Organ donation consent law change could ‘undermine’ public trust, ethics experts warn – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2018 in consent, news, organ transplants by sally

‘Medical ethics experts have called for caution as a proposed change to organ donation laws in England, which would make everyone a donor unless the explicitly register an objection, made the first step to becoming law today.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Red Arrows death: Ejection seat firm fined £1.1m – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2018 in aircraft, fines, health & safety, news by sally

‘An ejection seat manufacturer prosecuted over the death of a Red Arrows pilot thrown from his jet has been fined £1.1m.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Organised criminals stealing identities of dead people to get cheaper car insurance – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2018 in identity fraud, insurance, news by sally

‘Organised criminals and fraudsters are stealing the identities of dead people in order to get cheaper car insurance, it has emerged.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 24th February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Care home bosses warned ‘revenge evictions’ could be illegal – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2018 in care homes, complaints, news by sally

‘Care home bosses have been warned ‘revenge evictions’ could be illegal, as the regulator confirms it has begun collecting data to examine the scale of the problem.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

NHS judicial review to go ahead after High Court grants campaigners costs-capping order – Litigation Futures

Posted February 26th, 2018 in costs capping orders, health, judicial review, news, social services by sally

‘A judicial review of the government’s plan to introduce accountable care organisations (ACOs) – which campaigners claim will lead to the stealth privatisation of the NHS – is set to go ahead after the High Court granted the crowd-funded claimants a costs-capping order.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Working Together to Safeguard Children: revisions to statutory guidance – Home Office

Posted February 26th, 2018 in child abuse, child neglect, consultations, reports by sally

‘Summary of responses we received, along with the government’s response outlining the next steps.’

Full guidance

Home Office, 26th February 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Arsonist jailed for setting fires including at Titanic exhibition – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 26th, 2018 in arson, burglary, criminal damage, guilty pleas, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man from Sheffield who admitted to deliberately setting fire to a museum, a university and a hospital, so he could steal from the evacuated buildings, has been jailed.’

Full Story

Crown Prosecution Service, 24th February 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

BSB agrees approach to improve transparency for clients of the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 26th, 2018 in advertising, barristers, consumer protection, fees, legal services, press releases by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has set out a revised approach to improve transparency standards for clients of the Bar. This responds to the recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) market study of legal services and takes full account of responses to a recent BSB consultation.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council responds to new AGFS announcement – The Bar Council

Posted February 26th, 2018 in barristers, fees, press releases by sally

‘Responding to today’s announcement of a new Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) the Chair of the Bar, Andrew Walker QC, said: “For years, our system of criminal justice has suffered from a remorseless succession of cuts in funding, and wholly inadequate investment. This has included huge cuts in the fixed fees payable to those defence barristers who carry out publicly-funded work in the Crown Court under the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS); cuts that, proportionately, have far exceeded those imposed on public service providers in any other sector. These are the very same barristers who are working tirelessly under an ever-increasing workload for those very same fees. Without their commitment, and their continued goodwill, the system would simply cease to function.” ‘

Full press release

The Bar Council, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Energy price cap: Government to introduce legislation to limit how much power firms can charge – The Independent

Posted February 26th, 2018 in competition, energy, news by sally

‘A bill introducing an energy cap for 11 million households across Britain will be introduced to Parliament today. The Government claims the Domestic Gas and Electricity Bill, which will allow the regulator Ofgem to limit tariffs until 2020, could save people up to £100 a year.’

Full Story

The Independent, 26th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court to hear case of banker kept alive against family’s wishes – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2018 in consent, families, hospitals, medical treatment, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The case of an investment banker who suffered severe brain damage following a heart attack will be heard by the supreme court on Monday in a test of whether judges need to authorise the withdrawal of life support treatment.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th February 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Heraldic memorials in churches – Law & Religion UK

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in ecclesiastical law, faculties, monuments, news by sally

‘A recent judgment on the installation of a hatchment in the church of St Mary Magdalene, Adlestrop, includes an examination of the arcane rules of heraldry and their present-day relevance in the Church of England. Following a brief consideration of what is and who can have a hatchment, the court determined whether a hatchment should now be displayed in a Church. It also includes a warning to witnesses as well as others seeking information on obscure areas such as this: “Alas, a Google search is not always accurate or complete” [34], (to which should be added, Wikipedia, as we often remind ourselves).’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 22nd February 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in legislation by sally

