Ombudsman called in after death of 12th immigration detainee – The Guardian
‘An investigation has been launched after the death of a 12th immigration detainee this year.’
The Guardian, 12th December 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Watchdog concerned that government plans for the Data Protection Bill threaten its independence – OUT-LAW.com
‘The UK’s data protection watchdog has raised concerns that proposed new UK laws threaten its ability to operate independently of the government.’
OUT-LAW.com, 11th December 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Court of Appeal finds firm negligent for failing to warn over risk of tax avoidance scheme – Legal Futures
‘A firm of solicitors should have warned a client of the significant risk that a tax avoidance scheme would not withstand a challenge from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the Court of Appeal has ruled.’
Legal Futures, 12th December 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
How the Prisoner Voting Debate Finally Came to a Close – Rights Info
‘Former PM David Cameron once said that the thought of giving prisoners the vote made him feel “physically sick.” It was just one comment, but it’s reflective of just how emotive the debate over prisoner voting has been.’
Rights Info, 12th December 2017
Source: rightsinfo.org
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Orders Regulations 2017
The Index of Company Names (Listed Bodies) Order 2017
The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Conversion) Regulations 2017
The Corporate Interest Restriction (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2017
The Corporate Interest Restriction (Financial Statements: Group Mismatches) Regulations 2017
The Indirect Taxes (Notifiable Arrangements) Regulations 2017
The Indirect Taxes (Disclosure of Avoidance Schemes) Regulations 2017
The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (Indexation of Annual Chargeable Amounts) Order 2017
The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Regulations 2017
The National Citizen Service Act 2017 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2017
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2017
The Plant Health (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2017
The Fishing Boats Designation (England) (Amendment) Order 2017
The Immigration Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments) (Immigration Bail) Regulations 2017
The Immigration Act 2016 (Commencement No. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2017
The Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2017
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Fraud office future secure as government eyes economic crime reform – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The future of the Serious Fraud Office has been secured under plans aimed at tackling economic crime – though it will have to answer to a newly created oversight body.’
Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Government fights back in judges’ pension row – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal has begun hearing the government’s challenge to a ruling that its transitional pension arrangements for 210 judges amount to unlawful age discrimination.’
Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Priest jailed for child abuse images lived on scandal-hit Caldey Island – The Guardian
‘A priest who was jailed for downloading hundreds of pictures of child sexual abuse is the latest offender to be identified as having close links with the monastic island of Caldey, which is at the centre of a growing scandal.’
The Guardian, 12th December 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Is the Smith case a step forward for the rights of cohabitees? – Family Law
‘The inability of long term cohabitees to claim the bereavement award in personal injury cases is incompatible with their human rights: this was the recent finding of the Court of Appeal in Smith (suing in her own right and as the surviving partner of John Bulloch, deceased) v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and others [2017] EWCA Civ 1916.’
Family Law, 11th December 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Child friendly courts: what we can learn from America – Legal Voice
‘At the tender age of seven, I was faced with the prospect of having to go to court to give evidence. Fortunately, the case settled and I was spared the ordeal of going to court, but I will never forget the endless sleepless nights and distress I felt at the thought of it. The experience made me determined to do whatever I could when I was older to prevent any other child feeling this way.’
Legal Voice, 11th December 2017
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Costs lawyers urge government to limit fixed costs to fast-track only – Litigation Futures
‘The government should curb Lord Justice Jackson’s recommendation to expand the use of fixed recoverable costs, limiting them only to the fast-track, according to a survey of costs lawyers.’
Litigation Futures, 12th December 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Suicide: How Human Rights Come into Play When the Worst Happens – Rights Info
‘Seven years ago today, the House of Lords made a landmark judgment about the state’s duty to protect people at risk of suicide.’
Rights Info, 11th December 2017
Source: rightsinfo.org
£14,000 damages for police discrimination – UK Police Law Blog
‘The case of Durrant v Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Constabulary [2017] EWCA Civ 1808, which arose out of the arrest of Ms Durrant on 13 June 2009, seems finally to have come to a conclusion, after three visits to the Court of Appeal. It is worth reading for its discussion on the award of damages for injury to “loss of feelings” where the police have racially discriminated against a person whom they have arrested and when aggravated and/or exemplary damages will be awarded.’
UK Police Law Blog, 11th December 2017
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
May a faith-based nursery school sack a teacher for cohabitation? De Groen – Law & Religion UK
‘In Ms Z De Groen v Gan Menachem Hendon Ltd [2017] UKET 3347281/2016, the claimant was employed by the respondent, a private Orthodox Jewish nursery school that followed the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.’
Law & Religion UK, 12th December 2017
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
Three out of four small and medium-sized businesses not ready for new data laws face huge fines – The Independent
‘Three-quarters of Britain’s small and medium-sized businesses are unprepared for the introduction of strict new EU data laws designed to protect people’s private information following a number of high profile data breaches, a merchant bank has warned.’
The Independent, 11th December 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Are we ignoring an epidemic of sexual violence in schools? – The Guardian
‘In three years, 5,500 sexual offences against pupils have been reported to police. Too often staff seem ill-equipped or unwilling to deal with the problem – now pressure is mounting for the government to take action.’
The Guardian, 12th December 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
BME graduates “half as likely” to obtain pupillages as white peers – Legal Futures
‘Graduates from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds are half as likely to obtain pupillages as their white peers, research for the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’
Legal Futures, 12th December 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Dartmoor prisoners ‘being released without proper preparation’ – The Guardian
‘Hundreds of high-risk prisoners, many of them sex offenders, are being released each year from Dartmoor prison without proper preparation, in a “shocking and unacceptable” public protection failing identified by the chief inspector of prisons.’
The Guardian, 12th December 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
The impact of acrimonious family breakdowns on children – Family Law
‘The issue of single parent families has attracted the attention of headline writers for more than a generation. But in the reporting of data relating to them, much of it centres on the two million single parents who comprise a quarter of all UK families with dependent children. Notably, rather less coverage is given to the 3.2m children who live with a single parent, most of whom come from a divorced family. Far less likely to make headlines is that many of these children are adversely affected by parental conflict.’
Family Law, 11th December 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Child abuse and neglect investigations surge by 60% over 10 years as services reach ‘tipping point’ – The Independent
‘The number of investigations into child abuse and neglect started by local authorities has soared by 60 per cent in the last decade, as councils warn children’s services are reaching “tipping point”.’
The Independent, 11th December 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
