Happy Birthday UCF

First prize in the Ulster Cancer Foundation's (UCF) 40th Birthday Card Competition P4 - P7 category was awarded to Ellen McCormick, P4 aged 8 from Penrhyn, Strathearn Prepartory Department, Belfast. Ellen was awarded a £50 Smyths gift toy store voucher and her winning design will be reproduced as a party invitation and thank you card for donations in lieu of gifts. Ellen is pictured with Mrs McNeill, Head of Department and Maeve Fox from the Ulster Cancer Foundation.

PSNI Search Powers Switched-Off

Stop and search powers used by the PSNI have been suspended. The special powers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which allowed the PSNI to search people suspected of being involved in terrorist activity, will not be renewed. Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to say on Thursday that she is suspending the use of the stop and search powers following a European Court ruling last week. Under this legislation, the Home Secretary was able to authorise police to make random searches in certain circumstances.

Holy Orders

Jailed Co Londonderry prisioners have used Mass as a cover for moving drugs, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday and has resulted in some prisoners in Magilligan jail not being allowed to attend Mass. In court, the decision was challenged by prisoner Stephen McAree, from west Belfast, but his application for judicial review was dismissed by Mr Justice Treacy. A prison governor had told the court: "The movement and transfer of drugs between prisoners occurs most frequently at times and places where prisoners congregate in large groups."

Landlords To Pay More Rates

Stormont Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, has announced proposals to reduce the landlord allowance on rates collection. The Article 21 allowance, which provides a discount to landlords who volunteer to collect all rates due on their properties and pay for vacancies, is proposed to change from next April. "With the rating of empty homes at 100%, it would be unfair, to other ratepayers, to maintain the allowance at 15% as all vacancies will be charged for," the Minister stated, and said that he had taken account of a range of issues, including the turnover level of properties, which tends to be highest in the private rented sector, and likely collection difficulties. "I am therefore proposing to reduce the voluntary allowance to 12.5% in the private rented sector and 10% for Housing Associations and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. This change will have the added benefit of providing additional rates income of around £3million per year and should not have any impact on tenants."

(BMcC/GK)