Detainees’ treatment criticised

Detainees’ treatment criticised
Conditions at Harmonsworth immigration removal centre in west London are akin to a top-security prison and many detainees fear being bullied by staff, a report says today.
Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons, said her report was the poorest to be issued on an immigration removal centre.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 28

Opposition by solicitors ‘will not stop legal aid shake-up’
The government will press ahead with a radical shake-up of legal aid against strong protests from family lawyers and other solicitors.
With the Law Society claiming four in five towns will be left without lawyers handling children’s cases on the back of the reforms, constitutional affairs secretary Lord Falconer will only make minor concessions on them.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 26

New homes must be family-friendly
Housing minister Yvette Cooper will publish new guidance this week forcing councils to assess children’s needs before granting planning permission for new homes.
The guidance is designed to ensure neighbourhoods include more spaces for children to play.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 14

Ageing population means greater expectations for social care and health
The Treasury yesterday published an analysis of the future challenges facing the UK to set the tone for its priorities in next year’s comprehensive spending review.
Among the key issues is the ageing population and the greater expectations “baby boomer” pensioners will have of services such as health and social care.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 24

Overspending town halls face caps on council tax increases
The government will threaten to cap council tax rises above five per cent when it announces the local government finance settlement for 2007-8 today.
However, town hall leaders will claim that many authorities would not receive enough in government funding to tackle social services pressures.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 28

Ecstasy harms brain on first use, study finds
A study in Amsterdam has suggested that people who use Ecstasy for the first time could suffer impaired memory and damage to their brains.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 2

Hospices hanging by a thread
Hospices are being increasingly forced to rely on charity funding because of health service cash cuts, research by the National Council for Palliative Care has shown.
Source:- Daily Mail, Tuesday 28 November 2006, page 25

Scottish news
Sex offenders break banning orders
Six of the most dangerous sex offenders in Edinburgh have been caught breaking banning orders restricting their contact with women and children.
Source:- The Scotsman, Tuesday 28 November 2006

Welsh news
No social care stories today.