Ministers call for tougher rules on MPs’ expenses – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2008 in expenses, news, parliament by sally

“Ministers today called for greater openness about how MPs spend public money, in advance of this afternoon’s debate on the suspension of Derek Conway from the Commons.”

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The Guardian, 31st January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Official: Lawyers drink the most tea – The Lawyer

Posted January 31st, 2008 in legal profession, news by sally

“A recent survey has revealed that people working in the law drink more cups of tea per day than those in all other professions.”

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The Lawyer, 31st January 2008

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Porton Down veterans awarded £3m compensation – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2008 in armed forces, chemical weapons, compensation, news by sally

“Hundreds of veterans who were subjected to tests at the Porton Down chemical warfare installation are to be awarded compensation totalling £3m, the defence minister Derek Twigg announced today.”

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The Guardian, 31st Janaury 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Seatbelt law anniversary marked with grim statistics – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2008 in news, road safety by sally

“About 370 people die in road crashes in Britain each year because they fail to wear a seatbelt, safety campaigners said today.”

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The Guardian, 31st January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

16,000 prisoners freed early, ministry reveals – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2008 in news, prisons, violent offenders by sally

“More than 16,000 prisoners have been freed early – including 3,000 guilty of violent crimes – under a government scheme to cut jail overcrowding, the justice ministry revealed today.”

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The Guardian, 31st January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Calls to lift child embryo ban – BBC News

Posted January 31st, 2008 in embryology, news by sally

“The government is looking into calls to lift a ban on creating human or human-animal ‘hybrid’ embryos from dying children to aid key research.”

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BBC News, 31st January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Red tape on stop and search to be cut – The Times

Posted January 31st, 2008 in news, stop and search by sally

“Form-filling by police officers who stop and search people on the streets is to be drastically reduced under plans to be announced next week to reduce the red tape in policing.”

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The Times, 31st January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Thousands are dodging community punishment by claiming ‘I overslept’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 31st, 2008 in community service, news by sally

“Thousands of offenders who fail to turn up for community punishments are avoiding being returned to court if they claim to have overslept or produce their own sick note, the public spending watchdog says today.”

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The Times, 31st January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Disturbed patients refused help in squabble over cash – The Times

Posted January 31st, 2008 in mental health, news by sally

“The Mental Health Act Commission has found that practitioners are being told to delay sectioning people with urgent mental health needs until primary care trusts ascertain who should pay for their treatment.”

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The Times, 31st January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Churches, schools and charities braced for flood of claims after ruling on Lotto rapist, Iorworth Hoare – The Times

Posted January 31st, 2008 in damages, news, personal injuries, sexual offences, time limits by sally

“Thousands of victims of sexual abuse including a woman whose life was ruined by the so-called Lotto rapist are preparing to lodge compensation claims after a landmark ruling by Britain’s highest court yesterday.”

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The Times, 31st Janaury 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Muslims ‘let down by race law’ – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2008 in Islam, news, religious discrimination by sally

“Anti-Muslim prejudice is dealt with less seriously than other forms of discrimination, a university study found.”

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The Guardian, 31st January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mother faces new fight to keep baby – The Independent

Posted January 31st, 2008 in children, mental health, news, social services by sally

“A teenage mother reunited with her newborn baby by a judge yesterday will today face a social services application to take the boy away again.”

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The Independent, 31st January 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jury to decide if mum threw away apple core – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 31st, 2008 in news, waste by sally

“A young mother-of-three is to be tried by a crown court jury after being accused of throwing an apple core from her car on to the pavement.”

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Daily Telegraph, 31st January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Disability rights ruling expected – BBC News

Posted January 31st, 2008 in disability discrimination, news by sally

“Rights in the workplace for millions of people, who care for relatives who are elderly or have disabilities, could be strengthened later.”

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BBC News, 31st January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aikens flags up Box Clever case as trial run for litigation reforms – Legal Week

Posted January 31st, 2008 in case management, Commercial Court, news by sally

“Senior commercial judge Mr Justice Aikens has earmarked the ongoing Box Clever dispute as a ‘guinea pig’ case, in which he will test the post-BCCI working party recommendations to streamline large-scale commercial litigation.”

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Legal Week, 31st January 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Sentencing Guidelines Newsletter – Sentencing Guidelines Council

Posted January 31st, 2008 in news, sentencing by sally

“The 8th edition of the Sentencing Guidelines newsletter provides practitioners with detailed information about sentences for all ranges of offences down to local court or youth offending team level.  It covers the period for 2002 to 2006 for adults and 2002 to the end of March 2007 for youths.”

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Sentencing Guidelines Council, 31st January 2008

Source: www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Related link: The Sentence (PDF)

Legal victory for child abuse man – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2008 in news, sexual offences, time limits by sally

“A North Yorkshire man who suffered sexual abuse as a child has won the right to sue his tormentors in a landmark ruling by Law Lords.”

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BBC News, 30th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Archbishop of Canterbury calls for new law to punish ‘thoughtless or cruel’ words – The Times

Posted January 30th, 2008 in blasphemy, freedom of expression, inciting religious hatred, news by sally

“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has called for new laws to protect religious sensibilities that would punish ‘thoughtless and cruel’ styles of speaking.”

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The Times, 29th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Brothel manager escapes jail term – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2008 in news, prostitution, sentencing by sally

“A woman who ran four brothels has escaped a jail term after a judge ruled that ‘no-one was harmed’.”

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BBC News, 30th Janaury 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Confidence down for first time in six years – poll – Legal Week

Posted January 30th, 2008 in news by sally

“UK lawyers are more downbeat about the future of their businesses than at any time in the last six years, according to new research from accountancy firm Smith & Williamson.”

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Legal Week, 30th January 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com