Prisons suicides fall

Prisons suicides fall

Suicides in jails in England and Wales fell to their lowest level for a decade in 2006, according to Home Office figures.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 2

Plea for twins

The government has been urged to halt or delay the deportation of Kamila and Karina Kaya, 18, twin sisters “adopted” by the Jewish community in Birmingham after their parents were murdered in Kyrgyzstan three years ago.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 4

Security fear as prisoners are told: you have e-mail

Prisoners are to be given access to e-mail to encourage them to keep in contact with family and friends.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 18

Inner-city areas set to become the pits for healthy lifestyle

London’s inner city boroughs are predicted to replace former mining towns as Britain’s sickest areas, according to research.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 22

Jams ‘threat’ to jail safety

Security is under threat at Britain’s toughest jail because of plans to house 650 more inmates while staff numbers are cut, warders claimed yesterday.

Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 16

Minister: Hoodies just keeping warm

Youngsters in hoodies should not be branded sinister or threatening – they’re just trying to keep warm, children’s minister Beverly Hughes said yesterday. She also said it was time for adults to stop complaining about them.

Source:-Daily Mirror, Tuesday 2 January 2006, page 18

PM pleads for New Labour values to stay

The government is considering giving children from deprived areas credits to get them into popular schools, it has emerged.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 2 January 2007 page 6

Call to write off health debts

The government should write off health service trusts’ huge deficits to allow patient choice and competition to help redesign services, a think-tank has said.

The report by Reform said the long-term strength of the NHS was weaker than it was two years ago due to a failure to tackle rising costs and to invest in modernised services.

Source:- The Guardian Tuesday 2 January 2007 page 12

Poor suffer penalty for lack of access to financial services

Banks need to work with organisations such as social housing providers to help poorer people gain access to mainstream financial services, a report by think-tank the Scottish Council Foundation has said.

It said banks should allow weekly direct debits and offer poorer consumers penalty-free, small overdraft facilities.

Source:- Financial Times Tuesday 2 January 2007 page 2

Scottish news

Help us lift 90, 000 kids out of poverty

Save The Children called on all MSPs to back their campaign for seasonal grants to lift 90, 000 Scottish youngsters out of poverty yesterday.

The charity wants disadvantaged families to receive two seasonal grants a year including one in the winter to help pay for fuel and clothing.

Source:- Daily Record, Tuesday 2 January 2006