No U-turn on reforms of public services, says Hutton

No U-turn on reforms of public services, says Hutton
There will be no reversal of the government’s use of competition and the private sector to drive up public service improvements when Gordon Brown becomes Prime Minister, John Hutton said yesterday.
Source:- The Financial Times, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 2

Compromise offered to rescue corporate manslaughter bill
A decade-long attempt to make it easier to prosecute companies following a fatal accident moved a step closer to becoming law yesterday after ministers offered a compromise to try to rescue the legislation.
Source:- The Financial Times, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 3

Unclaimed asset for youth
Plans of how millions of pounds of unclaimed money sitting in banks and building societies can be distributed to pay for youth services and social investment will be unveiled today by Ed Balls, economic secretary.
Source:- The Financial Times, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 4

Police may get power to evict bad neighbours
Civil liberties and homelessness campaigners last night sharply criticised plans to give the police powers to “shut and seal” all premises, including flats, pubs and clubs, generating yobbish behaviour.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 11

Public sector unions warn Brown over summer of discontent
Gordon Brown was warned yesterday that he could face a “summer of discontent” from more than 1 million public sector workers as civil servants, NHS staff and postal workers prepare to take strike action over pay, privatisation and job cuts.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 14

Secret list of porn judges ‘does exist’
The Lord Chancellor has been forced to disclose that he holds a list of judges disciplined for misuse of their computers, including viewing pornography.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 14

England ‘one of the worst places for children’
England is one of the worst countries in the developed world in which to be a child, the Children’s Commissioner Al Aynsley-Green said today.
Source:- The Telegraph, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 10

Medical treatment ‘denied to older people’
Older people are being denied life-saving tests and treatments because of their age, Age Concern said yesterday.
Source:- The Telegraph, Thursday 17 May 2007, page 11

Scottish digest

Chronic shortage of carers
On March 31 in Scotland, 5369 children were looked after away from home and two-thirds of these were living with foster families.

There are 2653 foster families in Scotland but the Foster Network say there’s a shortage of at least 1700 homes.

This shortfall means many children are moved from home to home, often ending up far from friends and family and separated from siblings.

Source: The Record, Thursday 17 May 2007

Welsh digest
 
Parents face jail after lies over how baby died

A couple may be jailed after lying to the police about how their baby died. A court heard that four-month-old Ryan Boswell was shaken with such ferocity that he suffered an irrecoverable brain injury.

His parents John Boswell and Emma Buck attempted to prevent authorities finding out the truth, the court heard.

Neither was charged with murder or manslaughter because the prosecution could not prove which one had committed the act.

But the prosecution decided to prosecute them for giving the police a false set of stories about how the baby died. Both denied perverting the cause of justice.

But Judge Merlyn Hughes said: “You must both realise that you are facing a custodial sentence.”

Source:- www.icwales.co.uk

Abuse probe for 56 teachers

More than 50 teachers are being investigated by an agency fired by the Welsh Assembly to guard against abuse.

Dream Group Ltd was brought in last November to look into cases of alleged abuse that are deemed serious enough for criminal proceedings or action by child protection committees.

The teachers have been investigated by teams including former police officers.

Source:- www.icwales.co.uk