Widespread prejudice against people with disabilities revealed by survey

Widespread prejudice against people with disabilities revealed by survey
There is widespread prejudice against people with a mental illness, according to the annual British Social Attitudes survey.
Only 19 per cent of British adults said they would be happy for a close relative to marry someone with schizophrenia.
Prejudice against people with a physical disability was almost as great. Only 21 per cent would be comfortable with a close relative marrying someone with severe arthritis. This rose to 51 per cent if the condition was blindness.
There was widespread misunderstanding of what constitutes a disability. Under anti-discrimination law, the term includes any physical or mental impairment, or long-term condition affecting the ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
The survey showed that nearly half the population does not regard schizophrenia, cancer or poor hearing as disabilities.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 5

Selling home to pay for care ‘a step too far’
The different approaches to long-term care in Scotland and England is reflected in social attitudes, the 2007 British Social Attitudes Survey has found.
While 57 per cent back free personal care in Scotland, the government’s policy, just 43 per cent back that system in England, where care costs are means-tested.
Source:- The Financial Times, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 4

80 per cent of public support right to die with doctor’s help
A majority of the public want the law changed to allow doctors to help terminally ill patients to die if they wish, the 2007 British Social Attitudes Survey has found.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 18

Anglicans back right to deny gay adoption
The Church of England has backed the Catholic Church’s opposition to Catholic adoption agencies being forced to accept gay couples.
It has backed the Catholic Church’s bid for an opt-out from regulations to outlaw discrimination against gay people in the provision of goods and services.
While most of the Cabinet oppose an exemption, prime minister Tony Blair and communities minister Ruth Kelly, who is responsible for equalities, are believed to be seeking a compromise.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 1

Early investment for older people pays
Investing in early intervention services for older people could save the government £3.8bn by reducing hospital admissions and residential care, says a report from Counsel and Care.
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 10

Reid urges courts to send fewer people to jail
John Reid last night urgently called on the courts to send fewer people to prison as jail numbers in England and Wales went through the 80,000 barrier with nearly 500 held in emergency police cells.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 4

Pupils given pedometers to fight obesity
Thousands of children in deprived areas are to be given pedometers to encourage them to walk more, improve their fitness and keep their weight down, the Department of Health said yesterday.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 5

Schools must ‘confront the problem of marginalised white pupils
A government-commissioned report is to argue that action must be taken to tackle the marginalisation felt by white children in areas of ethnic diversity, to improve their sense of identity and community cohesion.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 24 January 2007, page 9

Scottish news

Scheme for victims of youth crime paying dividends
A pilot scheme which is helping victims of youth crime to recover from their ordeal while also helping reduce reoffending may be spread across Scotland.
The Voyce (Victims Of Youth Crime) service allows the victims of crimes committed by under-16s to let the offenders know the impact their actions have had.
More than 90% of the 1100 victims in the past year in the Dundee pilot scheme found this helpful, and the additional benefit was that it changed the behaviour of many of the young offenders.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 24 January 2007

Catholic Church in row over gay adoptions
Roman Catholic bishops in Scotland have added their voice to calls for Prime Minister Tony Blair to exempt Catholic adoption agencies from being compelled to place children with same-sex couples.
Mario Conti, the Archbishop of Glasgow, will write to Scottish first minister Jack McConnell asking him to uphold assurances which he said were given to the church by the Scottish executive that they would not expect Catholic agencies to act contrary to their beliefs.
Two Scottish Catholic adoption agencies – St Andrew’s Children’s Society in Edinburgh, and St Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society in Glasgow – are among those which could close if new legislation forcing them to accept adoption by gay couples is introduced.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 24 January 2007
 
25,000 drug bust
Drugs worth £15 million were seized in Scotland last year as the number hit an all time high of 24,941.
Figures published yesterday by the executive showed heroin remained the most commonly abused hard drug. It accounted for about half of the total value of all the seizures.
The number of seizures of the highly addictive crack cocaine more than doubled in the past two years, from 68 in 2003-04 to 148 in 2005-6, most from the Aberdeen area.
Source: The Record, Wednesday 24 January 2007

Welsh news

Prescriptions to be free in Wales
All prescriptions in Wales will be free from April 1 after the National Assembly voted through the flagship policy last night.
Source:- icWales, Wednesday 24 January 2007

Gay priest accuses church in adoption row
A Welsh priest is accusing the Catholic Church of “holding the Government to ransom” in the face of new gay rights legislation. The Rev Martin Reynolds, director of communications for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said, “It is sad to see the Roman Catholic Church holding the government to ransom.”
Father Reynolds, from Newport, said, “We believe that the best interests of children are not being served by this political game-playing.”
Source:- icWales, Wednesday 24 January 2007