Glasgow SNP MSP Anne McLaughlin Stands up to UK Home Office

53.8% of children detained in the UK last year were released, indicating that they shouldn't have been detained in the first place as other legal routes would not have been exhausted.

In the year April 2008 to March 2009, 1,116 children entered detention and slightly more departed it-clearly some cases would have overlapped from previous year. Some 539 of those children, slightly fewer than half, were removed, and 629 were released.

BBC News Thursday, 11 February 2010

A woman and her 10-year-old daughter
have won the latest round in their legal fight to avoid deportation.

Florence Mhango and daughter Precious, originally from Malawi, succeeded
in an application to have a full judicial review into their asylum case.

Supporters say they could be separated if returned to Africa, with
Precious at risk of possible genital mutilation.

The pair have spent
most of their seven years in the UK living in the Cranhill area of Glasgow.

Minister appeal

They narrowly avoided deportation last November
after being removed from a flight at Heathrow pending further legal action.

They were returned to Yarls Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire, where
they had been moved from Dungavel detention centre in Lanarkshire, before being
released to return north.

Glasgow SNP MSP Anne McLaughlin, who has
campaigned for the family's release, said: "I am relieved and delighted with the
outcome of this renewal hearing. They will now proceed to a full hearing and I
am confident they can win that.

"However I would now appeal in the
strongest terms to the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson and ask him not to put them
through that."

Posted by Austin Sheridan MYP
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You can find this article at www.AustinMSYP.co.nr (Blog Section)

Surprise response to my blog article about the 'right to die'

I received this surprise e-mail today regarding my Blog Article titled: Margo MacDonald's 'End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill'

Dear Austin,

Picked up your blog comments on Margo's End Of Life (Assistance) Scotland Bill and was pleased to see that you generally support the Bill.

I have included a link to the Bill and its accompanying documents which I think may answer some of the points that you raise concern about. For example the referral process. You suggest 3 independent doctors should be involved…our suggestion is that there should be the attending physician (doctor) a psychiatrist to assess the mental condition and competence of the patient and two further witnesses who have and will have nothing to gain from the death of the person ( thus excluding any family member or friend who may be named in a will for example) and this process will have to be done twice… we think that this is a very robust system.

In terms of insurance, this is a reserved matter and we are unable to make any comment on the face of the Bill about this.

Finally I am really not sure about your other point about half the estate of the deceased going to the Government…many people who die do so in circumstances that may indeed be termed 'costly', but this should in no way be factored into their care, or their decision to withhold from treatment (advance directives for example) or decision to end their life if this Bill became law.

But thank you again for picking up this issue…

Yours aye

Peter Warren
Office Manager - Margo MacDonald MSP

I do welcome this response and can confirm full support behind the bill as stated in my previous blog.

At least someone is reading my blog.

Thanks





Posted by Austin Sheridan MSYP
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This article can be found at: www.AustinMSYP.co.nr (Blog Section)

Margo MacDonald's 'End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill'

Margo MacDonald MSP who sits as an 'Independent' in the Scottish Parliament is trying to push through a bill that basically allows people the right to end their life if they are ill with no chance of recovery.

I must admit when this was first put forward I thought that it might be a bad idea, I mean how could be be sure people would
not abuse this 'right to die'? Would family members force or suggest that people in their family kill themselves to take the pressure off the family? I hope that this would never be the case but with the world that we live in we have to take this flaw into account.

Margo MacDonald MSP has assured us 'that as a person who is ill' it has the protection that is needed to stop family members forcing people to end their life. Overall I do support the bill however, to make sure that there is no abuse I would like to see some things put in place;

1. If people choose to end their life half of their assets should go to the Scottish Government to help pay for legal aspects of introducing this bill and any other costs that come with maintaining the 'right to die'.

2. Any life insurance policy would not be paid out unless the insurance company allows payments if customer uses their 'right to die'

3. If anyone has been found to have forced someone into using the 'right to die' they would face a murder charge.

4. Three independent Doctors should decide if the person in in question (the person who wants to use their right to die) should go through with the procedure.


The first two of my points are things that I would like to see in the bill, the last two in my view should be necessary. The first two points were made to put anyone off using the 'right to die' for money or any other assets.

In General I do support the bill and I wish Margo MacDonald all the best regarding this bill.
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This article can be found at: www.AustinMSYP.co.nr (Blog Section)