NHS pays firms £181m to care for patients with serious mental illness – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2019 in budgets, contracting out, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘The NHS is paying private firms an “eye-watering” £181m a year to look after people with serious mental health problems in units often hundreds of miles from their homes.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sir Brian Leveson warns crimes are not being prosecuted – BBC News

Posted June 21st, 2019 in budgets, criminal justice, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘The most senior criminal judge in England and Wales has expressed “enormous concern” that many crimes are not being prosecuted.’

Full Story

BBC news, 21st June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims of discrimination ‘denied justice’ as legal aid cuts create ‘David vs Goliath’ scenario, report finds – The Independent

‘Victims of discrimination in England and Wales are being denied justice due to soaring legal aid cuts, the equalities watchdog has warned. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said people who had been discriminated against for reasons such as their race, gender or disability were being left to represent themselves in court, creating a “David vs Goliath” scenario or letting perpetrators to go entirely unchallenged.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

HMP Birmingham: Scanner funding failure ‘inexplicable’ – BBC News

‘A troubled jail’s failure to secure funding for a body scanner to help stop drugs being smuggled in is “inexplicable”, the chief inspector of prisons has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 18th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

National minimum wage naming scheme suspended – OUT-LAW.com

‘A scheme for the naming of employers found to be in breach of the UK’s national minimum wage (NMW) has been suspended while the government reviews the scheme.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th June 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

Court refuses to increase budget for costs party brought on himself – Litigation Futures

Posted June 12th, 2019 in budgets, costs, disclosure, dispute resolution, documents, news by tracey

‘The High Court has rejected a defendant’s request to revise his costs budget upwards, saying that the extra costs came from matters he either should have anticipated or brought on himself.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 12th June 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Madeleine McCann: More funds pledged for police investigation – BBC News

Posted June 6th, 2019 in budgets, children, inquiries, missing persons, news, police by tracey

‘The government has said it will continue to fund the police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann until March next year.’

Full Story

BBC news, 5th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police cuts could see rise in miscarriages of justice, says forensic expert – The Guardian

Posted May 30th, 2019 in bias, budgets, forensic science, miscarriage of justice, news, police by tracey

‘Austerity cuts in the police force could lead to an increase in miscarriages of justice, a leading forensic scientist has warned, as constraints on funding lead to in-house forensic teams performing more selective tests.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Brexit: Boris Johnson ordered to appear in court over £350m claim – BBC News

‘Boris Johnson has been ordered to appear in court over claims he lied by saying the UK gave the EU £350m a week. The Tory leadership candidate has been accused of misconduct in public office after making the claim during the 2016 EU referendum campaign.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminal barristers in England and Wales to vote on walkout over pay – The Guardian

‘Criminals barristers in England and Wales are to vote over a national walkout on 1 July in protest at low fees, which they say can be as low as £46.50 for a day in court.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UN highlights role of legal aid cuts in “immiseration” of millions – Legal Futures

‘The decimation of legal aid has contributed to “the systematic immiseration of millions across Great Britain”, the UN’s expert on poverty and human rights said yesterday.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New APIL chief: Falling PI damages “an affront to justice” – Litigation Futures

‘Trends in personal injury claims since LASPO, with damages falling, are an “affront to justice”, the new president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 21st May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

What are the rules for donating to UK political parties? – The Guardian

Posted May 22nd, 2019 in budgets, elections, financial regulation, internet, news, political parties by sally

‘The Brexit party funding row shows how technology has outpaced electoral law.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Voices of children overlooked in family courts, says ex-head – BBC News

‘Family courts in England and Wales are not properly accommodating children’s voices and needs because the government has suggested “it would all cost too much”, their former head has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Private jails more violent than public ones, data analysis shows – The Guardian

‘Private prisons are more violent than public jails, according to data analysis that raises questions over the government’s plans to pursue its prisons-for-profit model.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK’s organised crime threat at record level, warns National Crime Agency – The Guardian

Posted May 13th, 2019 in brexit, budgets, crime prevention, gangs, internet, investigatory powers, news, police by sally

‘Britain risks losing the fight against organised crime unless police receive significant new resources to tackle the “chronic and corrosive” threat from such groups, the head of the National Crime Agency has warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inns of Court to re-enter training market with new Bar course – Legal Futures

Posted May 10th, 2019 in barristers, budgets, inns of court, legal education, news by sally

‘The Inns of Court are to re-enter the student training market and have today become the first to unveil plans to deliver the new Bar training course.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Grayling probation changes ‘took unacceptable risks’ with public money – The Guardian

‘Chris Grayling’s widely derided changes to the supervision of a quarter of a million offenders in the community were rushed through at breakneck speed, taking “unacceptable risks” with taxpayers’ money, a spending watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Crimes are going unsolved because forensic science services are in crisis, a damning Lords report warns – Daily Telegraph

‘Serious crimes are going unsolved and innocent people are being wrongly convicted due to a “crisis” in the forensic science industry in England and Wales, a damning report has found.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers can act as deputies, Court of Protection rules – Legal Futures

‘Barristers can act as professional property and affairs deputies for people who lack mental capacity, although it is not seen as a legal service, the Court of Protection has ruled.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk