This week’s news in brief
Soldier wins pension
A legal ruling could help hundreds of British servicemen claim compensation
over the disputed Gulf War Syndrome, after a former soldier won his claim for
an army pension. A tribunal acknowledged that a link existed between his condition
and the syndrome. www.mod.uk
Whistleblower targets
One-in-three NHS whistleblowers has faced reprisals, according to Unison.
Staff are most frightened of raising concerns about unsafe staffing levels,
government targets/waiting lists, risks caused by other staff and a bullying
culture. www.unison.org.uk
More than 1,200 additional community support officers (CSOs) will be
recruited across England and Wales after the Government promised a further £41m
to fund the scheme. The money will also help to pay for the 1,350 officers
already working across 27 UK police forces. www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Steel crisis summit
The Government has been asked to set up a summit to discuss the jobs crisis
in the steel industry. SteelAction, which represents 18 local authorities in
steel areas, claims job cuts across the sector, including more than 1,000 at
Corus, were not inevitable. www.corusgroup.com
‘No love’ contracts
A fifth of UK employers have a formal or informal policy on intimate
relationships between members of staff, with approximately the same number
again considering introducing ‘love contracts’. The online survey was conducted
by law firm Fox Williams. www.hrlaw.co.uk
