Councils across England and Wales have been left with a £100m bill because they are for caring for sick and destitute migrants left unsupported by the state.

{mosimage}The home secretary, John Reid, is facing demands from more than 100 councils who blame “chaotic” government immigration procedures for leaving them to support migrants assessed as having “no recourse to public funds” (NRPF). These include thousands of failed asylum seekers, migrants sponsored to enter the UK, some overseas students and others in ill health, including many who have HIV.

Twenty-four hours after Mr Reid announced another crackdown on illegal immigrants – tightening the system to deny them benefits and urging them to leave by sending them text messages – it emerged that his officials have no idea how many have NRPF. Voluntary agencies estimate that the figure runs into tens of thousands and accuse the Home Office of parading a tough line on rejecting asylum claims while failing to mention this “statistically invisible” group.

A Royal Navy junior rating who claims she was raped by a senior colleague regained her memory of the incident after undergoing a controversial psychotherapy technique, a court martial heard yesterday.

NHS spending on drugs to treat child hyperactivity has tripled in only five years. Almost 400,000 aged between five and 19 are believed to be on the drugs despite doctors’ fears about side effects.

Illegal drugs can be “harmless” and should no longer be “demonised”, a wide-ranging two-year study has concluded. The report says Britain’s drug laws are “not fit for purpose” and should be torn up in favour of a system which recognises that drinking and smoking can cause more harm.

Women are being sold into prostitution in modern day “slave auctions” at Britain’s airports, it emerged yesterday. The illegal immigrants are sold to the highest bidder for up to £8,000 a time. They are then forced to work in brothels where they can earn up to £800 a day for their “owner”.

A major review has concluded there is little evidence to suggest a key plank of government plans to toughen up mental health laws actually works. The Mental Health Bill would allow people with untreatable personality disorders to be detained, even if they have not committed a crime.

A Conduct Committee of the General Social Care Council (GSCC) yesterday 7 March 2007 decided the case of a social worker from Wolverhampton who was alleged to have breached the code of practice for social care workers by driving with excess of alcohol and failing to declare the conviction to the GSCC.

The announcement this week by the Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt of consultative proposals for a new commissioning framework for health and social care has been warmly received by Skills for Care – the national workforce development body that is responsible for standards and qualifications in adult social care.

Over 300 workers at Manchester’s mental health and social care trust have won a victory against their bosses following a campaign that included strike action.

The NHS is overburdened by inspections by at least 56 different bodies, a report has warned. The NHS Confederation, which represents 90% of managers, says inspection and assessment are important.