ICO reprimand for misuse of children’s data: a proportionate response or a let off? – Local Government Lawyer

‘Last week, the Department for Education received a formal reprimand from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) over a “serious breach” of the GDPR involving the unauthorised sharing of up to 28 million children’s personal data. But the Department has avoided a fine, despite a finding of “woeful” data protection practices. Ibrahim Hasan reports.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Home Office’s ‘out-of-date’ grasp of fraud highlighted by watchdog – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2022 in fraud, government departments, news by sally

‘The Home Office has an incomplete and out-of-date grasp of the cost of fraud in the UK and a poor understanding of who commits the crime, a public spending watchdog has found.’

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The Guardian, 15th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court refuses to extend interim injunctions stopping hotels from accommodating asylum seekers – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has refused to extend ‘without notice’ interim injunctions obtained by Ipswich Borough Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council that blocked the acccommodation of asylum seekers in local hotels.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Frederick Cowell: The Three Eras of Opposition to the Human Rights Act – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Before it entered the statute books, before it even had been brought to Parliament, the Human Rights Act (HRA) was subject to opposition which was to only strengthen over time. The nature of that opposition has varied since the publication of White Paper Rights Brought Home in October 1997, but it has served as a vehicle, and site of contestation, for many constitutional debates and disagreements over the past quarter century. Opposition to the HRA is also a reflection of broader social change in British society in the twenty-first century and this understanding is key to any analysis of contemporary proposals for reform.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th November 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Thousands of asylum seekers ‘in limbo’ waiting years for Home Office decision – The Independent

Posted November 14th, 2022 in asylum, delay, government departments, housing, immigration, news, refugees, statistics by tracey

‘Tens of thousands of migrants are waiting more than a year for a decision on their asylum claim, with hundreds waiting over five years, figures show.’

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The Independent, 14th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Army families suing MoD for poor housing told to drop claims or have pay docked – The Guardian

‘Army families suing the Ministry of Defence over the squalor of their living quarters are being issued with “bullying” ultimatums to drop the claims or face having their pay docked to cover the legal costs.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK’s treatment of asylum seekers must comply with international law, UN says – The Independent

‘The UK should make sure its “treatment of asylum seekers complies with international laws”, members of the United Nations Human Rights Council said.’

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The Independent, 10th November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government planning definition of “gypsies and travellers” unlawfully discriminatory, Court of Appeal rules – Local Government Lawyer

‘A decision on a planning application made by settled Travellers by North West Leicestershire District Council and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has been quashed by the Court of Appeal.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th November 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK rolling back efforts to tackle modern slavery, charity says – The Guardian

‘The UK has been accused of “rolling back” moves to tackle modern slavery before a UN review of its human rights record on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 8th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

The small boats storm and the unlawful seizure of mobile phones – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The storm raging around small boats arriving on the south coast has been brewing for some time. In early summer the focus was a policy to send arrivals to Rwanda. Intervention by the European Court of Human Rights effectively suspended flights while a domestic ruling on the policy’s legality is awaited. Meanwhile, in Dover a migrant processing centre has been firebombed, another is dangerously overcrowded, and the new Home Secretary raises tensions by speaking of an “invasion”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th November 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

How Immigration Detention Violates People’s Human Rights – Each Other

‘People held in immigration detention have human rights – just like the rest of us. Under international law and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), people have a right to liberty, a family life, an adequate standard of living and other aspects.’

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Each Other, 4th November 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Man who took posters to Sajid Javid’s home not guilty of criminal damage charge – The Independent

Posted November 4th, 2022 in coronavirus, criminal damage, demonstrations, government departments, news by tracey

‘A man has been found not guilty of intent to cause criminal damage after turning up at Sajid Javid’s home with adhesive spray and posters.’

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The Independent, 3rd November 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Almost 75,000 defendants awaiting crown court trial, says head of CPS – The Guardian

‘The head of the Crown Prosecution Service has warned that cutting its budget would have a “catastrophic” impact on the backlog in the crown courts, as he revealed that almost 75,000 defendants were awaiting trial at the end of last month.’

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The Guardian, 1st November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government drops plan to combat anti-Muslim hatred with official definition of Islamophobia – The Independent

‘The government has dropped work on an official definition of Islamophobia that was promised more than three years ago, amid mounting concern over inaction on the issue.’

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The Independent, 30th October 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

GPS tagging migrants ‘psychological torture’, says report – The Guardian

‘Lawyers and charities have called for controversial electronic tagging of migrants to be scrapped, describing it in a new report as a form of “psychological torture”.’

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The Guardian, 31st October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Better protection for victims under pre-charge bail reforms – Home Office

‘A new provision known as “Kay’s Law” protects victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.’

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Home Office, 26th October 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Chinese cotton sold in UK could be from persecuted Uyghurs, court hears – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2022 in China, forced labour, government departments, news, sale of goods by sally

‘The UK government acted unlawfully by not investigating whether some cotton imports come from Uyghur forced-labour camps in China, a court has heard.’

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BBC News, 25th October 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What Could Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Mean for Human Rights? – Each Other

‘Rishi Sunak has become prime minister, replacing Liz Truss as leader of the party after rival Penny Mordaunt dropped out of the race. It comes less than two months after he lost the leadership race to Truss, who resigned following the shortest-ever tenure as prime minister. Sunak, who previously served as chancellor under prime minister Boris Johnson, is the third British prime minister to serve since September this year.’

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Each Other, 25th October 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Court rules abandoned wives should be allowed to return to UK – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2022 in families, government departments, immigration, news, visas, women by sally

‘A woman who was abandoned in Pakistan by her British husband and forcibly separated from her two-year-old daughter has won a high court case against such practice.’

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The Guardian, 25th October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government legacy bill risks breaches of human rights law, committee finds – The Independent

‘Proposed Government legislation to deal with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s Troubles risks widespread breaches of human rights law, a Westminster committee has found.’

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The Independent, 26th October 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk