Friday 30 July 2004

By Clare Jerrom, Alex Dobson and Shirley
Kumar

Police set 9pm West End curfew for under 16s

Unaccompanied children under 16 years have been banned from the
West End after 9pm.

Scotland Yard police will pick up and take home the young people
found between 9pm and 6am under powers given under anti-social
behaviour laws.

Source:- The Times, Friday July 30, page 1

Charity colleges inquiry follows terror-link claim

The Charity Commission is investigating allegations of links
between two British Islamic colleges and fundamentalist
movements.
Both colleges are registered as charities.

Source:- The Times, Friday July 30, page 2

Star ratings ‘are damaging NHS’

Public confidence is being undermined by star ratings in the health
service, warns the editor of Lancet.

He said star ratings cause a culture of waste, deception and fear
among NHS staff, in a letter to Sir Ian Kennedy, the chairman of
the Healthcare Commission.

Source:- The Times, Friday July 30, page 4

Drive to put social justice at heart of agenda

The government is to put social justice at the top of its agenda,
reveals a new report to be published soon by the Institute of
Public Policy Research.

The new study will highlight how issues such as poverty, migration,
criminal justice, sustainability and childcare, are affecting the
younger generation.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday July 30, page 9

More parents choose to educate children at home

Parents seeking to avoid the pressures of Sats and bullying are
choosing to educate their children at home.

The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) yesterday called on
the government to upgrade its monitoring procedures for children
educated at home, at its annual conference in Bournemouth.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday July 30, page 9

Rape conviction for jailed policeman is quashed on
appeal

The debate over whether men accused of rape should be named in
court was opened yesterday when a detective, jailed six years ago
for raping and sexually abusing a former girlfriend, had his
sentence quashed on appeal.

The judgement was based on fresh evidence from a former boyfriend
which questioned the alleged victim’s evidence.

Source:- The Independent, Friday July 30, page 25


Scottish newspapers


Sitter picked baby up by ears, court told

A babysitter picked up a four-month old girl by her ears and shook
her s violently that her brain started to bleed, a court heard
yesterday.

Aron Peters admitted at the High Court in Glasgow that in January
he repeatedly picked up the baby by her ears from the pram and
shook her to severe injury and danger to her life.

The child’s mother had noticed bruising around the
child’s ears and took her to hospital where a scan revealed
she had a slight brain haemorrhage. The baby was kept in hospital
for six days for observation before being allowed home.

Lord Abernethy said he needed a report before sentencing him and
the case was adjourned until next month.

Source:- The Scotsman  Friday 30 July

Pay-out plan storm

Plans to hand out “golden goodbyes” to top Scottish
civil servants were slammed by unions yesterday.

The proposal, to encourage senior officials to leave the service
with generous pay outs, was revealed by the Scottish
executive.

The Public and Commercial Services Union said they were
“astounded” at the exclusive deals and said they
thought the deals would only be offered to senior civil servants,
leaving lower paid counterparts facing compulsory redundancy.

Source:- The Scotsman  Friday 30 July

Cost cutting chaos for Children’s panel

Children’s panel hearings are being postponed after
a key administration post was axed by council chiefs.

The cost-cutting move, which will save Edinburgh Council
£7,000 annually, has resulted in increased workloads for staff
in the already strained children’s hearing system.

At least six children’s panel members are thought to have
resigned since the post was axed and three half day hearing
sessions are being cancelled each week because of shortages.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 29 July

More than 1,000 capital civil servants join
walk-out

A 48-hour strike over a long running pay dispute was launched by
more than 1,000 civil servants in the capital this week.

Disability benefits offices, Jobcentres and Social Security offices
were due to close as members of the Public and Commercial Services
Union joined more than 100,000 UK staff in the mass walk-out.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 29 July

Staff to take control at Highland home-care
company

A company that cares for vulnerable people in their homes agreed to
give control to 99 staff yesterday.

Nick and Moira Boyle set up Highland Home Carers, which provides
care to older and ill people so they can remain at home, 10 years
ago.

The Boyles agreed to the buyout despite approached from larger
companies. All shares will be sold to a trust for the staff and
distributed free to them annually.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 30 July

GP deal ‘leaves rural areas with inadequate
service’

Doctors’ leaders were accused of putting patients’
needs last amid fears that the new GP contract will risk lives in
rural areas.

Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie said Scots in remote
parts were being left with an “inadequate” service. He
said it was “astonishing” that the British Medical
Association and Scottish executive had not taken this into
consideration when negotiating the deal.

The BMA rejected this claim.

Source:- The Herald  Friday 30 July

Welsh newspapers

Prostitutes offered chance to get out

Prostitutes in Newport in south Wales who are selling themselves
to fund their drug habit, have been given the chance of a fresh
start in a five-week police operation.

Operation Barbara, run by Newport police and Women in Need offers
advice and support on health, welfare and housing to women caught
up in the sex trade.

Source South Wales Argus Thursday 29 July page 9

Plaid calls for St John Funding

Plaid Cymru has called on the Welsh assembly to support the work
of the St John Ambulance by publicly funding the operation.

The party’s shadow health minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas,
believes public investment in the charity would assist its work and
help to relieve pressure on emergency services.

Source Western Mail Friday 30 July page 9

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