Brown’s 10-year plan for children ‘means we need more money’

2 unions in strikes threat over pay

The leader of the Trades Union Congress has warned that Britain could face a wave of strikes over pay from local government, NHS and other public sector workers because of the government’s decision to impose below inflation settlements.

Brendan Barber attacked Labour for not cracking down on City bonuses and salaries and warned millions of workers may shun the party at the polls.

Source:- Daily Mirror, Friday 7 September 2007, page 7

Brown’s 10-year plan for children ‘means we need more money’

The government yesterday launched a consultation on a 10-year plan for children’s services designed to improve educational performance, prevent children from getting involved in antisocial behaviour and make them happier and safer.

The plan was announced by children’s secretary Ed Balls and prime minister Gordon Brown at the first in a series of debates on the issue at a school in Bristol.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 7 September 2007, page 4

The homes where reading is replaced by TV

The government must concentrate on the social circumstances of low-achieving pupils if they want to raise their educational performance, a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report today has concluded.

The report found more affluent children had more space and time for and parental help with homework then their less priviliged peers, while disadvantaged children developed a lack of confidence in their educational ability from an early age.

It said low income parents struggled to balance the demands of earning money and raising a family leaving them little time to devote to their children’s education, and called for more investment in out-of-school activities and homework support for the less well off.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Friday 7 September 2007, page 4

Doctor faces inquiry over drug deaths of 11 patients

A doctor who suffered from depression is being investigated over the deaths of 14 patients, 11 of whom died, five months after he received a suspended sentence for the manslaughter of another patient.

Dr Michael Stevenson is being investigated by the General Medical Council over the cases, months after admitting the manslaughter of Marjorie Wright, whom he accidentally injected with 30mg of diamorphine instead of 5mg when she was suffering from a migraine.

He had suffered from depression for some time and this had worsened since last October when his eldest saudhgter committed suicide.

Source:- The Daily Telegraph Friday 7 September 2007 page 19

Unison dashes hopes of public sector peace

The largest union representing local government workers has rejected an improved pay offer, increasing the potential for industrial discontent this winter.

Source:- The Financial Times, Friday 7 September 2007, page 3

Council to subject benefit claimants to lie-detector test

Birmingham council, the UK’s largest local authority, is to install a telephone lie-detection system in an effort to identify benefits cheats.

Source:- The Financial Times, Friday 7 September 2007, page 4

Depression hits health worst

Depression does greater damage to a person’s overall health than long-term physical diseases, scientific researchers claim today.

Source:- The Independent, Friday 7 September 2007, page 7

Internet controls or citizen service, rival leaders tackle child protection

New controls may be needed to prevent the internet and video games from exposing children to harmful or inappropriate material, ministers indicated yesterday, as they appointed TV psychologist Dr Tanya Byron to head an official inquiry.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday 7 September 2007, page 13

Even at the age of eight, the world is divided into chavs and chav-nots. Evidence of just how early class attitudes kick in is revealed in a study published today.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday 7 September 2007, page 19

Welsh news

Youth sentenced for racist harassment

Two teenage boys carried out a campaign of harassment against a family who had been granted asylum, a court has heard. Cardiff Crown Court heard that the boys – aged 15 and 16 – verbally abused them, fired a BB gun at them and issued threats over a number of months.

The judge sentenced the 16-year-old to a 12-month community punishment rehabilitation order and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He sentenced the 15-year-old to a 12-month supervision order, including a three-month curfew between 8pm and 7am

Source:- ICWales.co.uk

Manager stored ‘worst child porn’

A bookshop manager has been jailed for two and a half years for storing up to 4,000 images of child pornography. Glen Boswell, 50, admitted 22 charges, including possessing images of babies. Judge Philip Hughes told Boswell he had a “perverted sexual appetite”.

Source:- ICWales.co.uk