Lord Woolf calls for cap on prison places – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The government should place a cap on prison places to lessen overcrowding and stem the resources poured into building new jails, the former lord chief justice Lord Woolf said today.”

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The Guardian, 17th April 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hewitt defends mental health proposals – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2007 in mental health, news by sally

“Controversial revisions to mental health legislation will strike the right balance between improving patient safeguards and protecting the public, the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 17th April 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Forced to sign on the dotted line – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in contracts, legal aid, solicitors by sally

“To the outside world it must seem extraordinary that lawyers (of all people) signed a contract so apparently weighted in favour of the paymaster that the profession’s own contract lawyer advised them not to put pen to paper.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law Lords consider Iraqi deaths – BBC News

Posted April 17th, 2007 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, jurisdiction, news by sally

“The Law Lords are to consider whether the cases of six Iraqi civilians who died at the hands of the British are subject to UK human rights law.”

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BBC News, 17th April 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Azmi v. Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council – Times Law Reports

Posted April 17th, 2007 in law reports, religious discrimination by sally

No discrimination in ban on veil in classroom

Azmi v. Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

Employment Appeal Tribunal 

“A Muslim teaching assistant who had been suspended for disobeying an instruction not to wear a veil when assisting a male teacher was not discriminated against directly or indirectly on the ground of religion or belief.”

The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Babula v. Waltham Forest College – Times Law Reports

Posted April 17th, 2007 in law reports, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by sally

Whistleblower need not prove criminal or civil wrongdoing

Babula v. Waltham Forest College

Court of Appeal 

“Where an employee made a claim for unfair dismissal asserting that the dismissal was to be regarded as automatically unfair because he had made a protected disclosure, it was sufficient that he reasonably believed the matters that he relied on amounted to a criminal offence, or founded a legal obligation. He did not have to be able to point to an actual criminal offence or to an actual legal obligation.”

The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Law Society’s complaints handling plan declared adequate – Government News Network

Posted April 17th, 2007 in complaints, news, solicitors by sally

“The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, Zahida Manzoor CBE, has today declared the Law Society’s complaints handling Plan for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 as adequate.”

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Department for Constitutional Affairs press release, 17th April 2007

Source: www.gnn.gov.uk

From start to finish – one case, one judge – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in family courts, judges by sally

“If there’s a theme to his coming year in office it has to be judge power. District Judge Michael Tennant favours judges having powers to enforce orders for contact with children when flouted by parents; he favours judges being in charge of a case from start to finish; and above all he would like more resources for the courts — although that one, he accepts, is likely to remain on his wish list.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Inquiry still seeks planning expert on supermarkets – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in competition, news, planning by sally

“The Competition Commission is struggling to find an expert to advise on planning issues, which form a key part of its inquiry into the grocery market.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MP rebellion looms over new mental health curbs – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in mental health, news by sally

“Mental health professionals and opposition parties have joined forces to resist wider powers to detain people with a mental disorder deemed to pose a danger to others.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Snookered by fair comment – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in defamation, dispute resolution by sally

“Alternative dispute resolution – sorting out libel actions without the crushing costs of High Court litigation – was given a new lease of life last month when Peter Ebdon, the former world snooker champion, arbitrated his libel action against The Times. It was the first time a case involving a defence of fair comment went to binding arbitration.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Home Office promises review after private prison exposé – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The Home Office has pledged to review the management of a privately run prison where an investigation by Guardian Films and the BBC uncovered routine bullying of staff by prisoners at the jail.”

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The Guardian, 17th April 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ministers plan to let private prisons discipline inmates – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The powers of Home Office officials to discipline and order the segregation and restraint of prisoners in Britain’s private jails would be handed over to the prison companies under legislation to be debated today by the House of Lords.”

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The Guardian, 17th April 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Banker ‘was asked to flirt with clients and do dishes’ – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in news, sex discrimination by sally

“A City banker was told to use her female charms to woo clients over candlelit dinners and was asked by her manager to do the washing-up at a business meal, an employment tribunal was told yesterday.”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

HMRC gets tough on couples transferring assets – The Times

Posted April 17th, 2007 in inheritance tax, news by sally

“Thousands of couples look set to be hit by a new Revenue clampdown which could leave their heirs with a bigger bill for inheritance tax (IHT).”

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The Times, 17th April 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk