from Eastern
Europe when the 10 accession countries join the EU on 1 May.

Despite the fall, Britain is still the most popular west European
destination for refugees.  

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 25 February page
8

Police chiefs in Huntley row

The Information Commissioner and police chiefs clashed yesterday,
the day before the start of hearings in the Bichard inquiry into
how Ian Huntley managed to get a job as a school caretaker in
Soham.

Richard Thomas branded Humberside police’s decision to delete
records of sex allegations against Ian Huntley
“astonishing”, in written evidence for the
inquiry.

Meanwhile, evidence from the Association of Chief of Police
Officers (Acpo) said that Thomas had interfered in decision making
over whether to delete information contained in individual’s
records.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 25 February page 2

Life for addict who pushed man under train

A drug addict who pushed a man under a tube train was sentenced to
life at the Old Bailey yesterday.

Stephen Soans-Wade committed the attack on Christophe Duclos in an
attempt to be committed to a mental hospital. He was found guilty
last month.

Judge Martin Stephens said: “You had significant assessment and
treatment in hospital but your conduct and in particular, your use
of illicit drugs made the doctors’ task difficult if not
impossible.”

Source:- The Times Wednesday 25 February page 13

Amnesty for new EU migrants

Thousands of illegal migrants from the EU accession countries
living in Britain will be offered an amnesty which gives them the
right to stay, the government has announced.

Those from countries joining the EU on 1 May and who have been
working illegally will be allowed to stay as long as they go on a
migrant workers registration scheme.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 25 February page
6

Beaten boy begged to be adopted

A boy who says his parents beat him, wrote a letter to his school
begging to be adopted, a court heard.

The letter was read out at Birmingham crown court after the boy’s
parents pleaded guilty to child cruelty.

The eight-year-old’s teacher passed the letter to Birmingham
social services, who contacted the police.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 25 February page
7

Tanzania camp plan for refugees refused UK home

Tanzania is set to take failed Somali asylum seekers from Britain
if current negotiations are acted on.

The plan would involve failed asylum seekers being housed in a camp
in the country. The Tanzanian government has been offered an extra
£4 million a year in aid as part of the negotiations.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 February page 1

In on the act

Helen Edwards tells Tash Shifrin why championing communities from
inside government is no different from her past role campaigning
for the charity sector.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 February page
6

Scrapheap challenge

Two-thirds of Britain’s cities were this week slammed for their
filthy streets and environments.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 February page
7

Room for recovery

The government is to allocate extra cash for groups
working to get refugee professionals employed in the health
service.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 February page
8

Caught in a spat

The government wants charities to deliver more public services. But
across Britain small community groups are facing ruling as social
services departments cut their budgets.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 February page
10

What else can I do?

Colin has spent 23 years in teaching and now wants to take his
skills into other areas of public or voluntary sectors.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 February page
132

Scottish newspapers

Police probe death of Somali refugee, 11

A Somali boy died yesterday in an incident in a Glasgow secondary
school.

The 11-year-old, who lived in the Barmulloch area for three years,
collapsed shortly after being involved in a reported scuffle with
another pupil. Police said a 12-year-old boy had been reported to
the procurator fiscal.

A post mortem was being carried out last night but early
indications suggest he may have choked or suffered a heart
attack.

It is understood the boy’s parents had recently been granted
permission to stay in the UK.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 25 February

Airborne closed at peak of success, figures show

The row surrounding the closure of the Airborne Initiative for
young offenders intensified last night after it emerged the scheme
was closed despite displaying some of the best results in
history.

Campaigners fighting to save the rehabilitation centre believe the
Scottish executive’s decision to withdraw funding, leading to
the closure of the scheme, was ill-timed as the centre had shown a
marked improvement in the number of people completing the
course.

The latest figures show that 39 inmates graduated from Airborne
last year – the second highest number in the decade it has
been running.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 25 February

Prisons fuller than ever

Scotland’s jail population is at its highest ever level,
according to Scottish executive figures.

The total number of people in Scottish prisons rose by two per cent
between 2002 and 2003 from 6,404 to 6,523, with the number of
female inmates rising by seven per cent to 297 in 2003.

However, the number of young offenders in prison fell by five per
cent.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 25 February

Scots nursery nurses announce all-out strike

Nursery nurses yesterday announced their decision to go on all-out
strike from next week.

Carol Ball, chairperson of the public sector union Unison’s
nursery nurses working party, said officials felt they had no other
choice but to strike.

However, Pat Watters, president of Cosla, the umbrella group for
local authorities, said industrial action was unnecessary as local
authorities were willing to discuss a settlement.

Source:- The Scotsman  Wednesday 25 February

Lothian patients denied sight-saving treatment

Sight saving treatment is being denied to patients in the Lothians
despite sufferers elsewhere in Scotland being treated in
Edinburgh.

Photodynamic therapy, which involves lasers and chemicals, is being
used at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, but is only available
to patients from other health boards.

Sufferers in the Lothians are being denied the treatment, which
costs £6,000 per patient, because health chiefs claim they do
not have the cash to fund it.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 24 February

Social work shake-up ‘danger to children’

The Association of Director of Social Work has warned that a
controversial restructuring of the Edinburgh social work department
risked placing children in greater danger.

The body, headed by Edinburgh’s chief social work officer
Duncan MacAulay, believes plans to axe the department in the
aftermath of the Caleb Ness tragedy could prove “potentially
dangerous to the welfare” of the youngsters and adults it
deals with.

The group’s submission to the local authority suggests there
is “little evidence” that a shake-up would improve
services.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 24 February

Abuser jailed for preying on woman

A man who abused a woman with learning difficulties has been jailed
for three years.

William Kydd locked the 46-year-old woman in a cupboard as police
tried to find out what had happened to her after she was reported
missing by a neighbour.

Kydd admitted at the high court in Edinburgh to biting the woman
and squeezing her neck, as well as punching and kicking her.

He had been accused of keeping the woman prisoner in his home in
September last year, raping her and forcing her to commit other sex
acts as well as burning her with a cigarette and threatening her
with a knife.

Those allegations were dropped when he pleaded guilty to a reduced
charge of assault to severe injury.

It is understood Kydd’s victim lived alone and refused the
help of social workers.

Source:- Evening News  Tuesday 24 February

Welsh newspapers

Scratch ‘n’ slim cards for schools

Scratch cards aimed at encouraging children to choose healthy lunch
options are being introduced in some Welsh schools to help fight
obesity.

The cards, which are awarded when children choose food such as
fruit and vegetables, are being introduced initially in schools in
Caerphilly, but if successful the scheme will be rolled out across
Wales.

Prizes include racket sport, swimming, fitness, or
‘activate’ sessions at local leisure centres.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 February page 1

Rhodri says: Be Finnish, not fat

The first minister of the Welsh assembly, Rhodri Morgan, wants
Wales to emulate Finland in an effort to improve the health of the
nation.

The assembly hopes to bring together a series of existing
initiatives to encourage communities across Wales to take more
responsibility for the country’s high levels of ill health,
under the banner of ‘Health Challenge Wales’.

Morgan said the new programme would follow Finland’s example
and engage communities across Wales in an effort to improve
health.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 February page 1

Child care cases reviewed

Welsh assembly health minister Jane Hutt has told local authorities
in Wales to review all cases where children have been taken into
care or adopted where there is a dispute over the outcome of the
case.

The decision comes after children’s minister Margaret Hodge
asked social services departments to examine whether children may
have been wrongly taken into care.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 February page 7