Iqra is 18. She was a full time school pupil yesterday, today she is unemployed. She can't attend college full time because she has high anxiety levels caused by her autism. There are not enough part time specialist places for her to get the same opportunity as her mainstream peers. THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL – EIS HIGHLIGHTS SCALE OF COLLEGE ASN CUTS The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest union for teachers and lecturers, has highlighted the significant impact of long term cuts to Further Education funding on Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision in Scotland’s colleges. The EIS submitted Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to each college in Scotland asking key questions regarding each institution’s ASN provision. The results show a significant decline, nationally, in the level of support available to students with ASN in Scotland’s FE colleges – with significant regional differences in provision. EIS-FELA (Further Education Lecturers’ Association) President John Kelly said, “The results of this national survey of ASN provision in Scotland’s colleges clearly indicate a significant decline in ASN provision for students since the Government began implemented funding cuts for FE colleges four years ago. The evidence from this EIS-FELA survey shows that it is the students who both require and deserve specialist additional support that are suffering the deepest and most damaging consequences of funding cuts. Continued funding cuts have led to a systematic reduction in ASN activity and a reduction in total college capacity to support ASN students – the most vulnerable students in society. The sad truth is that cuts to ASN provision make it far more difficult, if not impossible, for many of these learners to access education at all.” He added, “The Survey also identifies an alarming range in the amount of ASN provision different FE regions provide, which raises serious equality concerns. For example, Dundee College had 699 DPG18 (ASN) students in 2012-13 whilst Aberdeen College had 240, despite being a much larger college. In the same year; West Lothian College, Aberdeen College and Anniesland College all delivered similar amounts of DPG18 ASN activity despite significant differences in their size and geographic footprint. ASN provision is erratic and it would seem purely historical, with no nationwide planning, that the levels of support ASN students receive is dependant mainly on where they live. For Learners with ASN, potentially having to travel to an institution in another part of the country can present a significant barrier to their access to education.” He went on to say, “These are the most vulnerable students in tertiary education and they deserve better. The EIS-FELA survey shows clear trends over the last four years – and starkly identifies the decline in ASN provision within every metric we surveyed – fewer DPG 18 students, fewer ASN courses, fewer qualified staff, fewer rooms and so on. The FE Colleges are now funded as a public sector, with the Scottish Funding Council overseeing regional outcome agreements based on government priorities. ASN provision needs to be restored to 2009-10 levels, and greater consistency of ASN activity delivered across Scotland. The Scottish Government and the SFC will need to ensure that all Regional Outcome Agreements have similar terms.”

In times of reduced public spending on services like Education and NHS this an insult to those who are loosing services. This leaves aside the low level of income for many households in the region. How many actually have a comparable income with 2 adults working? Lead by example.

I have Leukaemia and am treated with one of the drugs on the list for review. I know that I won't loose it, but many of us with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia and other Cancers are worried about the future and also patients newly diagnosed who may not get these life saving drugs at all. You can't put a price on drugs that will give you prolonged life for many years. We urge the Prime Minister The Rt. Hon David Cameron to keep to his promise to keep these invaluable drugs going either in the CDF or generally through the NHS.

