Tories set to unveil ‘vision’ for NHS reform

Tories set to unveil ‘vision’ for NHS reform

The Conservatives will produce proposals on long-term care for older people and tackling mental health problems in a policy paper today.
The plans, which will form part of a policy statement on the NHS, will also include plans for more action on public health, including separate public health budgets.

Source:- The Financial Times, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 2

Charity condemns ‘outrage’ of 1.3m children in poverty

One in 10 children in the UK live in severe poverty, unable to afford basic needs, such as a good diet or a warm house, Save the Children says today in a report.
The charity measured the number of children living in households earning less than £7,000 a year – compared to a national average income of £19,000 – and said it was an “outrage” there were so many in this position in a country as wealthy as Britain.

Source:- The Financial Times, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 4

Whitehall advisers cost £2bn

The government is spending increasing amounts on external consultants to improve services, but they are not delivering value for money, a report by the public accounts committee has found.

Issues cited by the parliamentary watchdog included failures by departments to assess whether internal resources could be used instead of consultants.

Source:- The Financial Times, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 5

Burglars and drug offenders ‘to be freed’

Two thousand criminals are to be released early from jail to ease the prison overcrowding crisis, under plans due out this week from justice secretary Lord Falconer.
Those considered for release are likely to include drug dealers, burglars and fraudsters and all will be risk-assessed by prison staff and then placed under supervision by probation staff.

Source:- The Times Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 1

Children to decide bullies’ punishment

Pupils will be soon be able to decide on the punishment of bullies, under plans being drawn up by the government, it said yesterday.

Source:- The Times, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 4

Undercover police smash paedophile ring posting live abuse online

Thirty-one children and babies who were repeatedly abused live for an internet chat room have been rescued from homes in the UK and abroad following the biggest international investigation so far into a online paedophile ring.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 4

Mental health bill discriminates, ministers told

The Commission for Racial Equality has privately warned the government that its mental health bill unlawfully discriminates against ethnic minorities, according to leaked correspondence.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 11

Children’s jail staff given wider powers of restraint

The rules governing the use of restraint techniques based on inflicting pain in privately-run children’s jails are to be widened to allow staff to use them to enforce everyday discipline, the Ministry of Justice confirmed yesterday.

Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 19 June 2007, page 4

Welsh

Wife makes Wales euthanasia plea

The widow of a man who travelled abroad to die is calling for a change in the law to make euthanasia legal in Wales.

Michelle Bennett’s husband Paul was the first person from Wales to travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end his life. Mr Bennett had motor neurone disease.

Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 19 June 2007

Welsh children are more likely to be living in severe poverty than those in other areas of Britain

Children in Wales are more likely to be living in severe poverty than children elsewhere in Britain, according to new research.

The study, carried out by Save the Children, shows that more than one in ten, 13.4 per cent, of children in Wales live in severe poverty.

Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 19 June 2007

Scottish

More than 90,000 children in ‘severe poverty’

More than 90,000 children in Scotland live in “severe poverty”, according to a new study.

Save The Children has classified around 10 per cent of the country’s one million children aged 15 and under as living in its worst poverty bracket – in households with an income of less than £7,000.

In Scotland, 18 per cent of children are classified as being in non-severe poverty – households with incomes of £10,350 after housing costs.

Source: The Scotsman, Tuesday 19 June 2007