Category: Wales

Coronavirus and detention under the Mental Health Act – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted April 1st, 2020 in chambers articles, consent, coronavirus, detention, medical treatment, mental health, news, proportionality, statutory interpretation, time limits, Wales by sally

‘The Coronavirus Act 2020 (CA 2020) has now been passed. However not all the provisions have yet come into force. Many of the provisions (including the amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) and to the Care Act 2014) will come into force on a day appointed by a Minister according to regulations. Once in force, a part of the Act could also be suspended and revived. For further details on this, see our earlier post here.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 30th March 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Welsh council wins Court of Appeal battle over scope of duty to secure improvement – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 9th, 2020 in appeals, consultations, local government, news, Wales by tracey

‘A requirement on councils to consult on service improvements is not so wide as to mean consultations must be held on every decision, the Court Of Appeal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Report into Welsh council highlights monitoring officer also being its sole qualified childcare lawyer as example of risk of ‘all hands to the pumps’ approach – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 4th, 2020 in children, legal services, local government, news, solicitors, Wales by sally

‘A rapid assessment carried out by the Improvement and Assurance Board set up at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has highlighted a situation where the authority’s monitoring officer is also its sole qualified childcare lawyer and has additional responsibilities as an example of why it has significant concerns about the ability of the council to deal with ongoing practical issues.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Alcohol: Wales minimum pricing law comes into force – BBC News

Posted March 2nd, 2020 in alcohol abuse, health, news, price fixing, sale of goods, Wales by sally

‘As of Monday, retailers and any outlets serving alcohol must charge at least 50p a unit, meaning a typical bottle of wine costs no less than £4.69.’

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BBC News, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thomas on Wales – Counsel

Posted February 20th, 2020 in civil justice, criminal justice, devolution, legal profession, news, reports, Wales by sally

‘With radical recommendations for ‘fair, distinct and devolved’ justice, the Thomas Report should be required reading for anyone interested in Wales and the state of its justice system – writes David Hughes.’

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Counsel, February 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Compulsory religious education ‘may breach human rights’ – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2020 in education, human rights, news, religious discrimination, school children, Wales by sally

‘Making all pupils take part in religious education classes could see the Welsh Government taken to court for breaching human rights, a legal expert has warned.’

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BBC News, 8th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wales to bring in smacking ban after assembly vote – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2020 in assault, bills, child cruelty, children, families, news, Wales by sally

‘A law banning people in Wales from smacking their children has been passed by the Welsh Assembly.’

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BBC News, 28th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A legal duty to tackle inequality: Scotland first, Wales next, England when? – Cloisters

Posted January 28th, 2020 in equality, news, Scotland, statutory duty, Wales by sally

‘This month a public consultation is underway in Wales looking at implementing a duty on public bodies to consider the effect of policies on socio-economic inequality.’

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Cloisters, 23rd January 2020

Source: www.cloisters.com

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in children, consultations, education, families, news, parental rights, school children, Wales by sally

‘Parents in Wales will soon lose the right to withdraw their children from lessons on sex and relationships or religion, provoking concern among both church groups and secular campaigners.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Welsh council defeats appeal by dog breeder over refusal to renew licence – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in appeals, dogs, licensing, local government, news, Wales by sally

‘A Welsh council has successfully defended its decision not to renew a dog breeder’s licence over breaches of conditions identified during unannounced inspections.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Welsh justice review calls for Scottish-style devolution of powers – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2019 in children, criminal responsibility, devolution, news, Wales by sally

‘Powers to control justice, policing and prisons should be devolved to the Welsh assembly as they are in Scotland and Northern Ireland, a commission led by the former lord chief justice of England and Wales has recommended.’

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The Guardian, 24th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted October 18th, 2019 in case management, civil justice, civil procedure rules, electronic filing, speeches, Wales, Welsh language by tracey

‘Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 16th October 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Anger as River Teifi pollution plant avoids prosecution – BBC News

Posted September 3rd, 2019 in accidents, animals, environmental protection, fines, news, pollution, prosecutions, Wales, water by sally

‘Anglers are “appalled and dismayed” at the decision not to prosecute a company that polluted a river, killing about 18,000 fish.’

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BBC News, 2nd September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Possession and licensing in Wales – Nearly Legal

Posted August 27th, 2019 in housing, landlord & tenant, licensing, news, repossession, Wales by sally

‘Does failing to be licensed under The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 prevent a landlord from serving any notice seeking possession, or just a section 21 notice? That was the issue in a county court appeal in Evans & Evans v Jarvis, County Court at Swansea, 20 August 2019.’

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Nearly Legal, 26th August 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

North Wales Police ‘failed to protect’ woman killed by ex-partner – BBC News

Posted August 16th, 2019 in domestic violence, murder, news, police, Wales by tracey

‘Police failed to adequately protect a woman who was later killed by her ex-partner, an investigation has found.’

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BBC News, 16th August 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects claim over failure to reassess educational needs of 22-year-old disabled man – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 9th, 2019 in appeals, disabled persons, education, learning difficulties, news, statutory duty, Wales by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court ruling that Welsh ministers and the quango Careers Wales did not act unreasonably when they decided not to reassess the educational and training needs of a young man with a learning disability.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

South Wales police to use facial recognition apps on phones – The Guardian

Posted August 8th, 2019 in facial mapping, news, police, Wales by tracey

‘South Wales police are to have a facial recognition app installed on their phones to identify suspects without having to take them to a police station.’

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The Guardian, 7th August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

M4 Newport relief road scrapped: environment v economics – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 26th, 2019 in environmental protection, inquiries, news, planning, road traffic, roads, Wales by sally

‘Plans to build a fourteen mile, six lane motorway through the Gwent Levels south of Newport to relieve congestion on the M4 have been scrapped by the Welsh government. The announcement by first minister Mark Drakeford was welcomed by environmentalists, local residents and small businesses who opposed the scheme at last year’s public inquiry. Alasdair Henderson, Dominic Ruck Keene and Hannah Noyce from 1 Crown Office Row with other barristers from Guildhall Chambers (Brendon Moorhouse) and Garden Court (Irena Sabic and Grace Brown) represented Gwent Wildlife Trust and an umbrella of other environmental objectors in the proceedings which lasted from February 2017 to September 2018. All these barristers acted for free.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th June 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ep 85: M4 relief road U-turn – Alasdair Henderson – Law Pod UK

Posted June 25th, 2019 in environmental protection, news, planning, roads, Wales by sally

‘Rosalind English talks to Alasdair Henderson about the Welsh government U-turn on the M4 relief road. Alasdair acted for some of the objectors in the inquiry and regards it as “probably one of the biggest environmental success stores in terms of challenging a major infrastructure project on environmental grounds.’

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Law Pod UK, 24th June 2019

Source: audioboom.com

NHS maternity services in special measures at two Welsh hospitals – The Guardian

Posted May 1st, 2019 in bereavement, birth, children, hospitals, mental health, news, pregnancy, standards, statistics, Wales by tracey

‘Maternity services at two NHS hospitals in south Wales have been put into special measures after a report found a series of failings that may have put the lives of women and babies at risk.’

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The Guardian, 30th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com