Category: select committees

Jack Alaric Simson Caird: A Code of Constitutional Standards – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted January 9th, 2014 in constitutional law, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘The Constitution Unit of University College London is today publishing a report which sets out a code of constitutional standards based on the reports of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution. Since 2001 the Committee has made many recommendations in its reports, and the goal of this report was to codify these recommendations in order to make the Committee’s analysis of the constitution more accessible. The report, by Robert Hazell, Dawn Oliver and myself, contains a code of 126 constitutional standards, each of which is relevant to the legislative process, and each of which has been extracted from the 149 reports of the Constitution Committee that were reviewed. The standards are organised into five sections: the rule of law; delegated powers, delegated legislation and Henry VIII clauses; the separation of powers; individual rights; and parliamentary procedure.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 8th January 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionalgroup.org

UK ‘was inappropriately involved in rendition’ – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2013 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, rendition, reports, select committees, terrorism by tracey

‘There is evidence Britain was inappropriately involved in the rendition and ill-treatment of terror suspects, an inquiry has revealed.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th December 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK inquiry on rendition and torture to be handed to ISC – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2013 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, rendition, select committees, torture by tracey

‘The stalled official inquiry into the UK’s involvement in rendition and torture in the years after 9/11 is to be handed to the controversial intelligence and security committee (ISC), the government will announce on Thursday.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th December 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

FGM – No More Excuses – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 26th, 2013 in female genital mutilation, health, news, prosecutions, reports, select committees by tracey

‘There is no topic more appropriate to write about on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women than that of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM involves the partial or total removal of a girl’s genitalia for non-medical reasons. The potential health risks resulting from the FGM procedure are numerous and severe: in extreme cases it can lead to sterility, infection, haemorrhaging and death. The risks associated with FGM are exacerbated by the fact that it is usually performed by people with no formal medical training in unsanitary conditions. Many statements from girls who were mutilated describe being physically held down on tables in make-shift theatres, and having their genitalia cut with sharp implements. Anaesthetic is rarely used.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Watchdog demands GCHQ report on NSA’s UK data storage – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2013 in data protection, electronic mail, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, select committees, telecommunications by tracey

‘The watchdog tasked with scrutinising the work of Britain’s intelligence agencies is to demand an urgent report from GCHQ about revelations that the phone, internet and email records of British citizens have been analysed and stored by America’s National Security Agency.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice Committee calls for “more meaningful” penalties for companies convicted of financial crime – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 14th, 2013 in bribery, company law, financial regulation, fines, fraud, money laundering, news, penalties, select committees, sentencing by tracey

“Fines handed to companies convicted of fraud or other financial crimes should be calculated as a percentage of turnover, rather than with reference to the amount of financial harm caused, a committee of MPs has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 13th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Miranda, Prisoner Votes & Judicial Review Myths – The Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 13th, 2013 in airports, benefits, bills, detention, disabled persons, elections, freedom of expression, human rights, judicial review, media, news, prisons, select committees, terrorism by tracey

“This week, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill took evidence , and there were notable comments from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the body which monitors compliance with the European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile, Baroness Hale weighed in on the proposed judicial review changes and, continuing along the judicial review vein, David Miranda (pictured) began his claim on Wednesday.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 11th November 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Introduce stiffer fines for companies guilty of fraud, says new report by MPs – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 11th, 2013 in fines, fraud, news, select committees, sentencing by michael

“Plans set out by the Sentencing Council earlier this year could lead to ‘overly lenient’ punishment, parliamentary committee says.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Home Office fails to investigate vast majority of tip-offs about illegal immigrants – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 8th, 2013 in illegality, immigration, news, reports, select committees by tracey

“The Home Office investigates just six per cent of tip-offs from the public about suspected illegal immigrants, a new report has disclosed.
Nearly 49,000 reports were received over nine months about foreigners alleged to be living or working illegally in Britain, but officials looked into only 2,695 of them.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK firms cleared of gas price manipulation – BBC News

Posted November 7th, 2013 in competition, energy, financial regulation, news, price fixing, select committees by tracey

“Regulators have found no evidence of price manipulation in the UK wholesale gas market after an investigation.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers’ plans will hand more power to Europe, says report – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 7th, 2013 in EC law, news, parliament, reports, select committees by tracey

“Europe’s power over British affairs could actually be increased by the Government’s decision to opt back in to a number of criminal justice measures, MPs have warned. The House of Commons’ all-party European Scrutiny committee warned the influence of Parliament and the British courts could suffer if ministers proceed with current plans.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK spy chiefs to face MPs over mass surveillance – The Guardian

Posted November 7th, 2013 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, select committees by tracey

“The three heads of the British intelligence agencies are to make an unprecedented public televised appearance in front of the intelligence and security committee of MPs where they will seek to justify the scale of their surveillance activities.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Another hall of mirrors human rights story from the Telegraph – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 28th, 2013 in airports, bills, human rights, intelligence services, investigatory powers, media, news, police, select committees, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Yesterday saw another poor piece of human rights reporting from the Telegraph, again from Home Affairs Correspondent David Barrett. Strasbourg human rights court threatens key counter-terrorism powers. It is a typical piece of hall-of-mirrors reporting; all of the basic elements are there but presented in a distorted and inaccurate way.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 27th October 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

New code of police ethics follows Plebgate – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2013 in codes of practice, news, police, professional conduct, select committees by tracey

“A tough new code of ethics for the police service will be heralded by the home secretary after three officers at the centre of allegations that they lied to discredit Andrew Mitchell refused repeatedly to apologise to him during an interrogation by MPs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ministry stands by Grayling evidence after bar chief challenge – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 23rd, 2013 in barristers, budgets, costs, fees, Ministry of Justice, news, select committees by tracey

“Evidence given to MPs by Chris Grayling has sparked a spat between the Bar Council and Ministry of Justice.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd October 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ decides against increase in small claims track limit – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 23rd, 2013 in accidents, consultations, costs, fraud, insurance, news, personal injuries, road traffic offences, select committees, small claims by tracey

“The Ministry of Justice will today confirm there is to be no increase in the small claims court limit.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd October 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK’s top prosecutor defends journalists who break law in public interest – The Guardian

Posted October 21st, 2013 in codes of practice, criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, freedom of expression, intelligence services, interception, internet, media, news, public interest, select committees, theft, whistleblowers by sally

“Britain’s most senior prosecutor has launched a robust defence of journalists who break the law pursuing investigations that have a genuine public interest. Legal guidelines had been drafted, he said, to protect reporters.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Extent of spies’ mass surveillance to be investigated by parliamentary body – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2013 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, select committees, spying by sally

“The extent and scale of mass surveillance undertaken by Britain’s spy agencies is to be scrutinised in a major inquiry to be formally launched on Thursday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Alison L. Young: Prisoner Voting: Human or Constitutional Right? – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted September 30th, 2013 in bills, elections, human rights, interpretation, jurisdiction, news, prisons, select committees by sally

“As is well known, in Hirst v UK (No 2) the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights concluded that Section 3(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, which removed the franchise from prisoners, was a disproportionate restriction of the right to vote found in article 3 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. After two consultation papers, further judgments from the European Court of Human Rights, a declaration of incompatibility from the Scottish courts, a series of criticisms from the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Joint Committee of Human Rights, a change of Government and a House of Commons debate, the Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Draft Bill was proposed and is currently being scrutinised by a Joint Select Committee. To add to the mix, we are awaiting judgment on the latest discussion of the issue by the UK Supreme Court, in R (Chester) v Secretary of State for Justice and McGeogh v Lord President of the Council, heard on 10 June, not to mention the adjourned case of Firth v United Kingdom.”

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 27th September 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

MPs condemn ‘tortuous’ inchoate offence law – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 13th, 2013 in crime, legislation, legislative drafting, news, reports, select committees by tracey

“Criminal offences of encouraging and assisting crimes are too ‘complex and difficult’ for lawyers to understand, according to a high profile committee of MPs.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk