Specialist schools no better, says inspector
The Government’s specialist schools programme was called into question by the
Chief Inspector of Schools, who said the extra £1.5 billion being spent on
it was “no guarantee” of a better education for children (Alexandra Frean
writes).
Christine Gilbert, the head of Ofsted, said: “Across a range of subjects,
inspectors reported that they visited some schools where there was little to
suggest that specialism had made a difference in terms of the fundamentals
of classroom teaching. This is a serious criticism. If teaching had not
improved, it’s hard to see that learning would.”
Her warning came as Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, announced
that an extra £50 million would be spent on the policy over the next three
years.
‘Allow chemists to prescribe cocaine’
Drugs such as cocaine and medical heroin should be prescribed to addicts by
chemists and nurses to help to overcome the habit, the Government’s drug
adviser has recommended.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has called for changes in the law
to allow diamorphine, cocaine or dipipanone to be administered under licence
from the Home Office.
Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, the council’s chairman, said that the changes
could make it easier for patients who need urgent pain control to access the
drugs they require, providing there were “robust” arrangements to ensure the
substances were managed properly.
Poultry to be kept away from wild birds
Free-range and organic farmers will be required to keep their birds away from
lakes, ponds and other areas that attract large numbers of wild birds to
avoid new outbreaks of avian flu.
A change in the rules was signalled yesterday by Fred Landeg, the acting chief
veterinary officer, who said that the farm at the centre of the outbreak of
H5N1 virus in Suffolk was unsuitable for outdoor poultry farming because it
was so close to an ornamental lake that was home to 1,000 water birds.
He had asked three weeks ago for bird-scaring measures to be introduced at the
infected Redgrave Park Farm, near Diss.
EU forests excel at absorbing CO2
Forests have absorbed twice as much carbon dioxide in Europe as expected in
the past 15 years, researchers have found mith writes). Increases in tree
cover in the European Union from 1990 to 2004 contributed to an extra 126
million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions being absorbed. This represented
11 per cent of the EU’s emissions and helped to compensate for carbon
dioxide emitted through the economy expanding. However, the study, published
in the journal Energy Policy, found that because of an increasing population
the EU’s promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent from 1990
levels by 2020 is unlikely to be reached without radical action.
Shoppers buy more ethical products
A shopping revolution is under way with one in ten people boycotting leading
brands and choosing more ethical, healthy and greener alternatives. In the
past year sales of sustainable fish, light bulbs, Fairtrade bananas,
chocolate and coffee have increased by 22 per cent.
The switch to ethical products is valued at £1.2 billion and reflects consumer
concerns with animal welfare, the environment and human rights. Total sales
on all Fairtrade, free-range, organic and Freedom Foods are up 17 per cent
and are worth £4.8 billion. Spending on ethical goods and services has
doubled in five years and each household spends an average £664 on being
green, compared with £366 in 2002.
Rescued apes have become wild parents
Conservationists are celebrating the birth of a critically endangered gorilla.
The infant was born eight weeks ago in the Gabon in west central Africa. It
has been named Okeli, a word in the Bateke language for a stream that leads
to bigger things. Its parents, Marco and Lekedi, were born in the wild, but
were orphaned when their parents were killed for the bushmeat trade. They
were rescued and later released back into the wild as part of a conservation
programme by The Aspinall Foundation. Okeli is the first baby born to
reintroduced western gorillas in Gabon. Damian Aspinall, a trustee of the
foundation, said: “We are very proud and excited at this news.”
Magistrates angry at loss of power
Magistrates told the Government that plans to strip them of powers to suspend
sentences could backfire and send prison numbers soaring. They reacted with
dismay and anger when the Lord Chief Justice announced at their annual
meeting in London that the measure was going through Parliament.
Britain’s most senior judge, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, told JPs that
their power to impose suspended sentences were being removed in summary
cases – those not serious enough to be heard at a Crown Court – because they
were being handed out when community sentences were more appropriate. Cindy
Barnett, the chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said that without the
option, magistrates would simply jail more offenders.
The prison population in England and Wales is at record levels and last Friday
reached 81,454.
EU crackdown on replica guns
Replica guns that can be converted into weapons will become as hard to buy as
firearms under a Brussels crackdown.
Although illegal in Britain, convertible replicas are available widely across
the Continent with none of the identity checks required for genuine guns.
The change in the law was pushed through by Arlene McCarthy, a Labour MEP,
after Manchester police disclosed that nearly half of the weapons that they
seized last year had been bought in continental countries, including Germany
and the Baltic states, and converted to fire bullets in Britain.
