Susskind: Parliament should adopt advanced IT for lawmaking – Legal Futures

Posted January 18th, 2017 in bills, electronic filing, legislative drafting, news, parliament by sally

‘Parliament could harness the power of technology to provide a system to lawmakers that gives them the ability to test speculatively the knock-on effects of legislative changes while they are considering bills, according to IT guru Professor Richard Susskind.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 16th January 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

House of Lords blocks controversial reforms that allow ‘marketisation’ of universities – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2017 in bills, news, universities by sally

‘The vote reflects cross-party hostility to proposed government reforms that peers say could damage the reputation of UK universities.’

Full story

The Independent, 10th January 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Keir Starmer gagged in Commons debate on victims’ law – The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2017 in bills, news, parliament, victims by sally

‘Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary and former director of public prosecutions, is being prevented by parliamentary rules from speaking in a debate about the rights of crime victims.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th Janaury 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Bonfire of children’s rights’ Bill opposed – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2017 in bills, children, news, social services by sally

‘A Bill described as “a bonfire of child protection rights”, which would let councils opt out of key legal duties to children, is being debated on Tuesday.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Role of Law Officers on Devolution and Bills – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 20th, 2016 in attorney general, bills, devolution, speeches, Wales by tracey

‘The Solicitor General spoke to Public Law Wales on the role of the Law Officers on Devolution and Bills.’

Full speech

Attorney General’s Office, 20th December 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

The new domestic violence bill has finally been passed – but there’s a disappointing reason it took so long – The Independent

Posted December 19th, 2016 in bills, crime prevention, domestic violence, news, social services, treaties, victims by sally

‘The current attitude towards victim support reveals much about societal attitudes towards domestic abuse, which does not see dignity as something abuse survivors are entitled to as a fundamental and inalienable human right, but rather as an additional extra for which they must work, opt in to, convince society that they have earned.’

Full story

The Independent, 16th December 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Human rights abusers who buy London homes could have assets seized – The Guardian

Posted December 5th, 2016 in bills, human rights, money laundering, news, sale of land by sally

‘Dictators and human rights abusers who buy luxury property in London and use the UK to conceal their wealth could have their assets seized under an MPs’ initiative.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Eric King and Daniella Lock: Investigatory Powers Bill: Key Changes Made by the Lords – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted December 1st, 2016 in bills, investigatory powers, media, news, parliament, privacy, warrants by sally

‘What was formerly known as the Investigatory Powers Bill has received Royal Assent and is now the Investigatory Powers Act. The Bill was first published in draft form in November 2015 (- for a very helpful analysis of the Bill at this stage, please read Dr Tom Hickman’s blog). The passage of the Bill through Parliament, after it was it was introduced in March this year, took just under nine months. Amendments made by the House of Commons were described as ‘largely technical or minor drafting amendments’. Consequently, for all those hoping to see significant changes made to the legislation, a lot hung on the Bill’s amendments during its passage through the Lords.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 1st December 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Investigatory Powers Bill receives Royal Assent – Home Office

Posted November 30th, 2016 in bills, intelligence services, internet, investigatory powers, press releases, privacy by tracey

‘A landmark bill which sets out and governs the powers available to the police, security and intelligence agencies to gather and access electronic communications has received Royal Assent.’

Full press release

Home Office, 29th November 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Investigatory Powers Bill officially passes into law, giving Britain the ‘most extreme spying powers ever se en’ – The Independent

Posted November 30th, 2016 in bills, intelligence services, internet, investigatory powers, news, privacy by tracey

‘Britain’s intelligence services have officially been given the “most extreme spying powers ever seen”. The Investigatory Powers Act has now been given royal assent, meaning that those surveillance rules will pass into law. The bill was officially unveiled a year ago and passed through the House of Lords earlier this month, but the act of being signed off means that those powers now go into effect.’

Full story

The Independent, 29th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Digital Economy Bill passed by MPs, forcing people to ask if they want to watch porn – The Independent

Posted November 29th, 2016 in bills, freedom of expression, internet, news, pornography by sally

‘The law has been criticised both by free speech advocates as well as those who want it to cover more websites.’

Full story

The Independent, 29th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

War medal fakers should face criminal charges, say MPs – BBC News

Posted November 22nd, 2016 in armed forces, bills, crime, fraud, misrepresentation, news, reports, war by sally

‘Impostors who wear military medals they are not entitled to should be liable to criminal charges, MPs say.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Extreme surveillance’ becomes UK law with barely a whimper – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in bills, investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

‘A bill giving the UK intelligence agencies and police the most sweeping surveillance powers in the western world has passed into law with barely a whimper, meeting only token resistance over the past 12 months from inside parliament and barely any from outside.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Investigatory Powers Bill: ‘Snoopers Charter 2’ to pass into law, giving Government sweeping spying powers – The Independent

Posted November 18th, 2016 in bills, internet, investigatory powers, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The bill will force internet companies to store their users’ browsing data for a year, and will allow the government to force phone makers to hack into people’s handsets.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ban use of police cells for people in mental health crisis, MPs told – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2016 in bills, custody, detention, mental health, news, police by sally

‘People suffering a mental health crisis should never be held in police cells as they find it terrifying and become even more unwell, ministers will be told.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Home Secretary’s speech to the FCA’s Financial Crime Conference – Home Office

‘Home Secretary Amber Rudd gave a speech on economic crime at the Financial Conduct Authority annual crime conference on 10 November 2016.’

Full speech

Home Office, 14th November 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Digital Economy Bill: The New Electronic Code – Falcon Chambers

Posted November 10th, 2016 in agreements, bills, compulsory purchase, news, telecommunications by sally

‘The Electronic Communications Code is contained in the Telecommunications Act 1984 Schedule 2, as amended by Schedule 3 to the Communications Act 2003 (“the Existing Code”).’

Full story

Falcon Chambers, September 2016

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Keith Ewing: A Review of the Miller Decision – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Shortly after the referendum on 23 June, demands were made that continuing EU membership should now be considered by Parliament, with a view it seems to stop BREXIT happening, and to frustrate the will of the 17 million who voted to leave. Indeed, the Guardian carried an article only five days later on ‘How we can stop Brexit – lobby our MPs’ (29 June 2016), no doubt as inflammatory and unacceptable to the BREXITEERS as subsequent developments have been to the REMAINERS. Fearing that Parliament was being enlisted with an agenda to defeat the referendum result, it is not surprising that the BREXITEERS should wish to exclude Parliament from the process altogether.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 10th November 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

MP calls for tougher animal cruelty sentences amid link to domestic abuse – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2016 in animal cruelty, bills, domestic violence, news, sentencing by sally

‘A Labour MP is pressing the government to increase the penalties for animal cruelty offences, noting that research shows people who harm animals are more likely to go on to commit crimes such as domestic abuse.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Unpaid internships reform plan blocked in Commons – BBC News

Posted November 7th, 2016 in bills, minimum wage, news, remuneration, volunteers by sally

‘Reforms aimed at banning unpaid internships have been blocked after Tory backbenchers and the government spoke against the proposals in the Commons.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk