“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.”
UK Constitutional Law Group, 27th September 2013
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
“Criminal offences of encouraging and assisting crimes are too ‘complex and difficult’ for lawyers to understand, according to a high profile committee of MPs.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 13th September 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“The UK’s data protection watchdog has urged the Home Affairs Select Committee
not to follow through on its promise to publish the names of companies and
individuals that allegedly hired private investigators convicted of data
‘blagging’ offences.”
OUT-LAW.com, 9th September 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
“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.”
BBC News, 9th September 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“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.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 28th August 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“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.”
The Independent, 14th August 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“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.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 12th August 2013
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“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.”
The Guardian, 31st July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“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.”
OUT-LAW.com, 25th July 2013
Source: www.out-law.com
“Lawyers were the biggest users of the private investigators behind the ‘secret’ phone-hacking scandal, it has been revealed.”
Daily Telegraph, 26th July 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“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.”
Joint Committee on Human Rights, 18th July 2013
Source: www.parliament.uk
“If you think there are clear rules governing the UK’s use of armed force, you would be wrong.”
The Guardian, 24th July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Major crimes could go unsolved unless the government does more to support forensic science, MPs have warned.”
BBC News, 25th July 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“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.”
The Guardian, 18th July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Only one in every 100 reports of illegal immigration has resulted in someone being removed from the country, the Home Office has admitted.”
Daily Telegraph, 16th July 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“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.”
The Guardian, 16th July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Women offenders are being ignored in plans to overhaul rehabilitation services, a committee of MPs has said.”
BBC News, 15th July 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“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.”
The Guardian, 13th July 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The Government is ignoring the needs of women offenders with its probation reforms, a group of MPs has warned.”
The Independent, 15th July 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
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