02/07/2011 BBC Weekend News

A major shake-up of health and safety guidelines for school trips

in England is published. Ministers say they want an end to red tape,

but one teachers' union urges caution.

More violence in east Belfast - six police are injured and seven people

are arrested. Activists say anti-Government

protests in Syria are growing, following more deaths during

demonstrations against President Assad.

And... Move over Sharapova, as Petra Kvitova takes the women's

Good evening. Guidelines governing school trips in England are being

given a radical shake-up. Ministers say they want a more common sense

approach to health and safety, and they want schools and local

authorities to ditch unnecessary paperwork. But the move has drawn

sharp criticism from one teaching union, as Sophie Hutchinson reports.

These exciting school trips for youngsters are often viewed with

trepidation by teachers struggling to comply with regulations. But the

Government has now torn up the old health and safety guidelines and

said it's cutting the red tape. We've got a crazy situation at the

moment where we have schools and teachers up and down the country

who feel reluctant to organise school trips, to plan outward bound

courses, because they think that health and safety red tape means

they are in real danger of being in trouble if the slightest thing goes

wrong. The slimmer guidelines underlines that risk assessments

and consent forms do not need completing for every activity

outside school, and they want to dispel myths about teachers being

sued. I've had members of staff when I was head of department who

were screaming at me worrying that they would get sued because they

haven't got the right permission slips in. Some staff get very, very

worried about it. The new guidelines for teachers are part of

a wider debate about children's experience in and outside of school.

And whether the overzealous application of safety laws taking

the fun out of growing up. Today the health watchdog insisted that

some bureaucrats were using health and safety rules as a feeble excuse

to stop people enjoying themselves. People in all walks of life and in

a number of schools have become very risk-averse, for a range of

reasons, but it seems that they've landed upon a convenient excuse in

the form of hefrlt and safety. We thinklets -- health and safety. We

think it is time to blow in myth apart. The watchdog wants parents

to realise that life can't be risk free, but the NASUWT has criticised

the new approach to school trips and warned it can make parents and

teachers more nervous. Police in east Belfast say last

night's violence in which six police officers were injured was

spontaneous and came mostly from the loyalist community. Officers

used water cannon and fired plastic baton rounds. Seven people have

been arrested. From Belfast, Alexandra MacKenzie sent this

report. The violence began around midnight. Police officers movered

in to prevent further clashes. But they came under attack from

loyalists, who threw stones, empty bottles and bricks. Police vehicles

were targeted. There were attempts to destroy cameras being used to

gather evidence. Officers fired plastic bullets and used a water

cannon to help disperse the crowd. Police say tension was height nnd

both the loyalist and nationalist communities after two recent nights

of rioting in the same area. Today, police said the trouble started

after the Orange Order parade had passed through. Due to the events

of last week and after the solemn commemoration parade last night

there were a number of minor incidents. The parade itself passed

off peacefully. One assault in particular seemed to be the

catalyst for more expense spontaneous disorder. It was not

orchestrated. Community groups are continuing to work with politicians

and the police to prevent another night of violence, but admit that

when crowds gather, the situation is difficult to predict. Calm has

been restored, but with if marching season now in full swing, and due

to reach its peak in ten days' time, community leaders here hope that

tensions between the nationalists and the loyalists can be contained.

The man convicted of murdering the schoolgirl, Sarah Payne, is

reported to have been attacked by another inmate at Wakefield prison.

Roy Whiting, who's serving a life sentence, is believed to have

suffered eye injuries after an alleged assault, and has been

treated in hospital. Whiting was convicted of the abduction and

murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2001.

The parents of the murdered teacher, Lindsay Hawker, are flying to Japan,

where the man accused of killing her is about to go on trial. 22-

year-old Lindsay Hawker was found dead in a bathtub on the balcony of

an apartment near Tokyo four years ago. One of her students at an

English language school, Tatsuya Ichihashi, has been charged with

her murder. Syria's President has sacked one of

the country's most important regional governors, the Governor of

Hama, after his region saw the biggest demonstrations against

presidential rule yesterday. As many as half a million protesters

are said to have marched. Activists say at least 24 people were shot

dead by the security forces across Syria. Our correspondent, Owen

Bennett Jones, sent this report from neighbouring Lebanon. Syrian

state TV showing anti-Government protesters, or as the newsreader

puts it, armed criminal gangs. civilians and policemen were killed

and others were injured at the hands of armed groups... In an

English bulletin on the official international channel, they showed

that as well as critics the Government has vocal supporters of

all ages. I love Sir gentleman. I want to live peacefully in my

country. We are all here, love Syria, and we are Syrians.

pictures put up on Facebook by opposition activists give a very

different impression. This was after Friday prayers yesterday.

Across the country, people power, demanding the downfall of the

Government. In neighbouring Lebanon, people are watching and waiting,

and some expect that eventually Syria's President Bashar al-Assad

will have to stand down. The more the international community and the

Arab community let al-Assad stay in power, the more bloodshed we will

witness, but al-Assad can not lead the transition. The nature of his

regime does not allow him to lead the transition. He cannot stop the

killing either. And opposition protesters are continuing to die.

These are unverified pictures posted by activists who say that

over 20 people were killed after this week's Friday prayers.

The UK's leading disability charities are threatening legal

action against the Government over its welfare reform proposals. The

Disability Alliance says Ministers haven't properly assessed the

impact the changes will have. The Disability Minister, Maria Miller,

insists discussions are still under way, and has accused the Alliance

of creating unnecessary anxiety. A severe spinal injury means life

for this woman is a constant challenge, but specially adapted

equipment eases her struggle, as does �125 a week in disability

living allowance. But the Government plans to scrap that

allowance and replace it with one which will take the modifications

of her home into account. She fears she will be worse off as a result.

The reality is I have those pieces of equipment but they all cost to

maintain and use. So a lot of electrical gadgets, through the

floor lift, electric beds and wheelchair. The new allowance, to

be called the personal independence payment, is aimed at targeting

benefits more efficiently. But campaigners claim tens of thousands

of disabled people could allows out -- allows out. There are disabled

people telling us they are so anxious they are considering

suicide. More than 3 million people claim Disability Living Allowance,

that's one in 20 of the population. The vast majority are never

reassessed, meaning once on the benefits they can often stay on it

even if their circumstances change. But the Government says it is a

system in urgent need of reform. Not least say its critics because

it is open to abuse. Yesterday, Clare Jones appeared in court after

this video was discovered of her taking part in a skydive. The 38-

year-old was awarded the disability living allowance because of a bad

back but continued claiming long after she had recovered. The plans

to introduce regular assessments are partly aimed at preventing

deception. But Ministers fear that claims that people will be worse

off aren't justified. We are still only part the way through this

process. I think some of the concerns that are being expressed

are second guessing what's the outcome of this research will be,

and I think probably creating a great deal of concern where perhaps

there is no necessity to have that concern. But Anne and many like her

will remain concerned until they know exactly how the changes will

affect them. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

are continuing their tour of Canada. They've planted a tree marking

their visit at Government House in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. Later

today they'll meet war veterans before flying to Montreal and an

overnight trip down the St Lawrence seaway to Quebec City. The royal

couple move on to California next Friday.

Prince Albert of Monaco has exchanged vows with his South

African bride, Charlene Wittstock, in a star-studded wedding in Monte

Carlo. Today's service, which followed a civil ceremony yesterday,

was attended by European royals, actors and heads of state. Among

them were the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Sir Roger

Moore. There's a new womens' champion at

Wimbledon. Petra Kvitova held her nerve in her first ever Grand Slam

final to beat the 2004 champion Maria Sharapova in straight sets.

Tim has more. It couldn't have been a more different backdrop to the

men's tournament tomorrow, where we've got the first seed playing

the second in the finals. In the women's tournament, the Williams

sisters went out pretty early on, and the first four seeds also went.

So today would be a victory for youth. One thing was certain before

the women walked out - Wimbledon would have its youngest women's

champion since 2004, when Maria Sharapova won the tournament at the

The question immediately asked, would the 21-year-old Kvitova be

overawed? Receiving serve she fizzed the answer right back. The

vastly more experienced Sharapova began making mistakes, looking

tentative. Kvitova in contrast was a picture of unblinking focus. She

ran away with the set, 6-2. The Czech extend her run of games at

the start of the second set, passing Sharapova even when she was

standing next to the ball. The doubts began to swirl. But

Sharapova wasn't fromed. She managed a break of her own. Her

fiancee was doing the sweating for both of them. Kvitova kept hitting

back, blowing her opponent off court, the coxtator off her chair!

And then it it was moment to deliver her first ace. On Match

Point. COMMENTATOR: Game, set and match! It is hard, if I'm standing

here with a trophy and I see the great players in the Royal Box.

that the best match you have ever play? I think so, of course, in the

final of Wimbledon, so... Yes. victory the young Czech champion

displayed poise and grace. Her family and friends showed no such

inhibitions. It could be the first of many such celebrations.

It is very easy to make these grand predictions but she was more

accurate, faster, stronger today. These are pretty useful attributes.

She was also calm, able to keep going when she was ahead. It was a

lesson perhaps that Andy Murray could have drawn on yesterday. Kite

have been a lesson for another young Briton today. Liam Broady was

playing in the final of the boys' tournament. There he is losing on

Match Point to Australian Luke Saville. He was a set and a break

up, Liam Broady. Thoughtful was as good as it got, but the prospect

perhaps of talent to come. We've certainly got the delicious