Tuesday 14 March 2006

By Maria Ahmed and Amy Taylor

Electronic tagging for asylum seekers
All adults who apply for asylum after arriving in Britain at immigration service screening units in Croydon and Liverpool – about half of all applicants – are to be electronically tagged “to discourage unfounded applications for asylum”.
The decision comes after a pilot scheme in Scotland and trials in Liverpool in December.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 7
 
Gene link may help treat cocaine addiction
Scientists say a particular variant of a gene that transports the brain’s “pleasure chemical” – dopamine – makes carriers 50 per cent more likely to become addicted.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 9
 
Asian firms set up fund to keep young out of crime
Asian businesses ranging from multinational firms to corner shops are to create a multimillion-pound social fund in an attempt to stop their community drifting into crime and extremism.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 10
 
Move to give women carers fair pension deal
The government will today unveil radical plans to end discrimination in the provision of women’s pensions by proposing weekly credits for women whose careers are interrupted because they acted as carers or raised children.
Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 14
 
Probation officer in Monckton murder case go back to work
Four probation officers suspended for errors in the supervision of the man who murdered John Monckton, the city financier, are to escape disciplinary action.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 8
 
CPS mistakes letting criminals ‘off hook’
More than half of the areas of the Crown Prosecution Service are failing to provide a “good” service, according to the first full performance rating published today.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 8
 
Removal of failed asylum seekers to take 18 years
The government’s “loss of control” of the asylum system means that it will take between 10 and 18 years to remove all failed applicants from the country, says a highly critical Commons report.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 15
 
Jail conditions condemned
Prisoners at a top-security jail are being provided with buckets to use as night-time lavatories became of poor sanitation arrangements.
Nick Leader, governor of Long Lartin, disclosed the use of buckets after Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, described facilities as grossly inadequate.
Source:- The Times Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 16
 
Mayoress sacked after joining BNP
Rose Thompson, the Mayoress of Keighley, West Yorkshire, where the BNP leader Nick Griffin stood for parliament last year, has been removed from the role after announcing that she is to join the far-right party.
Source:- The Independent Tuesday 14 March 2006 page 12

Scottish news

Power for old people
The Scottish executive has launched a consultation on how to improve services for older people. More than a quarter of the country’s population will be over 60 by 2031. Communities minister Malcolm Chisholm said: “This will set out a vision for the future”.
Source:- Daily Record, 14 March 2006

Murder trial told of tiny spots of blood on baby’s lungs
A trial into the death of a baby more than 23 years ago has heard spots of blood of the girl’s lungs may have been caused by someone putting their hand over her mouth. Professor pathologist Anthony Busutill told the court that that had been advances in investigations into cot death and tiny haemorrages of blood could be found in the chest. Jennifer Liehne denies suffocating her daughter Jacqueline.
Source:- The Scotsman, 14 March 2006

Welsh news

Trusts admit, ‘we left OAP at wrong home’
Two NHS trusts admitted yesterday that they did not adequately care for a pensioner who died after a fall when she was dropped off at the wrong house.
Mary Purnell, 93, was being taken home after going to a day centre in Barry but she was left alone at an empty house after an ambulance crew dropped her off at a property belonging to another patient.
She was left there for more than an hour and when the crew returned realising their mistake they found she had fallen over in the garden and had serious injuries. She died five weeks later.Both the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Source:- Western Mail Tuesday 14 March 2006