EU passes law on aid

The law, endorsed at talks in Luxembourg, guarantees that suspects get interpretation in their own language in all courts across the EU, from the very start of any criminal proceedings, including when receiving legal advice.

The European Commission, which proposed the idea six months ago, said the final approval marked an historic moment in delivering the first-ever EU law on fair trial rights for citizens.

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding commented: "It will now be up to member states to write these rules into their domestic legislation and apply them as soon as possible so that citizens can benefit from them."

The Commission cites the examples of an Italian tourist in a car crash in Sweden who was not allowed to talk to an Italian-speaking lawyer during his trial, and the case of the Polish suspect denied access to written translations of evidence used against him in a French court.

The agreement is the first step under the Lisbon Treaty towards setting common EU standards in criminal cases.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Strike vow on probation cuts

Probation and family court staff plan to launch a campaign of industrial action and co-ordinate any strikes with other public sector unions "for maximum impact", the probation union said yesterday.

Napo said it would ballot its members over strike action if "savage" cuts go ahead in the Government's spending review on October 20.

The union's assistant general secretary, Harry Fletcher, said: "Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Minister, cannot call for less people to be jailed and instead be supervised in the community and at the same time cut probation."

Mr Clarke wants more offenders to be given community sentences rather than short jail terms, but Mr Fletcher said this could be compromised if Government spending cuts of 25 per cent go ahead.

He told Napo's annual conference in Scarborough: "Ironically, because of his contradictory actions, more people will be jailed as the courts discover that probation is unable to fulfil its statutory obligations."

HEALTH

NHS reform 'achieveable'

The timetable for implementing reforms of the NHS is ambitious but not unachievable, the Health Secretary will say today.

Andrew Lansley has come under fire over the speed of his proposals, which will see GPs take control of the NHS budget from 2013.

NHS trusts, which manage the cash at the moment, will be abolished.

Today, Mr Lansley will seek to reassure doctors attending a Royal College of GPs conference in Harrogate, promising full support for their new role.

He will accuse the previous Labour government of having dithered over NHS reform and the Government would not repeat its mistakes.

"That is why I have been so clear about setting out our ambitions for the NHS, the reforms we will make to achieve these ambitions, and by when we will make the reforms. It is true that the timetable is ambitious, but it is not a timetable which is unachievable."

WELFARE

Cuts warning for disabled

Disabled people will be "pushed even further backwards" in society as they are hit with more than 9bn in welfare cuts over the next five years, says a leading think tank.

The Government's proposed benefit reforms will see 3.5 million disabled people lose about 9.2bn in support by 2015, says a report from Demos.

Ministers' plans to move disabled people on to Job Seekers Allowance will account for half these losses, it said.

The report, Destination Unknown, argues planned welfare reforms would result in more disabled people being trapped in long-term unemployment – ultimately costing the taxpayer more than at present.

Demos says by 2015, families with disabled children would lose more than 3,000 each, and disabled adults whose partner is a full-time carer would also lose around 3,000.