I work in a local authority and I am dismayed by the affect that Government grant cuts are having on jobs and services. Maybe at one point there was some spare flesh to cut from local government, but that time is long gone and we are now cutting deep into the bone. Local authorities provide vital services to the most vulnerable such as the elderly, people with physical and mental health problems and learning disabilities, the homeless and looked-after children. Huge cuts are being made to these services by the government at the same time as the need for these services is going through the roof – largely because of job losses and cuts to housing, disability and employment benefits. This means that the government is taxing the most needy and least able to pay in society TWICE. Firstly by cutting their benefits, and then again by cutting the money paid to local authorities to support them. Local authorities are also providers and protectors of the culture and heritage of all of our towns and cities. They look after libraries, museums, galleries, parks and local countryside. These areas are often the first to suffer because they are none-statutory services. How much poorer are the educational and cultural opportunities for local people because many councils have been forced to close libraries and museums because of cuts? People who have dedicated years to providing support and services to the people in their communities for very modest rates of pay are being forced out of worthwhile jobs while incompetent bankers carry on lining their own pockets. Making tens of thousands of local authority workers redundant only adds to the people unable to contribute to the economy or pay income tax, many may well go on to lose their home, adding to the housing benefit bill. At the end of the day, it is not public sector workers, or immigrants or people on benefits who have caused this financial crisis. Please, whatever your political persuasion, think long and hard about whether it is fair that jobs and services that are dedicated to serving and helping people in your community are losing nearly half their government grant, while the very banks and super-rich people who put us in this mess in the first place are getting off scot-free? This country has been built on the ideals of fairness, humanity and respect for the ordinary person. These cruel and unfair cuts attack that very foundation of our nationhood. The most vulnerable people are having their quality of life cut from just about liveable to unbearable; at the same time the number of billionaires in the world has doubled since the financial crisis started, and the 5 richest families in the UK own as much wealth as the bottom 20% of the population. Meanwhile it is estimated by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that another 300,000 children are soon to be added to the 2.5 million who are currently living in poverty in this country if the next round of cuts go ahead. Please sign this petition and lets show the government that we will no longer accept vital jobs and services being attacked to make up for the mistakes of the banks and super-rich.

Abbey School is a valuable community resource, providing education for children with special educational needs. In 2008 it was rated Outstanding, in 2011 it was rated Good and in 2014 it was rated Inadequate. The school can regain its previous standards with support and encouragement. Closure of the school would represent the loss of a valuable learning establishment, which has become part of our town's social fabric. We call upon Rotherham Council to take appropriate steps to improve the effectiveness of Abbey School and preserve it for the benefit of future Rotherham generations.

Closure Tynyrheol primary school, Llangeinor Bridgend CBC is expecting a shortfall of £50 million in finances, surely it should be looking at cost savings such as bringing good quality brick solid buildings up to standard, especially if they have been modernised with double glazing and full central heating. All that is required is to provide dis-abled persons access which can be easily achieved. If Bridgend CBC would like the option of a new building, even though it will have no money, the building should be located where it is easily accessible to the school children and residents of Llangeinor. To save money Bridgend CBC could employ an overall head teacher based in Betws, Brynmenyn or Bryncethin, which would help with staffing costs.. The objections against the closure of Tynyrheol primary school are as follows:- There is no public transport service between Betws and Llangeinor, and with a shortfall in finances there will be none. There are fourteen pupils at Tynyrheol primary school who receive free school meals. If any of these children have an accident or are taken ill in the new school, it is unlikely that their carer’s could afford the bus fare to go to Bridgend and from Bridgend to Betws to collect their child. Certainly they could not afford a taxi fare to bring the child home. The Highways Department of Bridgend CBC has confirmed that the 1.7 miles distance between the two schools has no safe pedestrian way for the children to walk to school. Therefore it would be necessary for school buses to be provided. At the time when the Council is trying to cut costs by keeping transport costs to a minimum. The LEA representatives state that the education of the children would be improved because of additional provisions at the new school, this is not true. Because children from Llangeinor would need to catch a school bus, they are unlikely to benefit from these facilities. There are approximately forty pupils at Tynyrheol primary school who take advantage of the free breakfast facilities at their present school; these pupils are unlikely to be able to take advantage of any facilities if a new school building was located in Betws because of transport problems. Free breakfast facilities which is a Welsh Assembly initiative, and at Tynyrheol primary school has been proven to be beneficial, not only to the children’s health but the children are more alert during lessons. Tynyrheol primary school at present runs a series of successful after school clubs which are regularly attended by twenty to twenty five children at each session. These children will lose out if they are dependent on a school bus service. Children attending Nursery aged three upwards for two terms during the school year are part time, concerns are raised about safety supervision of these children if there is a school bus service, provided for them, which is additional unnecessary transport costs. These children for two terms during the school year are at the school on a part time basis. Who will ensure the safety and transport of these children back to Llangeinor, if the Council is seeking to cut costs? Bridgend CBC LEA has submitted monetary figures to the Cabinet of Bridgend CBC, and concerns have been raised about the integrity and correctness of these figures. At the moment there is approximately seventy five to eighty pupils at the school.

