Wednesday 2 March 2005

By Clare Jerrom, Maria Ahmed, Derren Hayes and Amy
Taylor

Men who pay for sex with trafficked girls to face rape charge

Men who have sex with trafficked prostitutes face prosecution for
rape under government plans to crack down on the illegal
trade.

The drive to clampdown on trafficking is being led by the solicitor
general Harriet Harman.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 2 March page 24

Fury over Alzheimer drugs ban

Cost-cutting plans to deny drugs to thousands of people suffering
from Alzheimer’s disease were met with anger last
night.

Although the medicine costs the health service just £2.50 a
day and can help sufferers have an extra year of quality life, the
government’s drugs body Nice claims they are too
expensive.

Source:- Daily Mail  Wednesday 2 March page 1

Minister: Muslims must expect
stop-and-search

Home office minister Hazel Blears said last night that British
Muslims should accept they are more likely to be stopped and
searched by police.

Blears said that because terror laws were geared towards dealing
with Islamist extremists, innocent people of a Middle Eastern
appearance will be targeted.

Source:- Daily Mail  Wednesday 2 March page 4

How cannabis use soared as Labour softened the law

The number of people caught with cannabis soared after the
government made possession of the drug a less serious crime.

There was a 23.5 per cent increase in people being caught with the
drug after it was downgraded from a Class B to a Class C
drug.

Source:- Daily Mail  Wednesday 2 March page 10

Why do English parents love their own kids but hate
everyone else’s?

The first children’s commissioner for England yesterday said
that England is one of the least child-friendly countries in the
world with children more likely to be the subject of intolerance
than warmth or respect.

On the first day in his new role, Professor Al Aynsley-Green said
it was time to challenge the attitude towards children.

Source:- The Times  Wednesday 2 March page 6

Howard proposes work permit curbs

Employers would be forced to provide financial guarantees for staff
on temporary work permits under Conservative plans to impose tough
curbs on the “chaotic” immigration system, according to
proposals set out by Michael Howard yesterday.

Source:- The Financial Times Wednesday March 2 2005 page
4

UK breached human rights law

The European Court of Human Rights has found that the UK government
breached human rights law in 43 cases where people were jailed
after failing to pay local taxes – such as the community
charge or council tax – or court fines.

Source:- The Financial Times Wednesday March 2 2005 page
4

Asylum seeker numbers fall

The number of asylum seekers arriving in industrialised countries
has fallen to its lowest level in 16 years, the UN refugee agency
said yesterday. About 368,000 people sought asylum in 38 countries
in Europe, North America and parts of Asia, marking a 22 per cent
fall over 2003, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
said in its round-up of asylum data for 2004.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday March 2 page
14

Abuse of immigrants at detention centre exposed by BBC
film

Asylum-seekers and immigrants were assaulted, racially abused and
sexually humiliated by private security guards while awaiting
decisions on their future in Britain, an undercover documentary
claims today.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday March 2 2005 page
18

Broadmoor detainee close to freedom

A Muslim held in Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital as
a suspected international terrorist could walk free next week after
three years in detention without charge.

Palestinian refugee Mahmoud Abu Rideh has been held in Belmarsh and
Broadmoor high security institutions since December 19, 2001. A
special hearing will decide whether he can return home to his wife
and children.

Yesterday, a mental health tribunal was held at Broadmoor hospital
with the press and public in attendance by invitation from Abu
Rideh.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page 6

Children’s champion attacks
inequality

English society lacks the “warmth” towards children
that is found in other European countries, according Al
Aynsley-Green, the first children’s commissioner for England
who was appointed yesterday.

Source: – The Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
7

Fathers get raw deal on child access, say
MPs

Separated and divorced fathers get a raw deal from the family
justice system in England and Wales, a committee of MPS conclude in
a report today.

The constitutional affairs committee said there was no
“conscious” bias in the courts against
“non-resident” parents, but failings in the system made
it difficult for them to keep contact with their children.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
12

Guiding plight

As the government’s green paper on youth draws near, the
future looks bleak for Connexions, the one-stop help and advice
shop for young people.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
1

Scope for improvement

Disability charity Scope shifts its policy towards
integration.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
4

Paedophilia movie praised

US film The Woodsman treads a fine line between horror and
sympathy.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
4

Boxing clever over the ballot

Drive to cut democratic deficit for adults with learning
disabilities.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
4

Going with the flow

Mamphela Ramphele, partner of murdered anti-apartheid leader
Steve Biko, says why the challenges of migration should be managed,
not feared.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
6

An inside job

Homelessness charity the St Giles Trust trains prisoners to
offer housing advice to fellow inmates.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
7

Enter the boy zone

Milltown boys, the fortysomething men from a rough Welsh council
estate compare their early criminal activities to Monty Python and
berate the youth of today.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
8

Controlling interest

In Control, a pilot scheme that puts care service users in far
greater charge of their own funding budgets is proving popular and
efficient

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday March 2 2005 page
10

Scottish news

Council waives care bills after blunder

A Scottish council has had to write off £16,000 worth of home
care charges because of a mix up over bills during a department
reorganisation.

But East Renfrewshire Council has announced an increase in charges
of almost 8 per cent from April. The confusion hit 1,000 users of
home care services, 1,400 for community alarms and 185 for meals on
wheels.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 2 March

Care home crisis as owners feel squeeze

New government statistics published this week offered further
evidence of a crisis in the number of care home places.

It showed a 2.8 per cent drop in beds over the past four years
leading to warnings from campaign groups the drop would exacerbate
bed-blocking in hospitals, with more operations being cancelled
because there are not enough homes to take discharged
patients.

The Scottish Care Homes Census, which covers March 2000 to
September 2004, shows that the majority of private care homes which
closed were small operators, with an average of 22 beds.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 2 March

Welsh newspapers

More Asbos are called for as Wales trails England by 50 per
cent

North Wales police are trying to “catch up” on the
number of antisocial behaviour orders given out after new figures
revealed England has issued nearly 50 per cent more Asbos than
Wales.

Richie Eccles, chair of the Welsh Police Federation, said Asbos
would only be applied in appropriate circumstances in North Wales,
where he works, but that the low number of Asbos in Wales was
unlikely to be due to less bad behaviour than in England.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 2 March