Setback for high speed rail after High Court ruling – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2013 in consultations, environmental protection, judicial review, news, railways by tracey

“The Government’s HS2 high-speed rail scheme suffered a setback today when the
High Court ruled that the consultation process for compensating those affected
by the multibillion-pound project ‘was so unfair as to be unlawful’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court to rule on bid to derail HS2 – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2013 in consultations, environmental protection, judicial review, news, railways by tracey

“Opponents are asking a judge in London to declare in a series of five cases that
the multi-billion pound project is legally flawed and must be sent back for
reconsideration.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Daejan Investments Ltd v Benson and others – WLR Daily

Daejan Investments Ltd v Benson and others [2013] UKSC 14; [2013] WLR (D) 94

“Where a landlord’s failure to consult fully with tenants before carrying out major repairs to a block of flats would preclude recovery from the tenants of the full cost of the works unless a leasehold valuation tribunal granted a dispensation under section 20ZA(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 from the relevant consultation requirement, dispensation was not to be refused as a punitive measure solely because a landlord had breached the consultation requirements in the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations (SI 2003/1987)) but rather the tribunal could grant the dispensation on terms which reflected the actual prejudice which the tenants had suffered.”

WLR Daily, 6th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Legal Services Board draft business plan response – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 11th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, Legal Services Board, news, solicitors by sally

“The Bar Standards Board today responded to the draft Legal Services Board business plan 2013-14.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 8th March 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Daejan Investments Limited (Appellant) v Benson and others (Respondents) – Supreme Court

Daejan Investments Limited (Appellant) v Benson and others (Respondents) [2013] UKSC 14 | UKSC 2011/0057 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 6th March 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

A landlord who failed to consult properly with its tenants before incurring service charge costs has been reprieved – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 8th, 2013 in consultations, costs, landlord & tenant, news, Supreme Court by tracey

“A landlord can still recover the cost of carrying out work on a property from
its tenants through a service charge even if the landlord does not comply with
statutory consultation requirements, provided that the tenants are not
‘prejudiced’ by the landlord’s actions, the Supreme Court has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 6th March 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Campaigners win high court challenge over children’s heart surgery unit – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2013 in consultations, hospitals, judicial review, news by sally

“Campaigners have won a high court challenge over proposed changes to children’s heart surgery services in England.”

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The Guardian, 7th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal legal aid tenders – LAG News Blog

“Lord McNally, the minister with responsibility for legal aid, has announced a decision to ‘accelerate’ the timetable to introduce competitive tendering for criminal legal aid. The government wants to save cash, but LAG asks can it succeed where the last government failed, as designing a tender system will be complex with no guarantee of savings?”

Full story

LAG News Blog, 5th March 2013

Source: www.legalactiongroupnews.org.uk

Ending the postcode lottery for inquests – Ministry of Justice

“Supporting bereaved families during an inquest will be at the heart of the new coroner system in England and Wales, Justice Minister Helen Grant said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Improving inquests – Ministry of Justice

“Supporting bereaved families during an inquest will be at the heart of the new coroner system.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

‘Risk-Assessed’ supervision consultation launched – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 28th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, news, quality assurance by sally

“Sets of chambers and barristers have the opportunity to influence how they are supervised by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) by taking part in a consultation exercise launched today.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 26th February 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

ICO to publish code of practice for the press on personal data processing – OUT-LAW.com

“The UK’s data protection watchdog has outlined its intention to set new guidelines for journalists on the processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 21st February 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Probation service gets ‘generally good’ report as it faces wholesale outsourcing – The Guardian

Posted February 22nd, 2013 in consultations, contracting out, news, ombudsmen, probation, recidivists, statistics by sally

“The probation service, which faces wholesale outsourcing under government plans, is ‘doing much good work’ with adult offenders but some aspects continue to require improvement, according to the chief inspector of probation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Making rights to light more transparent – Law Commission

Posted February 18th, 2013 in building law, consultations, news, right to light by sally

“In a consultation opening today the Law Commission is asking for views on the current law on rights to light, including their creation, enforcement and extinguishment.”

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Law Commission, 18th February 2013

Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

New ‘risk-based’ approach to supervision approved – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 18th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, disciplinary procedures, news, quality assurance by sally

“The Bar Standards Board has approved a consultation on a new approach to the supervision of chambers and barristers.”

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Bar Standards Board, 15th February 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Whistleblowing laws to be overhauled as new claims emerge over NHS trust – The Guardian

Posted February 18th, 2013 in codes of practice, consultations, hospitals, news, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

“Whistleblowing legislation is to be overhauled and a government consultation held to investigate whether the Public Interest Disclosure Act (Pida) 1998 is failing to protect those who speak out from being victimised, harassed and even sacked by their employers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Greater transparency at the heart of the Regulator’s determinations guidelines – 11 Stone Buildings

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consultations, disclosure, news, pensions by sally

“The Pensions Regulator has published revisions to the current Determinations Panel procedure as well as a separate Case Team procedure following a period of consultation. The procedures detail the processes used by the Determinations Panel and the regulator’s case teams in cases where the final decision rests with the Panel. Thomas Robinson, barrister at 11 Stone Buildings, explains the key changes and their potential impact on pension schemes.”

Full story

11 Stone Buildings, February 2013

Source: www.11sb.com

Damages Act 1996: the discount rate – review of the legal framework – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 15th, 2013 in consultations, damages, news, personal injuries by sally

“This consultation paper seeks views on two subjects relating to the setting of the discount rate under section 1 of the Damages Act 1996:

Whether the legal parameters defining how the rate is set should be changed.

Whether there is a case for encouraging the use of periodical payment orders instead of lump sum payments.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 12th February 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

New rules use government buying power against tax avoidance – HM Treasury

Posted February 14th, 2013 in consultations, news, public procurement, regulations, tax avoidance by sally

“New rules that will allow government departments to ban companies and individuals which take part in failed tax avoidance schemes from being awarded Government contracts have been unveiled by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude today.”

Full story

HM Treasury, 14th February 2013

Source: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

Whistleblowers and press ‘threatened by proposed new police powers’ – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2013 in consultations, investigatory powers, media, news, police, whistleblowers by sally

“The government is proposing to make it easier for the police to seize confidential material from journalists, it emerged on Wednesday night. Legal experts warned that the plans risked trampling on long-standing protections from the state.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk