Category: codes of practice

DPP to consult on greater assistance to victims giving evidence at court – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted January 19th, 2015 in assault, barristers, codes of practice, consultations, cross-examination, Crown Prosecution Service, harassment, rape, sexual offences, victims, witnesses by tracey

‘Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, has today [19 January 2015] published a major consultation on the approach to ensuring victims are properly assisted for the trial process at court and called for an overhaul of the service provided to witnesses to ensure that they are able to give the best possible evidence. The proposals are subject to an eight week public consultation.’

Full consultation

Crown Prosecution Service, 19th January 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Rape victims will be warned of defence lawyer tactics under new guidelines – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 19th, 2015 in assault, barristers, codes of practice, consultations, coroners, cross-examination, Crown Prosecution Service, harassment, news, rape, sexual offences, victims, witnesses by tracey

‘Director of Public Prosecutions launches controversial new guidelines intended to help victims and witnesses through giving evidence in court.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

EastEnders cleared of breaching Ofcom rules – BBC News

Posted January 6th, 2015 in BBC, codes of practice, complaints, media, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Media watchdog Ofcom has cleared the BBC of breaching broadcasting rules over a rape storyline, which prompted complaints from the public.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitor General speech on business and human rights – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 15th, 2014 in codes of practice, human rights, speeches, standards by tracey

‘On Human Rights day Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP delivered a speech on business and human rights at the Law Society Conference.’

Full speech

Attorney General’s Office, 10th December 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: codes of practice consultation – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 15th, 2014 in attorney general, codes of practice, consultations, investigatory powers, press releases, proceeds of crime, prosecutions by tracey

‘A consultation on a revised code of practice that governs the use of investigatory powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.’

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 12th December 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Statement from the Director of Public Prosecutions on Eleanor de Freitas – CPS News Brief

Posted December 10th, 2014 in codes of practice, Crown Prosecution Service, inquests, mental health, news, perverting the course of justice, police, private prosecutions, public interest, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘Eleanor de Freitas’ tragic death was just days before she was due to stand trial for perverting the course of justice. The pending inquest will deal with the circumstances surrounding her death and I do not want to interfere with that process. However the case has understandably raised questions about private prosecutions in these types of cases and why the CPS took over and continued this particular case.’

Full story

CPS News Brief, 9th December 2014

Source: http://blog.cps.gov.uk

Giving evidence in court – UK Visas and Immigration

Posted November 21st, 2014 in codes of practice, immigration, news, visas, witnesses by tracey

‘Modernised guidance for how UK Visas and Immigration prepares and gives evidence in court, and what it expects when it gives evidence.’

Full text

UK Visas and Immigration, 20th November 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration

Covert care camera guidance approved by Care Quality Commission – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2014 in care homes, closed circuit television, codes of practice, elderly, negligence, news, quality assurance, video recordings by tracey

‘Guidance for people who install hidden cameras to check on standards of their own or a relative’s care has been approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).’

Full story

BBC News, 19th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Female offenders have been failed agrees Hughes at prison event – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 17th, 2014 in children, codes of practice, criminal justice, legal aid, news, prisons, sentencing, women by sally

‘This is the “end of line as far as talk is concerned” concluded Felicity Gerry QC, bringing the interesting, illuminating and varied panel discussion to an end last night, challenging Simon Hughes MP to seize this opportunity to make his mark and make a real difference to women offenders.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th November 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Human rights guidance for lawyers – is it necessary? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 17th, 2014 in barristers, codes of practice, company law, human rights, news, solicitors by sally

‘On 23 October 2014, the International Bar Association (IBA) Business and Human Rights Working Group released draft guidance for bar associations and business lawyers on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (the Guiding Principles).’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th November 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

BBC’s Newsbeat censured over Islamic State news report – BBC News

Posted November 11th, 2014 in BBC, children, codes of practice, media, news by michael

‘BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat programme has been found in breach of broadcasting codes for a news item about Islamic State (IS) fighter Abu Summayah.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Information Commissioner publishes new code of practice for CCTV, number plate recognition and other surveillance systems – Technology Law Update

Posted October 24th, 2014 in closed circuit television, codes of practice, data protection, news, road traffic by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s (ICO) new code of practice for surveillance cameras and personal information updates the previous 2008 CCTV code. It takes account of developments such as digital recording technology, portable technology, “drone” cameras and automatic number plate recognition systems, as well as “body worn” cameras used by organisations like the police. The code sets out the ICO’s guidance on how organisations should comply with data protection law when considering or using such technologies.’

Full story

Technology Law Update, 23rd October 2014

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

BSB probes contracts between chambers and solicitors – Legal Futures

Posted October 14th, 2014 in barristers, codes of practice, complaints, contracts, news, solicitors by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is investigating the extent to which barristers have been accepting work from solicitors without entering into contracts, or accepting terms “contrary to their regulatory obligations”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th October 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Call for evidence: review of standard contractual terms and cab rank rule – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 13th, 2014 in barristers, codes of practice, contracts, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today [10 October] issued a call for evidence as part of a new review of the standard contractual terms and the cab rank rule. This is to establish the contractual basis on which barristers are being instructed, and to gather evidence about the frequency with which the cab rank rule is being invoked.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 10th October 2014

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Ripa: Curbs on police hacking journalist phones to find story sources – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 13th, 2014 in codes of practice, consultations, data protection, interception, investigatory powers, media, news, ombudsmen, police, privacy, telecommunications, terrorism by sally

‘Police will be banned from accessing reporter phone logs under the powers of Ripa unless they can show it is for serious crime.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Revised transparency code for local government in England in force next month – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2014 in budgets, codes of practice, disclosure, local government, news, parking by sally

‘A revised Local Government Transparency Code is to come into force in England next month, the Department for Communities and Local Government has announced.’

Full story

Local Government, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

DPP publishes final standards for all prosecutors – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted October 2nd, 2014 in case management, codes of practice, Crown Prosecution Service, standards by tracey

‘Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, has today published the final version of new standards for all CPS prosecutors. This follows a consultation with the public, which demonstrated that draft interim standards published in April 2014 were largely in the right place.’

Full text

Crown Prosecution Service, 1st October 2014

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Applications to the Biometrics Commissioner under PACE – Home Office

Posted September 29th, 2014 in codes of practice, data protection, DNA, evidence, fingerprints, news, police by tracey

‘Guidance for chief police officers when considering whether to make an application to the Commissioner for the retention and use of biometric material.’

Full text

Home Office, 26th September 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

MP refers Sunday Mirror to police and press regulator over sex sting – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2014 in codes of practice, complaints, entrapment, inquiries, media, news, ombudsmen, parliament, police, privacy, public interest by tracey

‘One of the Conservative MPs who was contacted by a Sunday Mirror reporter posing as a woman interested in sex is to write to the Metropolitan police over the tabloid sting. Mark Pritchard said he would contact Scotland Yard and make a formal complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) over accusations of entrapment.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court clarifies continuing police disclosure obligations – RPC Privacy Law

Posted September 22nd, 2014 in appeals, codes of practice, Crown Prosecution Service, disclosure, human rights, judicial review, murder, news, police, Supreme Court by sally

‘The recent Supreme Court judgment in the case of R (on the application of Nunn) v Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary and another sheds further light on the continuing duty of the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to disclose information in criminal cases post-conviction.’

Full story

RPC Privacy Law, 19th September 2014

Source: www.rpc.co.uk