Ofcom rejects Royal Mail’s competition concerns – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2014 in competition, news, ombudsmen, postal service by sally

‘Britain’s postal regulator Ofcom will not overhaul rules for direct mail delivery competition, dealing a blow to Royal Mail which has complained that rival offers will undermine its ability to deliver a nationwide service.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Only one London borough is acting on a law that helps protect tenants – The Independent

Posted November 25th, 2014 in landlord & tenant, London, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘A new law is supposed to protect tenants from rogue letting agents – yet only one London authority appears to be implementing the new ruling.’

Full story

The Independent, 24th November 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

NHS ombudsman ‘failing families’ – BBC News

Posted November 18th, 2014 in complaints, health, news, ombudsmen, reports by sally

‘The NHS ombudsman – the independent service that investigates patients’ complaints – is “wholly ineffective and failing families”, warns a charity.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Too many prisoners jailed unnecessarily, says review head – The Guardian

‘The unnecessary jailing of too many people in England and Wales is leaving resources stretched and vulnerable inmates unsupervised, the head of a review into prison suicides has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Kerman & Co LLP) v Legal Ombudsman – WLR Daily

Posted November 14th, 2014 in complaints, judicial review, jurisdiction, law reports, ombudsmen, solicitors by tracey

Regina (Kerman & Co LLP) v Legal OmbudsmanL: [2014] EWHC 3726 (Admin); [2014] WLR (D) 481

‘The reference to a “person” against whom a complaint had been made “ceasing to exist” in section 132(2) of the Legal Services Act 2007 and rule 2.10 of the Legal Ombudsman Scheme Rules 2013 made thereunder was a reference to the cessation of the firm or legal entity and/or, if different, the “authorised person” subject to the regulatory regime. It was not to be read as a narrow reference to an individual human being ceasing to exist.’

WLR Daily, 11th November 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

New rules on remote gambling set to come into force – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 3rd, 2014 in advertising, complaints, gambling, jurisdiction, licensing, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Organisations which provide or advertise remote gambling facilities in Great Britain must now be licensed by the Gambling Commission regardless of where those organisations are based in the world, under new rules that come into force tomorrow [1 November].’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 31st October 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Devastating impact’ of NHS blunders revealed in ombudsman’s report – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2014 in complaints, health, news, ombudsmen, reports by sally

‘The NHS has committed a catalogue of blunders that have had a “devastating impact” on every generation, a report has revealed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mark Duggan officer faces misconduct investigation – The Guardian

‘‘ZZ46’ is the first officer from the operation to be served with a formal disciplinary notice by the IPCC.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog to pursue inquiry into sex sting against MP Brooks Newmark – The Guardian

Posted October 20th, 2014 in complaints, inquiries, media, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) is to continue to investigate the Sunday Mirror for the sex sting carried out against MP Brooks Newmark even though the complaint against the newspaper has been dropped.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ched Evans conviction to be fast-tracked by watchdog investigating miscarriages of justice – The Independent

Posted October 20th, 2014 in miscarriage of justice, news, ombudsmen, rape by sally

‘The watchdog which investigates possible miscarriages of justice has said it is fast-tracking an application by Ched Evans to review his rape conviction.’

Full story

The Independent, 19th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Commission criticised for withholding information on UK internet surveillance – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 13th, 2014 in disclosure, documents, EC law, intelligence services, internet, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The European Commission must publish documents containing information about the UK’s communications surveillance operations or “properly justify” its reasons not to do so, an EU watchdog has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th October 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Ripa: Curbs on police hacking journalist phones to find story sources – Daily Telegraph

‘Police will be banned from accessing reporter phone logs under the powers of Ripa unless they can show it is for serious crime.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police criticised over handling of stalking victim shot dead by husband – The Guardian

‘A police force has been criticised for “weaknesses and shortcomings” in the way it handled fears raised by a stalking victim before she was shot dead by her estranged husband.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Competition watchdog bans deals between motor insurance and price comparison websites – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 29th, 2014 in competition, consumer protection, electronic commerce, insurance, internet, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Exclusive pricing deals between car insurance providers and price comparison websites (PCWs) will be banned, the UK’s competition watchdog has confirmed, as part of its plans to increase competition and reduce the cost of insurance premiums for drivers.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th September 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

MP refers Sunday Mirror to police and press regulator over sex sting – The Guardian

‘One of the Conservative MPs who was contacted by a Sunday Mirror reporter posing as a woman interested in sex is to write to the Metropolitan police over the tabloid sting. Mark Pritchard said he would contact Scotland Yard and make a formal complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) over accusations of entrapment.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ombudsman reins in insurer claims of alcohol abuse – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2014 in alcohol abuse, insurance, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘How much booze is too much? The UK’s financial ombudsman has revealed that some insurers are unfairly accusing their customers of alcohol abuse, or labelling them alcoholics, even though medical evidence showed they only had one or two drinks.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

ICO needs to rethink how to tackle mobile apps privacy failings, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK’s data protection authority needs to rethink its strategy for combatting failings in mobile apps privacy, an expert has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th September 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

A bold new vision for the treatment of victims – Ministry of Justice

‘Victims’ rights will be enshrined in law as part of a major set of reforms announced by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 14th September 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Sexual abuse in prison needs urgent investigation, commission warns – The Guardian

Posted September 15th, 2014 in news, ombudsmen, prisons, rape, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘Penal reformers say there is an urgent need to determine the nature and scale of sexual abuse in prisons in England and Wales in the wake of estimates that hundreds of inmates are being raped or sexually assaulted every year.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bookmakers sign up to voluntary watchdog – The Guardian

Posted September 15th, 2014 in advertising, consultations, gambling, licensing, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Three of the four big high street bookmakers have signed up to a new voluntary watchdog in the hope of preempting a raft of tough statutory measures that threaten the prevalence of betting shops, high-speed roulette machines and aggressive punter-recruitment adverts promising “free money”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk