Thursday 16 September 2004

By Shirley Kumar, Clare Jerrom and Alex
Dobson 

Sickness and disability claims at 3.1m

A record 3.1million people claimed sickness and disability benefits
in the second quarter, casting doubts on the government’s
attempts to reduce the numbers.

The number of sickness claims is now nearly double the number of
unemployment and lone parent benefits.

Source:- The Financial Times Thursday 16 September 2004
page 1

Mother charged over baby’s salt death

A 22-year-old mother has been charged with the murder of her
15-month-old baby who died from a suspected salt overdose.

Marianne Williams of Tidworth, Wiltshire, was arrested in March
after the death of her son Joshua.

Baby’s underdeveloped kidneys cannot process salt.

Source:- The Independent Thursday 16 September 2004 page
15

NHS plans revolution in care for children

Health secretary John Reid has promised children will no longer be
treated as small adults.

A 10-year blueprint for England was presented as a world first for
setting comprehensive standards of paediatric care.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 16 September 2004 page
6

Blair to unveil new targets on asylum seekers

Prime minister Tony Blair is attempting to restore credibility to
the immigration policy by setting a fresh objective of each month
to remove more failed asylum seekers than the number of
arrivals.

He also plans to create two criminal offences next week. One
offence will be to convict those who deliberately destroy their
passports or other identity documents in order to enter Britain
illegally.

Source:- The Guardian Thursday 16 September 2004 page
8

Scottish newspapers

Ministers in move to get teeth into loan sharks

A new government-funded project, which will target illegal loan
sharks who prey on vulnerable people, was launched by deputy
communities minister Mary Mulligan today.

The pilot project will tackle criminal gangs throughout Scotland
which illegally give out quick cash loans and then use intimidation
and violence to extort large sums of money in return.

People in Scotland will be able to call a confidential freephone
helpline on 0800 555 111 and talk to a team of specially trained
enforcement officers with the Trading Standards Department.

Source:- Evening News  Wednesday 15 September

Lotto grants give a boost to charities

Funding of more than £27,000 in National Lottery grants has
been awarded to 11 Edinburgh charities.

The awards are part of a £1.3 million package of grants for
more than 400 local community groups across Scotland.

The Edinburgh University Settlement will use its £3,000 award
to fund a theatre production involving people with mental health
problems.

Source:- Evening News  Wednesday 15 September

Addict who robbed boy sent to jail

A heroin addict robbed a schoolboy on a shopping trip in Edinburgh
after he withdrew £20 from a cash machine.

Archibald Hendry grabbed the teenager in a headlock and produced
what the boy thought was a syringe and demanded money. When the boy
cried for help, Hendry bit him on the hand, the boy dropped the
money and Hendry picked it up and ran off with it.

Hendry was jailed for two years and nine months at Edinburgh
Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to assaulting and robbing the
schoolboy in July last year.

Source:- Evening News  Wednesday 15 September

Welsh newspapers

Flood of ex-miners’ compensation could mean delays to
2013

A last minute flood of compensation claims by ex-miners
suffering from industrial disease could draw out the payment scheme
until 2013. 

Government ministers have been urged to speed up the scheme to
prevent ex-pitmen from dying before they receive compensation.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 16 September page
2

£1.3m pharmacy units lets patients go home
sooner

Patients could be discharged from a Welsh hospital more speedily
in future by not having to wait for their medicines to be prepared
specially.

Welsh assembly health and social services minister Jane Hutt has
opened a pharmacy unit at Ysbyty Glan Clywd in Denbighshire, where
medicines not available off the shelf will be mixed and distributed
as pre-packs to the wards.

Source:- Western Mail Thursday 16 September page 2