How to reduce your Inheritance Tax bill – BBC News

Posted October 27th, 2014 in budgets, inheritance tax, mortgages, news, statistics, taxation by sally

‘”We all want to see a system where it is only the very rich that pay inheritance tax, and not hard working people.”

Those were the words of David Cameron during Prime Minister’s Questions last week.’

Full story

BBC News, 24th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Miners’ deafness claims against government on the rise – Litigation Futures

‘Compensation payouts to miners suffering from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) are rising sharply, government figures have shown.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 20th October 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Hospital safety standards shocking, say inspectors – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2014 in budgets, health & safety, hospitals, news, quality assurance, standards, statistics by tracey

‘Safety standards in hospitals in England are “shocking”, inspectors say. The warning by the Care Quality Commission came as it released the results for the first 82 hospital inspected under a new regime. The system has been designed to be tougher and was overhauled following the Stafford Hospital scandal.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tasers used by police more than 10,000 times last year – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 16th, 2014 in firearms, news, police, statistics by sally

‘New figures show the controversial weapons were drawn or fired 10,488 times in England and Wales in the 12 months to the end of June.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rapes increase by 29% as overall crime falls in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2014 in crime, news, rape, statistics by sally

‘The number of rapes reported to and recorded by police in England and Wales are at their highest ever level, police figures have shown.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord Neuberger on the Supreme Court: Five key cases from its first five years – The Independent

‘From euthanasia to high-speed rail, the highest in the land has an almost limitless remit.’

Full story

The Independent, 12th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update – Family Law Week

‘Jessica Craigs, senior solicitor of Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the financial remedies and divorce news and cases published by Family Law Week during September.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 5th October 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Child offender tagging system ‘not working’ – BBC News

‘A tagging programme for child offenders is not working and results in excessive punishment, a charity has warned.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB enforcement activity producing better outcomes: time taken to investigate complaints against barristers reducing – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 22nd, 2014 in barristers, complaints, disciplinary procedures, enforcement, news, statistics by sally

‘The latest Annual Report on the performance of the Bar Standards Board (BSB)’s Professional Conduct Committee and Professional Conduct Department has been published today. The report shows that the percentage of cases being concluded or referred to disciplinary action within the agreed service standards increased from 64% in 2012/13 to 77% in 2013/14.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 19th September 2014

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Sexual abuse in prison needs urgent investigation, commission warns – The Guardian

Posted September 15th, 2014 in news, ombudsmen, prisons, rape, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘Penal reformers say there is an urgent need to determine the nature and scale of sexual abuse in prisons in England and Wales in the wake of estimates that hundreds of inmates are being raped or sexually assaulted every year.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New stalking legislation helps to bring thousands more prosecutions as CPS and ACPO launch protocol to improve service to stalking victims – Crown Prosecution Service

‘As stalking-related prosecutions rise, prosecutors and police are being reminded to focus on the devastating impact these crimes have on victims. After the first full year of operation, new stalking legislation has seen 743 cases brought to court – cases which may not have been charged under previous law.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 11th September 2014

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Children’s care homes abuse claims increase to 13 – BBC News

‘An investigation into abuse at a children’s care home has been widened to include other establishments.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stalking prosecutions rise by 20% under new law on harassment – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2014 in Crown Prosecution Service, harassment, news, prosecutions, stalking, statistics by sally

‘Prosecutions for stalking and harassment increased by more than 20% last year following the enforcement of a new law that criminalises behaviour causing serious alarm or distress.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Finance & Divorce Update – Family Law

‘Jessica Craigs, senior solicitor and Amy Starnes solicitor, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the financial remedies and divorce news and cases published by Family Law Week in August.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 5th September 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Ofsted: government failing to act over long-term NEETs – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 8th, 2014 in education, employment, news, ombudsmen, school children, statistics by sally

‘Ofsted warns that reforms designed to prevent school leavers becoming NEETs – not in education, employment or training – merely end up “delaying their fall” into the category at a later stage.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rotherham: Yvette Cooper calls for change to law after abuse scandal – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2014 in bills, child abuse, news, police, prostitution, reports, statistics by sally

‘Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse would be introduced by a Labour government to try to prevent a repeat of the Rotherham scandal and encourage a cultural shift where allegations from victims are treated seriously.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No, The Sun, “Euro judges” do not “go against UK in 3 out of 5 cases”. More like 1 in 100 – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 28th, 2014 in courts, human rights, judgments, media, news, statistics by sally

‘Sun has got it badly wrong on human rights. Again. On 24 August 2014 Craig Woodhouse reported that “Euro judges go against UK in 3 out of 5 cases” (£). This is false and seriously misleading.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 27th August 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Domestic abuse crime considered by ministers – BBC News

‘A new crime of domestic abuse could be created under plans being considered by ministers. Home Secretary Theresa May is consulting on creating the offence in England and Wales as part of attempts to improve police performance. Existing law already covers coercive and controlling behaviour – but it does not explicitly apply to relationships.’

Full story

Consultation

BBC News, 20th August 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison ‘crisis’ denied by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling – BBC News

Posted August 19th, 2014 in news, prisons, reports, statistics, violence, young offenders by tracey

‘Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has admitted to the BBC that prisons in England and Wales face problems with violence, suicides and staff shortages.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th August 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

£230m wasted on needlessly holding people on remand, says Howard League – The Guardian

Posted August 18th, 2014 in budgets, charities, news, prisons, remand, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘Up to £230m has been spent “needlessly” holding people on remand in custody who eventually avoided jail, a penal reform charity has said. More than 35,000 people kept on remand in 2013 went on to be either acquitted or be given non-custodial sentences, according to new figures obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform from the Ministry of Justice through a Freedom of Information request.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk