Fracking: Government guidance ‘unlawful’ rules High Court – BBC News

‘New government guidance on fracking is unlawful, the High Court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 6th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Cost Of Sickness: Mental Health Conditions Cost People Over £1000 A Year – Rights Info

Posted March 6th, 2019 in energy, internet, mental health, news, utilities by sally

‘A person suffering from mental health issues could be paying as much as £1,100 to £1,550 a year more than someone without a condition on necessities such as phone, internet and electricity bills, according to new research by Citizens Advice.’

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Rights Info, 4th March 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Anti-fracking campaigner loses challenge over refusal by inspector to adjourn – Local Government Lawyer

‘A campaigner against fracking has failed in a High Court claim that a planning inspector’s refusal to adjourn an inquiry was a breach of the rules of natural justice.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th February 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

GCHQ spy centre falls foul of law – over environmental permit – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in energy, environmental protection, intelligence services, licensing, news by sally

‘The UK government’s internet surveillance centre, GCHQ, may be aware of many things, but the need for an environmental permit for its backup power generators is not among them. The site’s generators do not have the necessary paperwork and so are being run unlawfully, it has been revealed.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Energy suppliers to face tighter rules, says Ofgem – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2019 in consumer protection, energy, licensing, news by sally

‘Energy regulator Ofgem is to tighten up the rules for new suppliers of gas and electricity after nine new entrants ceased trading.’

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BBC News, 9th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK fracking policy faces court challenges – The Guardian

‘Ministers face a pair of legal challenges to their planning rules on fracking this week, from a national environmental group and the son of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.’

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The Guardian, 16th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court rules that Mineral Planning Authorities are not bound by statutory definition of fracking and can apply their own wider definitions – Garden Court Chambers

‘Councillor Paul Andrews was seeking permission at the High Court on 5 November 2018 to judicially review the Government’s decision to issue a written ministerial statement (WMS) on 17 May 2018 regarding the way in which local authorities should determine planning applications for fracking operations.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 6th November 2018

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Coal mine could be built next to one of Northumberland’s most beautiful beaches after High Court appeal – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 11th, 2018 in appeals, energy, environmental protection, miners, news by sally

‘An opencast coal mine could be built next to one of Northumerbland’s most beautiful beaches after The Court of Appeal overturned Savid Javid’s decision to block the scheme.’

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Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court: inspector entitled to approve revision to planning condition – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 5th, 2018 in energy, local government, news, planning, statutory interpretation by sally

‘A planning inspector did not exceed her authority when she granted permission to a wind turbine developer to build larger turbines than those provided for in the original planning permission, the High Court has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 4th December 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Government faces new legal challenge over plans to speed up fracking – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2018 in EC law, energy, environmental protection, fracking, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The government is facing a fresh legal challenge to its proposals to fast-track new fracking sites by loosening planning regulations.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Injunction seeks to halt start of fracking at Lancashire site – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2018 in energy, environmental protection, fracking, injunctions, news by sally

‘An injunction has been lodged to halt the start of fracking at one of the UK’s first horizontal exploration wells.’

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BBC News, 5th October 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government faces court action over ‘illegal’ planning policy – The Guardian

Posted September 4th, 2018 in energy, environmental protection, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The government is facing a legal challenge over its new planning policy, which campaigners say was illegally adopted because the government failed to assess its environmental impact.’

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The Guardian, 4th September 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tribunal allows capital allowances claim on hydro-electric scheme – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 16th, 2018 in energy, news, taxation, tribunals by sally

‘Capital allowances were available on part of the expenditure incurred by energy company SSE on a hydro-electric scheme, the UK’s First-tier tax tribunal has decided.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th August 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

SSE fined £1m for sending inaccurate customer statements – The Guardian

Posted June 8th, 2018 in energy, fines, news by sally

‘The big six energy supplier SSE has been ordered by regulators to pay out £1m for issuing more than a million misleading statements to vulnerable customers.’

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The Guardian, 7th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 24th, 2018 in data protection, energy, legislation, utilities by tracey

Data Protection Act 2018

Smart Meters Act 2018

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Solar power settlement is “largest ever” Human Rights Act payment – Litigation Futures

Posted April 5th, 2018 in compensation, energy, environmental protection, human rights, news by sally

‘A law firm has said it has helped obtain the “largest ever sum” recovered by a Human Rights Act claim, after the government settled longstanding litigation by solar energy companies at just under £60m.’

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Litigation Futures, 5th April 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Regulator Ofgem temporarily bans energy company Iresa from taking on new customers – The Independent

Posted March 27th, 2018 in complaints, energy, licensing, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Energy company Iresa has been temporarily banned by the industry regulator from taking on new customers or increasing existing customers’ direct debits for up to three months until it resolves a series of service issues.’

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The Independent, 27th March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Energy price cap: Government to introduce legislation to limit how much power firms can charge – The Independent

Posted February 26th, 2018 in competition, energy, news by tracey

‘A bill introducing an energy cap for 11 million households across Britain will be introduced to Parliament today. The Government claims the Domestic Gas and Electricity Bill, which will allow the regulator Ofgem to limit tariffs until 2020, could save people up to £100 a year.’

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The Independent, 26th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

I can serve this only once – gas safety certificates – Nearly Legal

Posted February 12th, 2018 in energy, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, regulations by tracey

‘Caridon Property Ltd v Monty Shooltz. Central London County Court. 2 February 2018 (from note of judgment). This was an appeal to a circuit judge of a first instance decision of District Judge Bloom (who is an experienced housing lawyer). The circuit judge was HHJ Jan Luba QC (a very experienced housing lawyer).’

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Nearly Legal, 11th February 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Water into gas should not go – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 5th, 2018 in appeals, compensation, energy, news, repairs, water, water companies by sally

‘When the supply of gas to your house fails, you are entitled to compensation from the gas undertaker for the inconvenience. If that failure has been caused by another utility’s burst water main, the gas undertaker may seek to recoup its expenses for repair to its own infrastructure and the compensation it has had to pay out to consumers. A simple enough picture.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd February 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com