All 27 EU states will have two years to adopt a range of measures agreed by
the European Parliament. They include an EU computer database that will
contain details of all lawfully held weapons in all 27 countries by 2014 and
a new weapons-labelling system.
Plan to cut sale of drink to under-18s
Plainclothes police officers are to target poorly managed pubs and stores in
the run-up to Christmas as part of the Government’s attempt to curb underage
drinking.
The officers will buy drinks and food as they watch for staff selling alcohol
to under18s, to those buying on behalf of children and to customers who are
already drunk. It is hoped that the £250,000 campaign will reduce
drink-fuelled antisocial behaviour and violence. The Home Office-funded plan
will be carried out by 30 out of the 43 forces in England and Wales.
Vernon Coaker, a Home Office minister, said: “We are not spoiling people’s
fun. We are getting tough with those few irresponsible retailers.”
Those caught selling alcohol to underage or drunk customers will be given an
£80 on-the-spot fine. Repeat offenders could be fined up to £5,000 and have
their licences revoked.
Lottery firm Camelot to close charity arm
Camelot, the national lottery operator, is to close the charity arm of its
business, which has helped thousands of vulnerable young people.
The Camelot Foundation confirmed that it would not receive any further
funding, as Camelot strives to cut costs before the start of its third
lottery licence, which begins in 2009. The charity is funded by Camelot’s
profits and is separate from the National Lottery.
Last year Camelot made £49.3 million pretax profit. The foundation has spent
£26 million in ten years on supporting vulnerable children.
Gales on the way
Severe gales are forecast over the weekend, with gusts of up to 70mph and
heavy rain in England and Wales tomorrow night and Sunday. “70mph winds are
knocking on the door of hurricane strength,” the Met Office said. “However,
for the time of year, these are not exceptional.”
Defence delays grow
Five of the biggest defence programmes are suffering combined delays of more
than three years, the National Audit Office reported. The delayed projects
included the Type 45 destroyer, which has been held up for another 11 months
while costs for the project have risen by £354 million.
Steroid threat to boys
Growing numbers of young men use anabolic steroids to improve their body
image, join bands and get girlfriends, the Government is to be told. Lord
Adebowale, of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said: “I have met
13-year-olds using this stuff.” Steroids can cause testicles to wither, acne
and breast growth.
Youth found hanged
A 15-year-old boy was found hanged in his cell at a young offender institution
where he was halfway through serving a sentence of six weeks for breaching a
supervision order. Liam McManus, from St Helens, Merseyside, was discovered
by staff at Lancaster Farms at 7.10am yesterday.
Correction
The council with the highest percentage of household recycling and composting,
at 55 per cent, is North Kesteven in Lincolnshire, not South Kesteven as we
reported (“No bin collection if lid is not shut”, November 27).
Killer to serve 18 years
A burglar who battered a woman to death last year after being released from a
young offender institution on an electronic tag has been jailed for life,
and will serve at least 18 years. Lloyd Edwards, 19, repeatedly punched
Laila Rezk, 53, who was found in her home in southwest London by her
children, then 22 and 20, covered in blood. Edwards had denied murder but
was convicted at Kingston Crown Court.
Benefit office strike
Up to 80,000 workers in benefit offices, Jobcentres and other government
offices are to stage a 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay. Staff at the
Department for Work and Pensions will stay out on December 6 and 7 after
union leaders accused management of walking away from talks intended to
avert industrial action. The union said the pay offer averaged 1 per cent a
year over the next three years.
Ageing gene found
A gene important to the ageing process has been identified in mice, scientists
said. When NF-kappa-B, was inactivated in the skin of two-year-old animals,
it became rejuvenated to a state found in newborn mice. Howard Chang, from
the Stanford School of Medicine, cautioned that the gene should not be seen
as a “fount of youth” but said that it might be used to improve wound
healing.
Jail for English insult
Michael Forsythe, 54, from Powys, was convicted of racially aggravated
harassment after calling a Welsh woman English. He swore at and insulted
Gavin and Lorna Steele at the tattoo parlour they own, after hitting their
parked vehicle. He was sentenced to ten weeks in jail, suspended for 12
months, with a supervision requirement at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court. He
must pay £200 costs.
Lavatories by text
A mobile phone service that alerts users to the nearest public lavatories has
been introduced. Texting the word “toilet” to the number 80097 prompts a
response from Westminster City Council, which gives details of the nearest
facilities and opening times. The council expects its scheme to make a
“substantial impact on reducing street urination” in the area. The texts
cost 25p each.
