‘I don’t like acts of dishonesty by the state’: Jolyon Maugham QC on Covid cronyism – The Guardian

‘Over the past few years, Jolyon Maugham QC, founder of the Good Law Project, has become an unmissable presence on Twitter. But unlike most keyboard warriors – anonymously vocal about Brexit, trading memes over mask-wearing and gender politics – he has only ever seen the social media platform as a means to an end. “I really don’t like this phenomenon of disinterested observers pointing out things that are going wrong,” he says. “I want to be in the club of people who actually put skin in the game to make it better, rather than merely making clever observations from the sidelines.”’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Getting off the hook: A guide to securing release from contractual obligations and varying public contracts in light of COVID-19 – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted November 10th, 2020 in amendments, contracting out, contracts, coronavirus, news, regulations by sally

‘Given the current challenging economic circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, which the authors fear may worsen over the coming months as employers are weaned off the Government’s furlough scheme, contracting authorities and their contractors may want to be released from obligations under existing contracts (and/or to protect their position having already defaulted on their obligations). Similarly, contracting authorities may want to vary existing contracts going forward. However, for obvious reasons, notably the time and cost involved, the appetite for undertaking a new procurement exercise is likely to be limited. This article therefore provides a guide to the available options for achieving these objectives.’

Full Story

39 Essex Chambers, 16th October 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

Government to pay £2m to settle coronavirus testing case – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2020 in competition, computer programs, contracting out, coronavirus, news by tracey

‘The UK has agreed to settle a lawsuit over how it selected an IT contract for coronavirus testing at its Lighthouse labs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The impact of digitalisation on the immigration process – EIN Blog

‘The coronavirus pandemic created an impetus for the legal world to finally begin accepting digitalisation of processes, moving away from the traditional paper process to an online version. The immigration process is already faced with a myriad of concerns which leaves the applicant in a weak position, and most often, with a lack of funds to cover their costs. The Home Office’s inability to train and effectively manage applications, outsource services to dubious third-party contractors has been exacerbated further by the haphazard application of online processes which do not match the needs of the immigration process. Despite the fact that online applications are easier to complete for legal representatives a number of issues have arisen as a result of this sudden change.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 21st September 2020

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Legal challenge halts G4S Wellingborough ‘mega prison’ contract – BBC News

Posted August 27th, 2020 in contracting out, news, prisons, tenders by sally

‘Plans to award a £300m “mega prison” contract to the security company G4S have been halted because of a legal challenge, the BBC understands.’

Full Story

BBC News, 27th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants: further blurring boundaries in employment status? – by Anna Williams – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In a judgment handed down on 1 April 2020, the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of Nicola Davies J (as she then was) and a unanimous Court of Appeal, allowing the appeal on the ground that no vicarious liability can lie for the acts of an independent contractor: Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants (“Barclays”).’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 28th July 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

G4S fined £44m by Serious Fraud Office over electronic tagging – The Guardian

‘Security firm G4S has been fined £44m by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as part of an agreement that will see it avoid prosecution for overcharging the Ministry of Justice for the electronic tagging of offenders, some of whom had died.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Private firms to lose role in probation services – BBC News

Posted June 15th, 2020 in contracting out, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, probation by sally

‘The government has scrapped plans to let private firms run behaviour programmes and unpaid work schemes for offenders in England and Wales.’

Full Story

BBC News, 11th June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Probation services to return to public control after Grayling disasters – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2020 in contracting out, Ministry of Justice, news, police, probation by sally

‘Probation services in England and Wales will be fully restored to public ownership and control, the justice secretary has announced, marking the final nail in the coffin of Chris Grayling’s disastrous privatisation changes.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal’s judgment in the case of James v Hertsmere Borough Council: What does it mean for jurisdiction of County Court? – Garden Court Chambers

‘Today [2 April] the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in James v Hertsmere Borough Council [2020] EWCA Civ 489. The judgment answered a question that has been troubling homelessness lawyers for several years now: does the County Court have jurisdiction, when hearing homelessness appeals, to consider challenges to councils’ ‘contracting-out’ processes?’

Full Story

Garden Court Chambers, 2nd April 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Delimiting Vicarious Liability in the Context of Independent Contractors – 12 King’s Bench Walk

‘The law around vicarious liability has been “on the move” since at least the 2012 landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Various Claimants v Catholic Child Welfare Society [2012] UKSC 56 (the “Christian Brothers case”). However, after years of expansion, the Supreme Court has now held in Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 that liability will not always be imposed for the acts of an independent contractor.’

Full Story

12 King's Bench Walk, 3rd April 2020

Source: www.12kbw.co.uk

BAME Workers’ Legal Bid Over ‘Inferior’ Pay And Terms Could Affect Millions – Each Other

‘A “landmark” legal case could determine whether the use of outsourcing firms to employ black and minority ethnic (BAME) workers on “inferior” pay and conditions is discriminatory.’

Full Story

Each Other, 21st February 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Union To Sue Police After Barrister Arrested At Medical University Protest – Each Other

‘A trade union is taking legal action against the Metropolitan Police after its barrister was arrested at a protest outside a medical university.’

Full Story

Each Other, 13th January 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Taxation of personal service companies and the construction sector: what is changing and who will be affected? – Practical Law Construction Blog

Posted December 10th, 2019 in construction industry, contracting out, news, taxation by sally

‘2020 is looking to be a year in which the tax burden of companies operating in the UK construction sector is likely to increase. This is due, first, to the delayed implementation of the VAT reverse charge (now 1 October 2020) and secondly, to major changes in the UK tax treatment of off-payroll workers. In this blog we discuss the implications of the changes to the off-payroll working rules (commonly known as “IR35”) and the steps companies affected by these changes can take.’

Full Story

Practical Law Construction Blog, 10th December 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Mother to sue justice ministry after probation errors led to son’s murder – The Guardian

‘The Ministry of Justice is to be sued by the mother of a five-year-old boy who was murdered by her boyfriend after an inquest concluded that defects in the probation system contributed to his death.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Over 200 offenders on probation have been convicted of murder since Government shake-up five years ago – Daily Telegraph

‘More than 200 offenders under probation supervision have been convicted of murder since the system was overhauled in 2014 by the then Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 31st October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Home Office outsourcing to ‘exploitative’ contractor must be reviewed, say MPs and lawyers – The Independent

‘MPs and lawyers have called for an urgent review into outsourced immigration services after it emerged Home Office profits on UK visas had surged by millions of pounds a week since visa operations were contracted to a private firm accused of exploiting applicants.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th August 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cost of outside legal advice doubles at 42 councils – BBC News

Posted August 16th, 2019 in budgets, contracting out, legal services, local government, news by tracey

‘A doubling of spending on outside legal advice by more than 40 local councils has been labelled “ridiculous” by people fighting funding cuts. Figures from 270 of the 408 councils asked by the BBC showed £322m was spent last year on in-house legal teams and £142m on external legal services.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th August 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Capita to challenge payment ordered to family of woman who died after benefits were wrongly stopped – The Independent

‘A private company which was instrumental in stopping the benefits of a disabled woman who later died is going to court in a bid to avoid paying £10,000 awarded in damages to the family.’

Full Story

The Independent, 6th August 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sheffield tree activists in legal talks to get convictions quashed – The Guardian

‘Move comes after investigation into city council found it fell far short of good practice.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com