Category: bills

Secret Courts remixed: any better than the original? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 27th, 2012 in bills, closed material, human rights, news, private hearings by sally

“This coming Wednesday sees the end of the first stage of the Justice and Security Bill’s passage into law. The Bill which would introduce Closed Material Procedures (CMP) – where one side of a case is excluded with his legal team and represented by a security cleared special advocate in cases involving national security – has become widely known as the Secret Courts Bill. Its progress has been closely scrutinised in this blog over the past six months.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th November 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Do the new stalking laws show we are taking this crime seriously? – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2012 in bills, crime, harassment, news, stalking by sally

“All too often victims of stalking are not believed or their fears are brushed off – which in turn makes them less likely to come forward.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Attorney General v National Assembly for Wales Commission and others – WLR Daily

Posted November 26th, 2012 in bills, byelaws, devolution, law reports, local government, Wales by sally

Attorney General v National Assembly for Wales Commission and others [2012] UKSC 53; [2012] WLR (D) 341

“Provisions in the Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Bill, which were necessary to give effect to the Bill but raised no separate issue of principle, were incidental to or consequential to the Bill’s primary purpose of removing the requirement for the confirmation of byelaws by the Welsh Ministers as part of the overall streamlining and modernising of the way in which byelaws were made in Wales and, on a true construction, were within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales.”

WLR Daily, November 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Plan to allow ‘disproportionate force’ against burglars included in crime bill – The Guardian

Posted November 26th, 2012 in bills, burglary, news, prosecutions, self-defence by sally

“The justice secretary’s promise to give householders the right to deploy ‘disproportionate force’ in defending their homes will be incorporated into a parliamentary bill this week.”

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The Guardian, 25th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoner voting rights – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 23rd, 2012 in bills, elections, human rights, prisons by tracey

“Draft proposals to ensure that laws on prisoner voting comply with the UK’s international legal obligations were outlined by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling today.”

Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Draft Bill

Ministry of Justice, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Secret courts suffer humiliating defeat in House of Lords – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 22nd, 2012 in bills, civil justice, closed material, intelligence services, news, parliament, private hearings by tracey

“Peers delivered a series of humiliating defeats on Wednesday night to government plans to introduce secret courts.”

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The Guardian, 21st November 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Votes for prisoners – opening the door? – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2012 in bills, courts, elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“Polls suggest the public are incredulous at the idea. And, famously, we all know that it makes David Cameron physically sick.”

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BBC News, 19th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ken Clarke defends ‘secret courts’ proposal – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2012 in bills, closed material, intelligence services, news, private hearings by sally

“Ken Clarke has defended his proposals to allow judges to hear evidence relating to national security in secret, saying the current law ‘does not work well’ in civil claims.”

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The Guardian, 19th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoner vote bill to be outlined – BBC News

Posted November 19th, 2012 in bills, elections, human rights, news, parliament, prisons by sally

“The government’s draft bill on prisoner voting is to be outlined by the justice secretary on Thursday, the BBC understands.”

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BBC News, 18th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

These plans for secret hearings are unfair and implausible – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2012 in bills, civil justice, closed material, news, private hearings by sally

“The government wants to use secret evidence to counter claims against it. This would undermine the rule of law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers say Clarke’s justice bill smacks of repressive and undemocratic regimes – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2012 in bills, closed material, evidence, legal profession, news, private hearings by sally

“Secret trials and withholding evidence are reminiscent of ‘repressive regimes and undemocratic societies’, the legal profession warns in a letter opposing the government’s justice and security bill.”

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The Guardian, 17th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council Calls on Government to Protect Injured Workers – The Bar Council

Posted November 15th, 2012 in accidents, barristers, bills, news, personal injuries by sally

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, today [14 November] joins the Personal Injuries Bar Association (PIBA) to call on Peers to hold the Government to account on plans to restrict severely access to justice for injured workers, ahead of the House of Lords’ Second Reading of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 14th November 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Crucial battle against UK ‘secret courts’ begins in earnest – The Guardian

Posted November 15th, 2012 in bills, closed material, intelligence services, news, parliament, private hearings by sally

“The House of Lords on Monday is due to vote on one of the most contentious but important pieces of legislation to come before this parliament.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord McAlpine and libel reform – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2012 in bills, defamation, immunity, media, news, public interest by sally

“What the Newsnight debacle can tell us about proposed changes to defamation law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Former MI5 chief General Baroness Manningham-Buller backs proposals for judges to hear intelligence evidence in secret – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2012 in bills, closed material, evidence, intelligence services, international relations, news by sally

“Intelligence relationships between the UK and other countries could be ‘seriously jeopardised’ unless judges are allowed to hear evidence in secret, a former MI5 chief has said today.”

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The Independent, 14th November 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Another legal aid review, justice secretary? How original – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2012 in bills, budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“If we’re going to review legal aid again, why not widen access to justice for the public, rather than restrict it.”

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The Guardian, 14th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Secret courts plan is radical departure from open justice, says committee – The Guardian

Posted November 13th, 2012 in bills, closed material, human rights, intelligence services, news, private hearings, reports by sally

“Secret court hearings should protect only the identity of UK intelligence officers, their sources and security material provided by foreign allies, a critical parliamentary report warns.”

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The Guardian, 13th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisons Bill to block mobile phones – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 12th, 2012 in bills, news, prisons, telecommunications by sally

“Legislation providing new powers to block mobile phone signals in prisons has progressed in the House of Lords.”

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Ministry of Justice, 9th November 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Injured workers face tougher battle for compensation under government plans – The Guardian

Posted November 9th, 2012 in bills, compensation, health & safety, insurance, negligence, news, personal injuries, strict liability by tracey

“Personal injury lawyer says bill making workers prove company negligence favours insurance industry at expense of taxpayer.”

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The Guardian, 8th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Metal theft: Tougher powers unveiled – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2012 in bills, crime, news, theft by sally

“Measures intended to ‘stamp out’ metal theft with bigger fines for rogue traders and stronger police rights of entry to scrapyards are to be unveiled.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk