Wednesday 29 June 2005

Tory tax break for marriage

Conservative leadership contender David Cameron has backed tax
breaks for married couples in an apparent bid to reach out to
right-wingers in his party.

The shadow education secretary claimed evidence that married
couples stayed together for longer than others provided a case for
supporting them through the tax system.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 29 June 2005 page
1

More time for children

Parents spend almost four hours a day longer with their young
children than they did in 1975, a survey by the Future Foundation
has found.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 29 June 2005 page
6

Breaking up is hard to do

The government has funded guidance for cohabiting couples who split
up, including advice on housing, bank accounts, pensions and
responsibility for children.

There has historically been little guidance available to unmarried
couples who separate.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 29 June 2005 page
9

Home-alone mother held after holiday

A mother who allegedly left here three young children with a
15-year-old girl to go on holiday was arrested on her return to the
country.

Kelly Ann Rogerson was detained after landing at Durham Tees Valley
airport following a holiday in Turkey. Neighbours had claimed her
children aged four, two and 11 months had been left in the care of
a teenage babysitter.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 29 June 2005 page
9

Caroline can rest in peace now, say Dickinsons after killer
loses appeal

The parents of murdered schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson said they
hoped their daughter would rest in peace after her killer lost his
bid to overturn his murder conviction.

Francisco Arce Montes had admitted raping Caroline on a school trip
to France in 1996 but denied murder, but his convictions and his
30-year sentence were upheld yesterday.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Wednesday 29 June 2005 page
11

Zimbabwe deportations halted until G8 summit

Immigration chiefs were ordered to halt the deportation of
Zimbabwean asylum-seekers last night until after the G8 summit as
religious leaders condemned the forced expulsions. 

Mounting pressure on the government led officials to cancel the
deportation of a woman shortly before she was due to be put on a
flight to Harare last night. 

The Times has learnt that there will be a freeze on detaining
Zimbabweans as officials try to defuse the crisis before the summit
at Gleneagles next week.

Source:- The Times Wednesday June 29 2005 page 1

Autism in women linked to anorexia

Autism may be going undiagnosed in women because its effects are
less obvious than in men, and the condition may even play a part in
anorexia, a scientist said yesterday.

Source:- The Times Wednesday June 29 2005 page 20

Teenage suicide at detention centre is new blow to UK
policy

Britain’s asylum system is under renewed attack as Kurdish
Turks mourn the death of a teenager who took his own life after
months in limbo at a detention centre. 

Ramazan Camlica, 19, had been refused bail three times and held in
detention for at least five months before he was found hanged at
Campsfield House early on Monday.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday June 29 2005 page
1

Remand inmate found hanged

An 18-year-old prisoner was found hanged in his cell at the weekend
– bringing the number of deaths in custody this month to
16. 

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday June 29 2005 page 11

Easy riders

London will soon have the world’s first accessible bus
network, aiming to make life far simpler for disabled people.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday June 29 2005 page
8

Cause for concern

A new report by the Charities Aid Foundation warns that charities
must work harder if they are not to suffer a major decline in
donations.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday June 29 2005 page
10

Scottish news

Local councils, health and justice bear brunt of upfront
cuts

A former Scottish executive minister has criticised budget cuts for
local government and health departments. 

Wendy Alexander told the Scottish parliament’s finance committee
that it was unfair that these departments had taken the brunt of
the cuts compared to the enterprise, environment and transport
departments. 

She added that while other departments were being asked to make
savings which they could redirect within their own services, the
money removed from health and local government was retained by the
executive and reallocated.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 29 June 2005

Nearly 50 per cent of schools in serious
disrepair

Almost half of Scotland’s schools are in a serious state of
disrepair, despite record investment, according to new
figures. 

Scottish executive statistics revealed that 36 per cent of all
school buildings have major defects, while 8 per cent are classed
as “at serious risk of imminent failure”. 

The figures also said that 14 per cent of sites were in good
condition, with 43 per cent satisfactory.

Source:- The Herald Wednesday 29 June 2005

Motherhood put off to mid-30s as career comes
first

Mothers in Scotland are getting older, with the average age at
which women have a baby now between 30 and 34, new NHS figures have
revealed. 

Experts said the trend is a reflection of modern lifestyles with
many more women looking to put a career before having a
child. 

Source:- The Scotsman Wednesday 29 June 2005

Welsh news

Doctors to vote on euthanasia

Doctors are due to vote on whether to end their long-standing
opposition to euthanasia tomorrow.

Up until now the British Medical Association has opposed the policy
but will vote on whether it should change its stance at its annual
representatives’ meeting in Manchester.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 29 June 2005