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2018

The Research and Development (Qualifying Bodies) (Tax) Order 2018

The Social Security and Child Support (Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016) (Consequential Provision) Regulations 2018

The Electronic Monitoring (Responsible Persons) Order 2018

The Gambling Act 2005 (Amendment of Schedule 6) Order 2018

The Electronic Monitoring (Responsible Persons) Order 2018

The Financial Assistance Scheme (Increased Cap for Long Service) Regulations 2018

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Amey Birmingham Highways Ltd v Birmingham City Council [2018] EWCA Civ 264 (22 February 2018)

Sea Tank Shipping AS v Vinnlustodin HF Vatryggingafelag Islands FH [2018] EWCA Civ 276 (22 February 2018)

Mynnyd Y Gwynt Ltd, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Business Energy And Industrial Strategy [2018] EWCA Civ 231 (22 February 2018)

DN (Rwanda) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2018] EWCA Civ 273 (22 February 2018)

Bajracharya, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2018] EWCA Civ 277 (22 February 2018)

AL v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2018] EWCA Civ 278 (22 February 2018)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Gohil, R v [2018] EWCA Crim 140 (15 February 2018)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Ali & Anor v Channel 5 Broadcast Ltd [2018] EWHC 298 (Ch) (22 February 2018)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Shakhboot Al Nehayan v Kent (aka John Kent) [2018] EWHC 333 (Comm) (22 February 2018)

Dana Gas PJSC v Dana Gas Sukuk Ltd & Ors [2018] EWHC 332 (Comm) (22 February 2018)

Minera Las Bambas SA & Anor v Glencore Queensland Ltd & Ors [2018] EWHC 286 (Comm) (21 February 2018)

Source: www.bailii.org

Groundhog Day for air pollution breaches: Government loses again – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in environmental protection, government departments, news, pollution by sally

‘R (ClientEarth No.3) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Garnham J, 21 February 2018. DEFRA has been found wanting again, in its latest attempt to address nitrogen dioxide in air. This is the third time. Yet DEFRA’s own analysis suggests that some 23,500 people die every year because of this pollutant.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 23rd February 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Police liability for failures in criminal investigations – UK Police Law Blog

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in duty of care, news, police, prosecutions, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘The hits for the police keep on coming. The decision in Commissioner of the Metropolis v (1) DSD (2) NBV [2018] UKSC 11 confirms that the police can be liable in proceedings for a breach of article 3’s prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment (and possibly article 4’s prohibition on slavery) where they fail to perform an adequate criminal investigation into alleged serious ill-treatment.’

Full Story

UK Police Law Blog, 22nd February 2018

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Sentencing Council publishes new guideline on domestic abuse – Sentencing Council

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in domestic violence, reports, sentencing by sally

‘A new domestic abuse sentencing guideline has been published today (22 February), giving courts up to date guidance that emphasises the seriousness of this kind of offending.’

Full guideline

Sentencing Council, 22nd February 2018

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Law firm was negligent in property purchase but clients would have gone ahead anyway, court rules – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in law firms, mortgages, negligence, news, valuation by sally

‘A Kent law firm was negligent for failing to advise properly on a mortgage and valuation report (MVR), but this did not cause a couple in Canterbury to buy a house suffering from subsidence, a circuit judge has ruled.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Home-ownership call for evidence – help make commonhold more common – Law Commission

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in consultations, Law Commission, leases, press releases, sale of land by sally

‘The Law Commission is asking flat owners, housebuilders, mortgage lenders and lawyers to help shape a law which could help people own their flats outright. The independent legal body wants views on a little-known and little used home ownership status called commonhold, which provides an alternative to residential leasehold.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 22nd February 2018

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk/

DPP speech to the International Summit on Modern Slavery – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in forced labour, speeches, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘DPP speech to the International Summit on Modern Slavery.’

Full speech

Crown Prosecution Service, 21st February 2018

Source: www.cps.gov.uk