Her brother is terminally ill, her family need her home as he possibly has only days to live (see update below). Carla is a grandmother with a strong moral compass who has been unlawfully incarcerated, she is a compassionate caring upstanding lady, and the justice system has betrayed her terribly. No fair trial, this is a human rights violation. No due process under the rule of law has been adhered to on this case, and an appeal was lodged prior to her arrest. Carla has been kidnapped by the police taken to an admin hearing and imprisoned for 8 weeks in the run up to Christmas, Carla is a Christian. We have had reports that she is cold and was placed in a dirty cell with unclean bedding. This is an absolute outrage to those who know her well and this is cruel inhuman and degrading treatment and unconstitutional. Carla is being subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment in Sodexo prison according to witnesses. UPDATE 1/12/14 sadly Carla's Brother has now passed away without her by his side, due to her incarceration. Carla needs to be allowed to attend her brother's funeral.

John is in his 70s. Has lost both his wife and his daughter and has tirelessly walked the streets of Sheffield raising money for Macmillan Cancer. He is out rain or shine and deserves this honour for his hard work and dedication raising money for this worthwhile cause.

Above all for safety and also to save money and to enhance use of bicycles and public transport and above all for the sake of pedestrians including children, the disabled and elderly

Tony Blair was awarded the "global legacy award" by Save the Children US. Apparently this is for his "commitment to Africa". But the former prime minister is central to Sir John Chilcot's inquiry into Britain’s controversial and protracted war in Iraq. Earlier this month, it emerged that Blair had signed a multimillion pound contract with a Saudi Arabian oil company in 2010 to broker secret deals on the firm’s behalf with Chinese state officials. The revelation raises serious questions over the former PM’s diplomatic role as Middle East envoy, and his personal vested interests in the region. Then earlier this year, Blair managed to successfully quash a Serious Fraud Office investigation into alleged corruption regarding an arms deal with Saudi Arabia. It is for these reasons that Tony Blair should not be awarded Save the Children’s Global Legacy award. His “legacy” in Iraq overshadows his achievements in Africa.

How far will we allow corporate interests to run our Government's environment policies and dismantle the biosphere before we finally scream "ENOUGH!" ? The natural environment we are leaving to our children and grandchildren is already massively degraded, and if narrow corporate interests continue to be pandered to by our government, who have instituted wicked mechanisms by which to undermine our care for the environment, even this damaged inheritance will be lost. Full details of the underhanded, cynical and biased way the Government is undermining our natural patrimony can be found in George Monbiot's excellent article on the following link: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2014/nov/21/we-need-nature-wellbeing-act-protect-wildlife-decline?CMP=share_btn_fb The Nature and Wellbeing Green Paper drawn up by the RSPB and Wildlife Trust offers an antidote to the toxic behaviour of the Government. A link to it can be found on the article by George Monbiot (URL given above). We know that people power CAN change government policy, because it is WE, the VOTERS, who tick the boxes in elections. So please use your power for the sake of both Nature and future generations! Every email or letter sent to your MP, pressuring him or her to put Nature first by pushing for the adoption of the Nature and Wellbeing Paper as law, will make an important difference. Thank you !

Public bodies of the Scottish Government are organisations that are funded by the Scottish Government. It is a tightly meshed network of executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies ("quangoes"); tribunals; and nationalised industries. These public bodies are distinct from executive agencies of the Scottish Government, as they are not considered to be part of the Government and staff of public bodies are not civil servants. The Scottish Government is responsible for appointing a board of directors to run public bodies. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland is responsible for regulating the process. SEPA (The Scottish Enviromental Protection Agency) is one of these quango's - It is also the licensing agency for all fracking licenses in Scotland. By bringing it into government control or by tying its hands through legislation, fracking could be stopped in Scotland despite the protestation of Westminster