Category: bills

Proposed Voter ID reforms in the UK: The dangers of ‘fraud’ based regulation – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted October 22nd, 2021 in bills, elections, equality, fraud, human rights, identification, identity fraud, news by sally

‘The UK government’s Election Bill containing controversial Voter ID provisions is progressing with haste through parliament this month, despite significant alarm over its potential impact. Whilst the government claims the bill will increase ballot security, all evidence points to these proposals being harmful to voter access and electoral integrity as the US experience demonstrates.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 18th October 2021

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Building safety regulations give industry clarity ahead of new legislation – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 22nd, 2021 in bills, building law, construction industry, health & safety, housing, news, regulations by sally

‘The UK government has published several draft regulations designed to give parliamentarians a better idea of how the Building Safety Bill will be implemented.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st October 2021

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Assisted Dying Bill (England & Wales) – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 21st, 2021 in assisted suicide, bills, Christianity, Judaism, news, press releases by sally

‘The second reading of Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill is scheduled for Friday 22 October. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chief Rabbi and the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster have issued a joint Press Release, reproduced below, which warns of the risk to vulnerable people should Parliament back a new attempt to change the law on assisted suicide. Links to the information on Physician-assisted dying, including its comparison of the arguments for and against, are also reproduced below.’

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Law & Religion UK, 20th October 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Can Online Safety Bill tackle social media abuse of MPs? – BBC News

Posted October 20th, 2021 in anonymity, bills, government departments, harassment, internet, malicious communications, murder, news, parliament by sally

‘Following an outpouring of sadness after the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, his colleagues from across the Commons have been raising concerns for their own safety.’

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BBC News, 20th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Concern police will be able to ‘strong-arm’ NHS to hand over patient data under new plans – The Independent

Posted October 18th, 2021 in bills, crime prevention, data protection, doctors, hospitals, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy, public interest, violence by sally

‘Police forces will be able to “strong-arm” NHS bodies into handing over confidential patient data under planned laws that have sparked fury from doctors’ groups and the UK’s medical watchdog.’

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The Independent, 17th October 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Thousands of potential trafficking victims held in immigration centres, data shows – The Guardian

Posted October 18th, 2021 in bills, detention, government departments, immigration, news, statistics, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

‘More than 4,500 people have been held in immigration detention in England and Wales before being released into the community and only then identified as potential victims of trafficking, official figures for the past five years show.
Charities claim the figures demonstrate a “detain first, ask later” attitude that runs counter to the fight against modern slavery and suggest others are probably being deported without having been referred for support. They fear the situation will be exacerbated by the nationality and borders bill, which they say makes it harder to identify victims.’

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The Guardian, 18th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs prepare to debate judicial review reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 15th, 2021 in bills, consultations, judicial review, Ministry of Justice, news, parliament by sally

‘MPs will soon have their first opportunity to debate the government’s controversial judicial review reforms. The Judicial Review and Courts Bill has its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th October 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Jonathan Morgan: IRAL’s Missing Remedy: Compensation for Unlawfulness – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted October 12th, 2021 in Administrative Court, bills, compensation, damages, judicial review, news by sally

‘The current blog post considers the failure of the current judicial review reform process, from IRAL onwards, to give proper consideration to compensation for unlawful government acts. This has been less discussed than the discretion over the temporal effect of quashing orders.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 12th October 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Domestic violence victim says UK justice system is ‘like the abuse’ – BBC News

Posted October 11th, 2021 in bills, criminal justice, cross-examination, domestic violence, Ministry of Justice, news, pilot schemes, rape, sexual offences, statistics, victims, video recordings, Wales by sally

‘A traumatised domestic abuse victim has said her experience of the justice system was so bad it was “like the abuse has continued”.’

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BBC News, 10th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK put on global watchlist for curbing civic freedoms – Each Other

Posted October 8th, 2021 in bills, freedom of expression, freedom of information, government departments, human rights, judicial review, news by sally

‘A new global watchlist highlighting nations where there is a serious and rapid decline in respect for civic space has named the UK as a country of concern.’

