Child Support Agency axed after 13 years

Child Support Agency axed after 13 years
The Child Support Agency is finally to be axed. The decision follows a major review. Work and pensions secretary John Hutton is expected to back its findings within weeks.
Source:- Daily Mail, Friday 14 July, page 19
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Chancellor’s warning on public sector pay
Gordon Brown yesterday risked the ire of trade union leaders by calling for a four-year real terms pay freeze for six million public sector workers.
Source:- Financial Times, Friday 14 July 2006, page 3
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Autism in children at record high
The true scale of childhood autism in Britain is far higher than previously thought. One in 100 children is now affected, a study at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London reveals.
Source:- Daily Mail, Friday 14 July 2006, page 1
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Did girl of 13 who hanged herself visit a chatroom for suicide tips?
A girl found hanged with her school tie may have been visiting suicide chatrooms on the internet, police said last night.
Source:- Daily Mail, Friday 14 July, page 10
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Sentence too lenient for sex offender
Campaigners against child abuse have condemned as too lenient a four-year sentence meeted out to a man who sexually abused a young boy.
Abuse survivors group Phoenix Survivors and charity Kidscape criticised the sentence given to Christopher Downes, 24, from Cottesmore, Leicestershire, for assaulting the boy from the age of 18 months.
Source:- The Sun, Friday 14 July 2006, page 21
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Legal aid shake-up to target £1m-a-year QCs
The government has announced proposals to slash £100 million from the criminal legal aid budget so it can be spent on civil and family cases.
Source:- The Independent, Friday 14 July, page 23
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Vicar stands down as school governor after cheek kiss
A vicar has been told to stand down as a school governor because he kissed a girl on the cheek to congratulate her and was accused of common assault. The Reverend Alan Barrett of St Editha’s church in Tamworth kissed the 10-year-old when he presented her with a certificate.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 14 July, page 1
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Scottish news

Record number of women in jail despite pledges
The number of women jailed in Scotland has reached record levels despite repeated pledges from ministers to reduce the figure.
A new report published by the Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice has revealed female offenders sent to prison on remand each year increased by 80%, from 1009 in 1996-7 to 1807 in 2003-4.
It comes eight years after a report commissioned by the government called for a significant reduction in the numbers of women sent to prison in Scotland and concluded most were sent there for minor offences such as fine defaults.
Source:- The Herald, Friday 14 July
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Welsh news
 
‘Hike price to fight booze culture’
Alcohol should be made more expensive to cut down people’s drinking, doctors have recommended in a new report.
The research, carried out by the National Public Health Service for Wales, found that over the last twenty years alcohol related deaths had increased more than four-fold among Welsh men and more than three-fold among Welsh women. It says that raising the price of alcohol would be a way to get people to buy less.
Source:- Western Mail, Friday 14 July 2006
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