Herbal doctors will not be regulated, despite pleas from Prince Charles – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 30th, 2015 in charities, health, medical treatment, news, regulations, royal family by sally

‘Despite lobbying from Prince Charles, health officials have decided there is not enough evidence herbal medicines work to justify regulating the ancient practices.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th March 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Exclusive: Miscarriages of justice charity seeks law firm status – Legal Futures

‘A criminal appeals charity run by lawyers has applied to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to be a regulated legal practice, and could become the first charity to become a traditional law firm in its own right.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th March 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Technical Issues in Charity Law – Law Commission

Posted March 20th, 2015 in charities, consultations, news by tracey

‘A consultation exploring whether aspects of charity law can be reformed to remove unnecessary regulation while safeguarding the public interest in ensuring that charities are properly run.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 20th March 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

What happens if a beneficiary of a will pre-deceases a testator? – Tanfield Chambers

Posted March 18th, 2015 in charities, gifts, news, wills by sally

‘Wills are typically described as “ambulatory” which means that they possess no force or effect prior to the death of the testator. Where the beneficiary of a gift predeceases the testator then as a general rule the gift will fail or “lapse”. Note that a deemed predecease will arise in various cases such as the effect of divorce on a gift made by one spouse to another. The effect is that for the purpose of any gift to that spouse the survivor will be deemed to have predeceased the testator[1]. Another less well known example is the effect of renunciation of a gift.’

Full story

Tanfield Chambers, 19th February 2015

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

The death of Mr Pig and the truth about the RSPCA – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 16th, 2015 in animal cruelty, animals, charities, costs, news, prosecutions by sally

‘The decision to destroy a beloved pet suggests that the animal protection charity has lost its way.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Whether charities liable for damage caused by protesters depends on factual connections, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 11th, 2015 in charities, criminal damage, fisheries, news, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Companies can find themselves the subject of protests which cause costly damage, but can they sue protesters? The Supreme Court has laid out some of the logic it would use to rule on a claim, though it did not find a charity liable in this case.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th March 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Jimmy Savile and the complex question of victim compensation – The Guardian

‘It is now known that 60 people from Stoke Mandeville hospital were abused by Jimmy Savile. But will they and his other victims receive compensation? And where will the money come from?’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Charities warn ‘gagging law’ stops them campaigning on election issues – The Independent

Posted February 19th, 2015 in charities, elections, freedom of expression, lobbying, news by sally

‘Charities have warned they are being deterred from staging major campaigns on crucial general election issues because of the “chilling” impact of controversial new rules on lobbying.’

Full story

The Independent, 18th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

David Beckham’s TV ad for whisky cleared by advertising watchdog – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2015 in advertising, alcoholism, charities, children, food, news, regulations, sport by tracey

‘David Beckham’s TV ad for whisky brand Haig Club has been cleared by the UK advertising watchdog, despite complaints that the former footballer’s endorsement promotes drinking among children.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fake Help for Heroes collection ‘soldier’ Liam O’Brien jailed – BBC News

Posted January 16th, 2015 in armed forces, charities, fraud, handling stolen goods, news, sentencing by sally

‘A Wiltshire man who posed as a serving soldier and falsely claimed to be collecting money for the charity Help for Heroes has been jailed.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Gudanaviciene and others) v Director of Legal Aid Casework and another (British Red Cross Society, intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted January 6th, 2015 in appeals, charities, human rights, immigration, law reports, legal aid by sally

Regina (Gudanaviciene and others) v Director of Legal Aid Casework and another (British Red Cross Society, intervening) [2014] EWCA Civ 1622; [2014] WLR (D) 547

‘Provisions in the Exceptional Funding Guidance (Non-Inquests), issued by the Lord Chancellor under section 4 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, although correctly identifying many of the particular factors which were to be taken into account by the Director of Legal Aid Casework and legal aid caseworkers in deciding whether to make an exceptional case determination for legal aid in a particular case, mis-stated the discretion conferred by section 10(3)(b) of the 2012 Act, and failed to comply with both article 6(1) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, by impermissibly sending a clear signal to the director and the caseworkers that the refusal of legal aid would amount to a breach only in rare and exceptional cases.’

WLR Daily, 15th December 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Charities in front seat of new reoffending drive – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 19th, 2014 in charities, contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘The government fired the starting gun today [18 December] on making key reforms to the way ex-offenders are looked after in the community, in an effort to tackle stubbornly high reoffending rates in England and Wales.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 18th December 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Jehovah’s Witnesses, and judicial review being a last resort – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 18th, 2014 in charities, data protection, human rights, judicial review, news, proportionality by sally

‘Judicial review is an excellent and flexible remedy, filling the gaps when statutory and other appeals do not provide a remedy for unlawful administrative acts or omissions.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 17th December 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Probation contracts awarded to private organisations – BBC News

‘Private contracts to run probation services monitoring low and medium risk offenders have been awarded by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th December 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Quarter of Charity Commission inquiries target Muslim groups – The Guardian

‘More than a quarter of the statutory investigations that have been launched by the Charity Commission since April 2012 and remain open have targeted Muslim organisations, an analysis by the Guardian can reveal – drawing criticism from Islamic groups that they are being unfairly singled out.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Poppy tin thief caught on CCTV jailed – BBC News

Posted November 17th, 2014 in charities, closed circuit television, news, sentencing, theft by sally

‘A man who was caught on CCTV stealing a poppy collection box has been jailed for 18 weeks.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law to protect foreign aid rejected by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 13th, 2014 in bills, budgets, charities, news by tracey

‘Philip Hammond has rejected a “bizarre” plan to enshrine in law Britain’s commitment to spend billions of pounds every year on foreign aid. The Foreign Secretary’s comments could prompt a row with the Liberal Democrats, who are attempting to force through legislation committing the Government to spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid. Mr Hammond said there is no need for a new law because the Government is already spending 0.7 per cent, which is a United Nations target.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th November 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jimmy Savile trust challenges victims’ compensation scheme – BBC News

Posted November 5th, 2014 in BBC, charities, compensation, news, personal injuries, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A charitable trust has launched an Appeal Court challenge over the compensation scheme for people who say they were abused by Jimmy Savile.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Routier and another v Revenue and Customs Commissioners – WLR Daily

Posted October 31st, 2014 in charities, inheritance tax, Jersey, jurisdiction, law reports, trusts, wills by sally

Routier and another v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2014] EWHC 3010 (Ch); [2014] WLR (D) 449

‘For a transfer under a will to be exempt from inheritance tax because it was to be “held on trust for charitable purposes” within the meaning of section 23(6) of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 the relevant trust had to be subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom courts.’

WLR Daily, 18th October 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Voluntary sector at forefront of new fight against reoffending – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 30th, 2014 in charities, contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘A major step towards completing the government’s crucial rehabilitation reforms was taken today, as the organisations that will play a key role in turning round the lives of offenders were announced.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 29th October 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice