Dangerous dogs plan will mean no ‘innocent’ trespassers – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2013 in bills, dogs, news, select committees, trespass by tracey

“Dog owners will be safe from prosecution under revised dangerous dogs laws if their pet attacks someone trespassing in their home – even if the ‘intruder’ is doing a good turn.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grayling refuses to delay legal aid cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 29th, 2013 in delay, human rights, legal aid, news, select committees by sally

“The justice secretary has indicated that he will press on with ‘far-reaching’ legal aid cuts, ignoring pleas from MPs, peers and the Law Society to delay them to enable parliamentary scrutiny.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 28th August 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Patients sectioned unnecessarily just to gain access to a hospital bed – The Independent

Posted August 14th, 2013 in evidence, hospitals, mental health, news, select committees by sally

“Pressure on psychiatric wards has become so great that doctors are sectioning mentally ill patients unnecessarily, because it is often seen as the only way to gain access to a bed, MPs have found.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Thousands of UK citizens ‘detained unlawfully’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“Tens of thousands of vulnerable people are being detained unlawfully due to the complexity of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), lawyers have told a House of Lords committee.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 12th August 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Private investigators will require licence, says Theresa May – The Guardian

Posted August 1st, 2013 in licensing, news, private investigators, reports, select committees by sally

“The government on Wednesday announced that private investigators will need a licence to operate and training about the law, as it imposed new rules on the unregulated industry of gaining information.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Expert highlights “worrying approach” in Justice Committee’s report on sentencing of environmental offenders – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 26th, 2013 in environmental protection, news, reports, select committees, sentencing by sally

“It is ‘worrying’ that a Justice Committee report suggests treating companies whose actions risk harm to the environment in the same way as those who cause actual harm, an expert has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th July 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

20 law firms implicated in ‘secret’ phone hacking scandal – Daily Telegraph

“Lawyers were the biggest users of the private investigators behind the ‘secret’ phone-hacking scandal, it has been revealed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The implications for access to justice of the Government’s proposed legal aid reforms – Joint Committee on Human Rights

“The Joint Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Dr Hywel Francis MP, is today launching an inquiry into the implications for access to justice of certain of the Government’s proposals to reform legal aid, as set out in its Consultation Paper Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system.”

Full press release

Joint Committee on Human Rights, 18th July 2013

Source: www.parliament.uk

How far should our courts venture onto the battlefield? – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2013 in armed forces, constitutional reform, news, parliament, select committees, war by tracey

“If you think there are clear rules governing the UK’s use of armed force, you would be wrong.”

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The Guardian, 24th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Forensics upheaval ‘threat to justice’, MPs warn – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2013 in crime, forensic science, news, reports, select committees by tracey

“Major crimes could go unsolved unless the government does more to support forensic science, MPs have warned.”

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BBC News, 25th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquiry into snooping laws as committee clears GCHQ – The Guardian

Posted July 18th, 2013 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, select committees by tracey

“Parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) is to mount an inquiry into whether the laws on ‘state snooping’ on private communications are adequate to regulate Britain’s spy agencies in the internet age.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Only one in every 100 reports of illegal immigration results in deportation – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 17th, 2013 in appeals, bills, deportation, immigration, news, select committees, statistics by sally

“Only one in every 100 reports of illegal immigration has resulted in someone being removed from the country, the Home Office has admitted.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Theresa May considers ‘second-tier’ banning orders – The Guardian

“Ministers are ‘actively considering’ a second-tier banning order that would outlaw groups that are not outright terrorist organisations but promote extremism and hatred on the streets, the home secretary, Theresa May, has confirmed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Women offenders ‘afterthought’ in rehabilitation plans – BBC News

“Women offenders are being ignored in plans to overhaul rehabilitation services, a committee of MPs has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 15th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Immigration backlog of 500,000 cases will take 37 years to clear, say MPs – The Guardian

“The Home Office’s backlog of 500,000 unresolved immigration and asylum cases will not be cleared for another 37 years at current rates of progress, according to a parliamentary watchdog.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Too many women prisoners, MPs say – The Independent

“The Government is ignoring the needs of women offenders with its probation reforms, a group of MPs has warned.”

Full story

The Independent, 15th July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Grayling promises second consultation on legal aid – but sets red lines – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Ministry of Justice will publish a second ‘short’ consultation on its ‘finalised’ legal aid proposals in September before ‘pressing on’, the justice secretary announced this morning.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.lawgazete.co.uk

Small law firms may be forced to merge under legal aid plans – The Guardian

Posted July 4th, 2013 in law firms, legal aid, legal representation, mergers, news, select committees by sally

“Small law firms reliant upon legal aid will be forced to amalgamate under plans being examined by the Ministry of Justice to save £220m a year.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice Secretary updates on competitive tendering for criminal legal aid – Ministry of Justice

“Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has written to the Chair of the Justice Select Committee on competitive tendering for criminal legal aid.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st July 2013

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

Lord Justice Leveson to be invited to give evidence to MPs – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2013 in evidence, judges, media, news, select committees by sally

“Lord Justice Leveson is to be invited to give evidence for the first time to MPs about his report on the future of press regulation and the resulting impasse over setting up a new industry watchdog.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk