Home Office asks lawyers to help simplify immigration letters – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 19th, 2018 in detention, human rights, immigration, news, select committees, statistics by sally

‘The government will ask lawyers how letters to people navigating a ‘complex’ immigration system can be improved, as MPs take a closer look at proposals to reform immigration detention.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 18th October 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MPs call for review of ‘patchwork’ laws on dangerous dogs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2018 in dogs, news, select committees by sally

‘A patchwork of dog control laws, including some that date back 150 years, is causing unnecessary confusion about liability, MPs have warned. The House of Commons select committee on environment, food and rural affairs has told the government to consolidate the ‘disparate pieces’ of legislation into a ‘single coherent’ Dog Control Act.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 17th October 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MoJ seeks to allay concerns about the human rights impact of legal aid cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 14th, 2018 in budgets, human rights, legal aid, news, select committees by tracey

‘The government has today published its response to MPs’ concerns about the “damaging” effects of legal aid reforms on human rights, painting a rosier picture than found by members of the joint committee on human rights.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th September 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Relaxing vaping laws would cut smoking deaths, say MPs – The Guardian

Posted August 17th, 2018 in health, news, select committees, smoking, taxation by sally

‘The government is missing an important opportunity to cut deaths from smoking, says a committee of MPs who are calling for a cut in the tax on e-cigarettes. They are also urging the government to allow more advertising and to rethink the ban on vaping on buses, trains and in other public places.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK human rights panel to investigate police use of child spies – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2018 in children, intelligence services, news, police, select committees, spying by sally

‘Parliament’s joint committee on human rights has been asked to investigate the use of child spies by the police and security services, after peers discovered powers covering the practice hidden in obscure secondary legislation.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

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

Posted August 2nd, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, press releases, reports, select committees by tracey

‘The Bar Council has responded to the House of Commons Justice Select Committee’s report on the current state of criminal legal aid in England and Wales.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 26th July 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Government must change plans to let hospitals investigate own whistleblowing cases, MP say – The Independent

Posted August 2nd, 2018 in hospitals, news, reports, select committees, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Government plans for a new NHS whistleblowing service have come in for criticism from MPs over “conflict of interest” concerns about letting NHS hospitals investigate themselves.’

Full Story

The Independent, 2nd August 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Too Hot to Work? Your Rights in a Heatwave – Rights Info

‘Most of your conversations in the workplace over the last few weeks have probably involved the weather, with blazing temperatures sweeping across much of the UK. MPs have warned that the current heatwave could become the new normal for our summers by 2040, so what are your rights when the mercury rises?’

Full Story

Rights Info, 26th July 2018

Source: rightsinfo.org

“Fragility” of criminal law firms threatening rights, MPs warn – Legal Futures

‘Fundamental rights to legal advice and representation for people accused of crimes are at risk, the justice select committee has warned, calling for a “comprehensive and independent” review of criminal legal aid.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th July 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Firms failing to tackle sexual harassment, say MPs – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2018 in employment, harassment, news, reports, select committees by tracey

‘Businesses, government and regulators are failing to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace, say MPs. The Parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee has published a five-point plan to deal with the problem.’

Full Story

BBC News, 25th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Statement following the publication of the Justice Select Committee report on Disclosure – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The Crown Prosecution Service and the National Police Chiefs Council have today (20 July) issued a joint response into the Justice Select Committee Report over Disclosure of evidence in criminal cases.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 20th July 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, report warns – Daily Telegraph

‘Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, the public accounts committee has warned.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal aid deserts: MPs and peers express ‘grave concerns’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Squeezing the legal aid budget has left vast numbers of people – including the most vulnerable – unable to assert their rights, the Law Society said today. In a report published today, Enforcing Human Rights, parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights reflects the Law Society’s concerns that large parts of England and Wales are becoming “legal aid deserts”, as solicitors are forced to withdraw from services because they can no longer afford to do the work.’

Full report

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 19th July 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Morecambe Bay: Nurse and midwife regulator apologises for failing families who lost children in scandal – The Independent

Posted July 18th, 2018 in birth, children, hospitals, midwives, news, nurses, select committees by tracey

‘The families of children who died because of major care failures by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, have received an apology from the body meant to protect patients and the public from unsafe nurses and midwives.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th July 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MPs want new watchdog to root out research misconduct – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2018 in fraud, news, select committees, universities by tracey

‘A national watchdog that has the power to punish British universities for failing to tackle research misconduct is needed to ensure that sloppy practices and outright fraud are caught and dealt with fast, MPs say.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pay defence practitioners earlier to improve disclosure – attorney general – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Redesigning the legal aid system to pay defence practitioners earlier in a case could help to tackle long-standing disclosure challenges, the attorney general has told MPs.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 9th July 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK counter-terror bill risks criminalising curiosity – watchdog – The Guardian

Posted July 10th, 2018 in bills, human rights, news, reports, select committees, terrorism by sally

‘Academics, journalists and those with “inquisitive and foolish minds” would be at risk of prosecution and prison sentences of up to 15 years under proposed counter-terrorism laws, a parliamentary human rights watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Windrush victims detained ‘unlawfully’ by Home Office – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2018 in colonies, detention, immigration, news, reports, select committees by sally

‘Immigration officials detained members of the Windrush generation “unlawfully and inappropriately” despite their right to be in the UK, MPs have found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th June 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government must overhaul ‘mess’ of privatised probation system, inquiry finds – The Independent

Posted June 22nd, 2018 in contracting out, news, probation, select committees by tracey

‘The government must overhaul its “mess” of a botched programme to privatise probation that is failing against every measure and may threaten public safety, MPs have said.
An eight month inquiry by the Justice Committee found that the controversial Transforming Rehabilitation scheme had created a “two-tier” service seeing vital services outsourced to loss-making contractors.’

Full Story

The Independent, 22nd June 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

MPs warned of court modernisation risks – Legal Futures

‘Evidence provided to MPs by those involved in or observing the courts have outlined wide-ranging concerns about the government’s court modernisation programme.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 18th June 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk