Category: select committees

Patrick O’Brien: Judges and Select Committees: A Developing Accountability Culture – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 7th, 2015 in evidence, inquiries, judges, news, select committees, statistics by sally

‘When is a judge not a judge? Lady Justice Hallett carried out a public inquiry into the ‘On the runs’ scheme in 2014. In its report on the same issue in March 2015 the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee commented rather sternly that

“we chose not to summon Lady Justice Hallett to attend, but we consider it to be a regrettable discourtesy to Parliament that she declined our initial invitation to give evidence to the Committee, especially as she had not acted in a judicial capacity when carrying out her review. [at para. 11]”‘

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th September 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Tony Blair loses challenge against Daily Mail story – The Guardian

Posted September 3rd, 2015 in complaints, evidence, media, news, select committees by sally

‘The Independent Press Standards Organisation has rejected a complaint from Tony Blair seeking a retraction of a Daily Mail article that accused him of trying to “wriggle out” of an investigation by a committee of MPs.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lack of anti-extremist legislation hasn’t hampered watchdog, says Ofcom chief – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2015 in freedom of expression, legislation, media, news, proscribed organisations, select committees, terrorism by sally

‘Ofcom chief executive Sharon White has said the regulator has not been hampered by lack of legislation in cracking down on extremist broadcasts following David Cameron said it should be given beefed-up powers to tackle the issue.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice Beatson: Closer Engagement with Parliament – Speech by Lord Justice Jack Beatson

Posted July 3rd, 2015 in judiciary, parliament, select committees, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice Beatson: Closer Engagement with Parliament.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 2nd July 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Surveillance and privacies – OUP Blog

Posted May 28th, 2015 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, privacy, reports, select committees by sally

‘In its recent report, Privacy and Security: A modern and transparent legal framework, the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee pondered on the scale of public concern about digital surveillance:

“It is worth noting that this debate does not seem to arise in the context of the Agencies intercepting letters, or listening to people’s home or office landline calls. So what is it about the internet that makes it different? For many, the free and open nature of the internet represents liberty and democracy, and they consider that these values should not be compromised for the sake of detecting a minority who wish to use it for harmful purposes.”’

Full story

OUP Blog, 28th May 2015

Source: http://blog.oup.com

Are too few convictions overturned? – BBC News

Posted March 27th, 2015 in appeals, Criminal Cases Review Commission, Law Commission, miscarriage of justice, news, select committees by sally

‘There is room for argument over whether the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is too cautious in referring suspected miscarriages of justice to the Court of Appeal, as the Commons Justice Committee has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Save Legal Aid, Save Lives – Family Law Week

Posted March 26th, 2015 in domestic violence, evidence, legal aid, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘Ruth Tweedale, a law lecturer at the University of Roehampton and former solicitor at Rights of Women, describes recent developments in the campaign to preserve family law legal aid for victims of domestic violence.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 24th March 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Why do MPs keep suggesting anonymity for rape suspects? – The Independent

Posted March 24th, 2015 in anonymity, news, parliament, rape, select committees, sexual offences by sally

‘Should rape suspects have the right to anonymity, like their accusers? It’s a debate that keeps coming back, because MPs keep resurrecting it. Today it’s the Home Affairs Select Committee, which recommends anonymity for those suspected of a sex offence, unless and until they’re charged.’

Full story

The Independent, 20th March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A Point of View: Do parliament’s select committees wield too much power? – BBC News

Posted March 23rd, 2015 in news, parliament, select committees, statistics by sally

‘Parliamentary select committees have seen their profile grow over the past few years, but are they the right way of holding power to account, asks Tom Shakespeare.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rotherham abuse: Ofsted ‘failed to detect abuse’ – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2015 in child abuse, local government, news, reports, select committees, sexual offences by sally

‘Government inspectors failed to detect child sexual exploitation in Rotherham because they trusted council staff, a report by MPs has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 17th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council response to Justice Committee report on Legal Aid – The Bar Council

Posted March 12th, 2015 in barristers, civil justice, legal aid, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘Responding to today’s report from the Justice Committee, Alistair MacDonald QC, Chairman of the Bar said:
“We have reached a watershed moment in the administration of justice.’

Full story

The Bar Council, 12th March 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Third of domestic violence victims cannot provide evidence for legal aid – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2015 in domestic violence, evidence, legal aid, legal representation, news, reports, select committees, victims by sally

‘More than a third of victims of domestic violence cannot provide the evidence required to obtain legal aid, according to a parliamentary watchdog.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid cuts hurt those who need help must, claims High Court judge – The Independent

Posted March 12th, 2015 in judges, legal aid, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘Deep cuts to the legal aid budget have backfired by failing to help the people who need it most, a parliamentary report has concluded.’

Full story

The Independent, 12th March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police tackle serious crimes with ‘slap on wrist’, MPs warn – BBC News

Posted March 6th, 2015 in cautions, news, police, prosecutions, select committees, statistics by sally

‘Too many offenders in England and Wales are given “just a slap on the wrist” for serious crimes, MPs have argued.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Abuse inquiry should cover whole UK, Home Affairs Committee says – BBC News

Posted February 18th, 2015 in child abuse, inquiries, news, select committees, sexual offences by sally

‘The government is being urged to extend the scope of the child sexual abuse inquiry to cover the whole of the UK – rather than just England and Wales.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tax authorities should prosecute evaders, says Keir Starmer – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2015 in banking, fraud, news, select committees, sentencing, tax evasion, taxation, whistleblowers by sally

‘Criminal prosecution for tax evasion should become the default position of the tax authorities, Keir Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions, has said, as HM Revenue and Customs came under further scrutiny over whether it responded to an email from a French whistleblower setting out details of the scale of tax evasion by HSBC.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child abuse inquiry: Judge has ‘no establishment links’ – BBC News

Posted February 12th, 2015 in child abuse, inquiries, judges, news, select committees by sally

‘The judge leading the inquiry into historical child sex abuse in England and Wales has said she has no links to any person or institution which it might scrutinise.’

Full story

BBC News, 11th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sex abuse inquiry: ‘Victims receive death threats’ after MPs release names online – The Independent

Posted January 30th, 2015 in inquiries, news, privacy, select committees, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘Survivors of sex abuse say they have received death threats and been approached by their abusers, after MPs published their details online last week.’

Full story

The Independent, 30th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Alexander Horne: Evidence under oath, perjury and parliamentary privilege – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 29th, 2015 in bills, contempt of court, human rights, news, parliament, parliamentary privilege, perjury, reports, select committees by sally

‘The issue of select committee powers has received renewed interest during the 2010-15 Parliament, culminating in a report from Liaison Committee on Select committee effectiveness, resources and powers (in October 2012); and, subsequently, a report by the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege in July 2013 (and a Government response later that year).’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 29th January 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Schools watchdog chief denies Ofsted has anti-Christian agenda – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2015 in Christianity, complaints, education, news, select committees by sally

‘The chief inspector of schools has been forced to deny that Ofsted had a political agenda against Christian schools after he came under fire from MPs following damning reports by inspectors for two free schools.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk