21 May 2004
Reverend Andrew McLellan, Scotland's chief inspector of prisons, has issued another scathing report on Peterhead prison, accusing it of failing to address the criticisms in his previous report. On that occasion he criticised poor living conditions, including slopping out and the lack of running water and electric lighting in cells. This latest report says conditions are as bad as ever for some inmates.
The Commons' environmental audit select committee has urged the government to take a tougher stance against organisations that commit environmental crime. Its report says the sentences currently available to the courts are 'paltry' and far too inflexible, while the level of fines imposed is often 'derisory'. It says some organisations deliberately flout environmental regulations to avoid costs because they are not deterred by potential punishments. The committee is calling on the government to take a more co-ordinated approach to the problem.
Judges have been given guidance on the kind of language that is acceptable in modern Britain — and the kind that is not. Copies of the Equal treatment bench book, produced by the Judicial Studies Board, have been distributed to all judges. Its advice includes jettisoning terms such as 'mental handicap' and 'the disabled' in favour of 'learning difficulties' and 'people with disabilities'. Launching the guide, Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf (pictured) said: 'We live in a very diverse society and the justice system has got to be able to cope with that.'
Adults who failed to achieve at least five GCSEs or the vocational equivalent are to be given the opportunity to go back to school free of charge, under a new scheme unveiled by Tony Blair. In pilot schemes this autumn, adult learners will be able to take qualifications without paying any fees. The programme will be rolled out nationally from next year and the government hopes up to 1 million people will sign up. 'We have several million people in this country at the moment who have not attained that level. That is a huge drag anchor on the skills base in this country,' the prime minister said.
The biggest health treatment centre contract, which will provide fast-track operations for NHS patients, has been signed with Capio, the Swedish health care company. It will provide eight centres, performing 19,000 general surgery and orthopaedic operations a year, about 10,000 of them additional to NHS capacity. John Hutton, the health minister, said they would be provided at prices 'well below the current rates being charged in the private sector', with most staff coming from outside the NHS.
Martin Narey, who will head the merged probation and prison services, has pledged to resign if he does not cut reoffending rates by 10%. Currently 56% of offenders given a community penalty and 59% of those jailed are reconvicted within two years. Narey told a police conference in Birmingham that he had promised David Blunkett that the target would be met. 'The home secretary said that was fine and I said if I did not, I will go,' he added.
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