Fears vulnerable being deprived of treatment as fines of £100 for ticking wrong box soar in NHS ‘hostile environment’ – The Independent

Posted January 31st, 2019 in dentists, fines, learning difficulties, medical treatment, medicines, news, penalties by sally

‘A government “hostile environment” for misclaimed free prescriptions and dental care is being scrutinised by auditors after it was claimed vulnerable patients are being fined £100 for ticking the wrong box on forms they struggle to read. The National Audit Office has announced it is “undertaking an investigation into penalty charge notices in healthcare”, including the numbers issued and whether they are overturned.

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The Independent, 30th January 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Thousands with minor convictions could be allowed to hide them when applying to work in schools and hospitals after a landmark supreme court ruling – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 31st, 2019 in criminal records, disclosure, employment, news, Supreme Court, vetting by sally

‘Thousands of people with minor or old convictions could be freed from having to declare them to employers in children’s and other services after a landmark supreme court judgement.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Knife crime: Suspects could be banned from social media – BBC News

Posted January 31st, 2019 in children, crime prevention, internet, news, offensive weapons, sanctions, young persons by sally

‘New powers to control suspects thought to be carrying knives are being introduced by the government in a bid to cut rising violence. Knife Crime Prevention Orders would impose sanctions, including bans on using social media to stir up trouble. The orders would target anyone aged 12 or over suspected of being involved in knife crime – even if they have not been caught with a blade.’

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BBC News, 31st January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Single mother takes government to court after being forced into homelessness due to housing benefit shortfall – The Independent

Posted January 31st, 2019 in benefits, homelessness, housing, local government, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘A single mother of four who was was forced into homelessness due to a shortfall in housing benefit is to challenge the government in Britain’s highest court.’

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The Independent, 31st January 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

GCHQ spy centre falls foul of law – over environmental permit – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in energy, environmental protection, intelligence services, licensing, news by sally

‘The UK government’s internet surveillance centre, GCHQ, may be aware of many things, but the need for an environmental permit for its backup power generators is not among them. The site’s generators do not have the necessary paperwork and so are being run unlawfully, it has been revealed.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Case Comment: Michalak v GMC [2017] UKSC 71 – UKSC Blog

Posted January 30th, 2019 in appeals, disciplinary procedures, doctors, employment tribunals, equality, judicial review, jurisdiction, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The case was about the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, s 120(7), which removes from the jurisdiction of the employment tribunal any decision which is “subject to an appeal or proceedings in the nature of an appeal”.’

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UKSC Blog, 29th January 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Brexit, Martial Law And Human Rights – Rights Info

Posted January 30th, 2019 in armed forces, brexit, EC law, emergency powers, human rights, news, police, public order, time limits by sally

‘In recent days it’s been reported that the government is drawing up plans to impose martial law in the event of the UK exiting the EU without a deal. But what does that actually mean and how does it impact our rights?’

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Rights Info, 30th January 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

Case Comment: R v Mackinlay & Ors [2018] UKSC 42 – UKSC Blog

Posted January 30th, 2019 in appeals, elections, expenses, gifts, news, statutory interpretation, Supreme Court by sally

‘This case relates to a point of statutory construction in the Representation of the People Act 1983, s 90C(1)(a). The question was whether goods, services, or facilities provided free-of-charge or at a discount to a candidate for election need to be declared by the candidate as an election expense even if they had not been authorised by the candidate, their election agent, or someone else authorised by the candidate or agent.’

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UKSC Blog, 29th January 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Online UK right to work checks now illegal working defence – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 30th, 2019 in documents, employment, immigration, internet, news, penalties by sally

‘UK employers can now rely on the result of an online right to work test as a defence against civil penalties should any of their workers later be found to have been working illegally.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 30th January 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

Minor offences may stay secret after legal challenge fails – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in appeals, criminal records, disclosure, government departments, news, proportionality, public interest, rehabilitation, Supreme Court by sally

‘Some people with minor, past convictions may not have to disclose them in future after the government lost a legal challenge aimed at preserving its system of criminal record checks.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Where does the Martin Lewis case leave media law? – Litigation Futures

Posted January 30th, 2019 in advertising, defamation, internet, media, news by sally

‘Last week’s settlement of Martin Lewis’s high-profile defamation claim against Facebook presents a noteworthy challenge to regulators about the practical application of media law to publishers of online advertising campaigns.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th January 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Brexit cancellation of ‘.eu’ domain names confirmed – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 30th, 2019 in brexit, domain names, EC law, internet, news by sally

‘Businesses based in the UK that own websites rooted at the ‘.eu’ domain will have two months from the point of Brexit to transfer ownership to sister companies in the EU in a ‘no deal’ scenario, a registry for ‘.eu’ domain names has confirmed.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 30th January 2019

Source: www.out-law.com

Defendant who defrauded council pension fund of £1m jailed for seven years – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 30th, 2019 in fraud, local government, money laundering, news, pensions, sentencing by sally

‘A man who defrauded Westminster City Council’s pension fund of more than £1m has been jailed for seven years.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th January 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lord McNally: ‘We had to cut legal aid. It’s not a bottomless pit’ – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in budgets, human rights, legal aid, legal services, news, probation by sally

‘The Lib-Dem peer says coalition cuts were necessary but have gone too far – people must be able to access justice.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elizabeth Adams: Prisoners’ Voting Rights: Case Closed? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 30th, 2019 in elections, enfranchisement, human rights, news, prisons, Supreme Court by sally

‘On 6 December 2018, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe closed the supervision of the prisoners’ voting rights cases against the United Kingdom (UK) and adopted final resolution CM/ResDH(2018)467. Thirteen years after Hirst v United Kingdom (No.2) (2006) 42 EHRR 41 (Hirst) was made final, the protracted prisoner voting stalemate is over. Case closed. Or is it?’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th January 2019

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Proposed UK law could expose journalists’ emails, say critics – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in bills, data protection, disclosure, electronic mail, media, news, privacy by sally

‘British police forces could find it easier to access journalists’ private emails as a result of legislation making its way through parliament, according to freedom of speech campaigners, who are urging politicians to make a last-minute intervention to secure journalistic freedom.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government issues guidance for local authorities on Brexit preparations – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 30th, 2019 in brexit, budgets, EC law, local government, news by sally

‘The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued guidance to assist local authority preparedness for Brexit and announced that it will provide £56.5m in financial support to councils in England.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th January 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Legal action prompts academy to consider isolation unit criticisms – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2019 in disciplinary procedures, judicial review, news, school children by sally

‘An academy chain has pledged to look at criticism of its use of isolation units in a review of its behaviour policy, after a student mounted legal action against the trust.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Plastic surgeons call for tougher UK rules on dermal fillers – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2019 in consumer protection, cosmetic surgery, news by sally

‘A growing number of botched dermal filler procedures in the UK has prompted plastic surgeons to warn that better regulation is needed to protect patients from rogue practitioners.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

More than half of young people in jail are of BME background – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2019 in imprisonment, minorities, news, sentencing, statistics, young offenders by sally

‘More than half of the inmates held in prisons for young people in England and Wales are from a black and minority ethnic (BME) background, the highest proportion on record, the prisons watchdog has said, prompting warnings that youth jails have hit “American” levels of disproportionality.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com