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Each Other, 7th October 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk

Crimes of Arrival in the Nationality and Borders Bill – EIN Blog

Posted October 7th, 2021 in asylum, bills, immigration, international law, news, treaties by sally

‘The Nationality and Borders Bill further criminalises people coming to the UK to seek asylum. It does so by switching the emphasis from “entering” the UK to “arriving” in the UK. The difference is significant. Together with a combination of other powers, it means that people can be stopped from crossing the English Channel in small boats and turned away for criminal behaviour. If by luck they land on the English coastline, they can be prosecuted. But many such people will be asylum seekers, with a right to come to the UK and seek asylum. The proposal ignores the provision of the Refugee Convention (Article 31) that prohibits penalties being imposed on Refugees who enter or are present in a country without authorisation. The result is incompatible with UK international commitments.’

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EIN Blog, 6th October 2021

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Supreme Court upholds challenge to two Holyrood bills – BBC News

Posted October 7th, 2021 in bills, devolution issues, news, parliament, Scotland, Supreme Court by sally

‘Judges at the Supreme Court have ruled that provisions in two bills passed by MSPs were beyond Holyrood’s powers.’

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BBC News, 7th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil liberties groups criticise Priti Patel’s plan to criminalise protest – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2021 in bills, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, freedom of expression, government departments, human rights, news, police by sally

‘Civil liberties groups have reacted with dismay to Priti Patel’s plan to criminalise protest groups, saying demonstrations are a “core pillar of any healthy democracy”.’

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The Guardian, 5th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

TikTok and Twitch face fines under new Ofcom rules – BBC News

Posted October 6th, 2021 in bills, child abuse, fines, internet, news, ombudsmen, racism, sexual offences, terrorism, video recordings by sally

‘Ofcom has laid out the measures it will require video-sharing platforms to take to better protect users.’

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BBC News, 6th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Priti Patel to enable police to stop disruptive protesters going to demos – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2021 in alcohol abuse, bills, contempt of court, crime prevention, demonstrations, electronic monitoring, news, police, roads by sally

‘Protesters disrupting motorways will be prevented from travelling around the country under new powers to be handed to the police, Priti Patel will announce on Tuesday.’

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The Guardian, 5th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Patel pledges six months in prison or big fines for motorway protesters – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2021 in bills, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, fines, freedom of expression, government departments, imprisonment, injunctions, news by sally

‘Protesters disrupting motorways will face up to six months in prison or unlimited fines under plans to stop climate campaigners bringing traffic to a halt, Priti Patel will say this week.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jail terms of 20+ years ‘quadruple’ in England and Wales over past decade – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2021 in bills, criminal justice, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, sentencing, statistics, violence by sally

‘The number of people sentenced to more than 20 years in prison has quadrupled over the last decade, figures have shown. Given the increase in average tariff lengths handed down by courts, this figure is expected to continue to rise substantially over coming years.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jacob Eisler: Voter ID and the Elections Bill 2021: Legislative Manipulation of Democratic Procedure and the Limits of Judicial Review – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 29th, 2021 in bills, constitutional law, elections, fraud, identification, judicial review, news by sally

‘The Elections Bill 2021, as of the date of publication for the House of Commons Committee stage, advances a variety of changes to the regulation of elections and the practice of voting in the UK. Of the reforms, one controversially reshapes the practical experience of voting for most citizens. A new voter ID requirement will amend the Representation of the People Act 1983 to require proof of identity, in the form of a photographic ID such as a passport, drivers’ license, or dedicated voter identity document, for in-person voting. While this may seem like a light burden, both the broader impact of such a requirement on voting and the underlying anti-fraud rationale have raised significant concerns.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 29th September 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Jonathan Morgan: In Praise of Flexibility: Clause 1 of the Judicial Review and Courts Bill (2021) – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 24th, 2021 in Administrative Court, bills, constitutional law, government departments, judicial review, news, rule of law by sally

‘Much has been written about the government’s judicial review reform project, which has led from IRAL to a further round of government consultation, culminating in the Judicial Review and Courts Bill.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 23rd September 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Will The Online Safety Bill Impact Your Rights? – Each Other

Posted September 24th, 2021 in bills, duty of care, fines, freedom of expression, government departments, internet, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The internet is an untamed beast with sparse rules and regulations, so comprehensive moderation – whether desirable or not – seems an impossible task. Nonetheless, it is one with which the UK government is currently attempting to grapple.’

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Each Other, 23rd September 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk