Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted December 18th, 2007 in legislation by sally

The Recovery of Foreign Taxes Regulations 2007

The Childcare Act 2006 (Provision of Information to Parents) (England) Regulations 2007

The Pensions Act 2007 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2007

The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2007

The Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) (England and Wales) Order 2007

The Damages for Bereavement (Variation of Sum) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007

The Films (Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

The Waste and Air Pollution (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2007

The Salisbury College (Dissolution) Order 2007

The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (England) Order 2007

The Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Act 2002 (Commencement No. 1) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007

The Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (Powers of District and JP Courts) Order 2007

The Avian Influenza (H5N1) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Order 2007

The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2001 (Amendment) Regulations 2007

The Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (Wales) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2007

The Private Hire Vehicles (London) (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2007

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Consolidated Fund Act 2007

Posted December 18th, 2007 in budgets, legislation by sally

Consolidated Fund Act 2007 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

HMRC loses data on 6,000 pension holders – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in data protection, HM Revenue & Customs, news by sally

“HM Revenue and Customs became embroiled in another data scandal today after it emerged that it lost personal details of 6,000 private pension holders.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom flags concerns over pay-TV market – The Times

Posted December 18th, 2007 in competition, media, news by sally

“The communications regulator has identified ‘warning signs’ for future competition in the British pay-television market”.

Full story

The Times, 18th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sumukan Ltd v Commonwealth Secretariat (No 2)

Posted December 18th, 2007 in arbitration, law reports by sally

Sumukan Ltd v Commonwealth Secretariat (No 2)

Court of Appeal

“Failure to comply with proper procedure in appointing an arbitrator rendered the appointment invalid and the award a nullity.”

The Times, 18th December 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.

Regina (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid – Times Law Reports

Posted December 18th, 2007 in human rights, inquests, law reports, legal aid by sally

Regina (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid

Court of Appeal

“An inquest held in public was an inquisitorial, not an adversarial process and the coroner could reasonably be expected to carry out a proper investigation without the assistance of counsel for any victims’ families.”

The Times, 18th December 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.

Civil servants face prison for leaving the public vulnerable to dangers of identity theft – The Times

Posted December 18th, 2007 in civil servants, data protection, news by sally

“Civil servants face being jailed for gross failures to safeguard citizens’ personal information under a clampdown following the disappearance of two discs that held the child benefit records of 25 million people.”

Full story

The Times, 18th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Binmen ‘refuse to cross 4-inch step’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2007 in health & safety, news by sally

“An elderly woman had her rubbish collection stopped because council officials ruled that a four-inch step outside her home was a health and safety hazard.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th December 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MEPs slam Commission freedom restraints in anti-terror name – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 18th, 2007 in EC law, human rights, news, privacy, terrorism by sally

“Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have criticised EU anti-terror laws for violating basic human rights. The Parliament passed a resolution condemning EU bodies and member states for passing laws which undermine rights to privacy or fair trials.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th December 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Curry killer must serve 16 years – BBC News

Posted December 18th, 2007 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A woman jailed for life for murdering her husband with a drugs overdose disguised in a curry has been told she must serve at least 16 years in jail.”

Full story

BBC News, 17th December 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Redwood’s date rape comments infuriate campaigners – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in news, rape by sally

“Former Tory cabinet minister John Redwood was condemned by victim support groups last night after he said the government was wrong to regard ‘date rape’ as seriously as assaults by strangers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police accused of firing Taser into head of innocent man – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in news, Poland, weapons by sally

“Police fired a 50,000-volt Taser into the head of a 45-year-old company director who later proved to be unarmed and innocent. Daniel Sylvester, the owner of an east London security firm employing 65 staff to guard council offices, pubs and nightclubs, was driving home on October 20 when he was stopped by armed police because of ‘firearms related intelligence’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Personal details of millions of learner drivers lost by contractor in Iowa – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“The government yesterday revealed another disturbing loss of citizens’ data when the transport secretary disclosed that a computer disc had gone missing that contained the records of more than 3 million driving test applicants, including their names, home addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Honours system damned by Westminster inquiry – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2007 in news, peerages & dignities by sally

“Gordon Brown will be asked by a powerful committee of MPs tomorrow to immediately introduce fundamental reforms for the appointment of peers following the ‘cash for honours’ scandal that has dogged the Labour party for almost two years.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Illegal immigrant was working at front desk of Home Office – The Independent

Posted December 18th, 2007 in immigration, news by sally

“The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith faced huge embarrassment last night after it emerged that an illegal immigrant had been caught working on the front desk at the Home Office.”

Full story

The Independent, 18th December 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A chance to have another go – The Times

Posted December 18th, 2007 in legal profession, negligence, news by sally

“Lawyers are increasingly at risk from disgruntled clients. Once a court judgment was the end of a matter; now more and more unhappy litigants think they can come back for a second bite of the cherry — this time against their solicitors.”

Full story

The Times, 18th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk