Tuesday 8 November 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

Mother denies killing her baby
Danielle Wails, 21, has pleaded not guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to killing her four-month-old child Alexander Gallon, who died in a fire at their home in Cowgate, Newcastle, in August.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 23

Migrants given £1m benefit in error can keep it. But Britons have to repay £4bn
Migrants were wrongly paid £1 million in tax credits in 2003 but the government has said they can keep it. But families overpaid tax credits by £4billion in a separate blunder will have to pay it back.
Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 6

Labour puts the support staff first
Billions are being spend on penpushers at the expense of teachers, nurses and police, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.
The number of school administrators has risen by 47 per cent since 1997 – five times more than the number of teachers.
Source:- Daily Mail Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 26

Shake-up needed in hospitals’ drive for autonomy
A series of rationalisations where hospitals lose some of their specialities is likely to be needed if most NHS trusts are to make it to foundation status, according to Mill Moyes, chairman of Monitor, the foundation trust regulator.
Source:- Financial Times Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 4

Nursery death
A baby who was strangled in her cot at a day nursery has died, after her parents decided to switch off her life support machine.
Molly Cunliffe, aged 16 months, died after the accident at the Tiddlywinks City Nursery, Gloucester, where she became entangled with a cloth bag in her cot. An investigation continues.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 4

Roots of racism strong despite laws, says study
Anti-racism legislation has failed to tackle the roots of prejudice in Britain, according to research today from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 8 November 2005, page 6

Sorry for blunder in tag killing
Ministers apologised yesterday over electronic tagging blunders which led to the killing of Nottinghamshire jeweller Marian Bates.
Probation staff and security firms took no action when Peter Williams, 19, ignored his curfew and took off his tag.
Source:- The Daily Mirror Tuesday 8 November 2005 page 10

Scottish news

Helping hand for autism
A leading commercial law firm has teamed up with a national charity to offer a new advocacy service in Scotland.
Harper Macleod is working with the National Autistic Society to deliver an advocacy for education service – a free, telephone-based service delivered by trained volunteers to provide advice and advocacy on additional educational needs.
Source:- The Scotsman Tuesday 8 November

Welsh news

Judge slams ‘selfish’ parents
One of Wales’ top judges launched a scathing attack yesterday on “feeble parents” who “park” their children in front of the television.
Crown Court judge John Curran, who is based in Merthyr Tydfil, made the comments in a speech about youth crime yesterday. He said that antisocial behaviour and binge drinking were linked to aspects of modern parenting and the breakdown of family values.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 8 November

Pioneering unit helps autistic children
A leading unit that helps autistic young people with severe behavioural problems features in a TV programme being shown tonight.
The centre at Bangor University’s Psychology Department will feature on a new S4C’s Taro Naw programme.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 8 November

Zero tolerance policies and Asbos are a sign of failure, says Wilding
A Welsh chief constable said that antisocial behaviour orders and zero tolerance policies were a sign of failure yesterday at a youth crime event.
Barbara Wilding, the chief constable of South Wales, denied that her force was soft on crime and said that zero tolerance policies were often called for by people that didn’t understand them.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 8 November