Knife crime offences ‘highest since 2011’ – BBC News
‘The number of people caught carrying knives in England and Wales has risen to its highest level in six years, official figures show.’
BBC News, 9th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BT reaches deal with Ofcom to legally separate Openreach – The Guardian
‘BT has finally reached an agreement with Ofcom to legally separate Openreach, which controls the UK’s broadband infrastructure.’
The Guardian, 10th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Black Friday’ promotion breached advertising rules, says watchdog – OUT-LAW.com
‘A short-term promotion for the sale of Apple Watch devices at a discounted price breached UK advertising rules because the promotion was not fair and resulted in “unnecessary disappointment” for consumers, the UK’s advertising watchdog has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 8th March 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Benefit claimants twice as likely to experience multiple legal problems, according to MoJ study – Legal Voice
‘People receiving means-tested benefits were twice as likely to experience multiple legal problems as those who did not, according to new research by the Ministry of Justice. It also found that almost one in four black and minority ethnic adults received no help in relation to their legal problems compared with 15% of white adults.’
Legal Voice, 7th March 2017
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Mark Elliott and Stephen Tierney: The ‘Great Repeal Bill’ and Delegated Powers – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘A good deal of the legal and constitutional interest generated by Brexit has so far, perhaps unsurprisingly, focussed upon the very beginning of the withdrawal process. Initially, all eyes were on the courts, with the Supreme Court holding in R (Miller) v Secretary of State for the European Union [2017] UKSC 5 that the Article 50 mechanism can be activated only with Parliament’s legislative blessing. As a result of that landmark judgment, attention has now switched to Parliament, through which the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill is presently passing.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 7th March 2017
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
May a parish council grant-aid a place of worship? – Law & Religion UK
‘he following is based on a recent submission of the Historic Religious Buildings Alliance (HRBA) to the DCMS English Churches and Cathedrals Sustainability Review and is posted with the kind permission of the HRBA Chairman, Trevor Cooper.’
Law & Religion UK, 7th March 2017
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
Museum workers win employment tribunal case against council – Local Government Lawyer
‘Brighton & Hove City Council has lost an employment tribunal case brought by its museum staff over unlawful deductions from wages.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
UK businesses see record number of European patents granted by EPO – OUT-LAW.com
‘A record number of European patents were granted to UK businesses in 2016 by the European Patent Office (EPO), according to new figures.’
OUT-LAW.com, 9th March 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
When is an antitrust/competition claim caught by an arbitration clause? The Microsoft Mobile decision – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers
‘The decision of the High Court in Microsoft Mobile Oy (Ltd) v Sony offers some helpful guidance as to when a competition law tort claim will be caught by an arbitration clause in a sale or supply agreement.’
Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 7th March 2017
Source: www.competitionbulletin.com
Care home owners seek to bar council officers from entering premises – Local Government Lawyer
‘The owners of a care home have sought to bar Cornwall Council officers from entering its premises, claiming that the action was necessary to “protect service users from disruptive local officials”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Fake news inquiry to review social networks’ complaints procedures – The Guardian
‘A parliamentary inquiry into fake news is to consider legislation forcing social networks to improve the way they handle complaints after Facebook’s failure to remove sexualised images of children.’
The Guardian, 8th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
First Uber, now DX – union brings legal action over “forced self-employed” workers – Legal Futures
‘DX has become the latest delivery company to face legal claims that it is taking advantage of the ‘gig economy’ by forcing workers into bogus self-employment, after the GMB union announced it was to start legal action on behalf of members working as couriers.’
Legal Futures, 8th March 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Gay man in fight for equal pension rights for husband ‘confident’ of Supreme Court win – Daily Telegraph
‘A gay man fighting to win his husband the same pension rights a wife would enjoy in a heterosexual relationship described feeling “confident” as he began the final round of his legal battle.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
District urges neighbouring councils to clarify legal process for planned merger – Local Government Lawyer
‘Sedgemoor District Council has urged its neighbours, Taunton Deane and West Somerset Councils, to clarify the legal process to be used for their proposed merger.’
Local Government Lawyer, 8th March 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Miners’ strike policing inquiry ‘would have been witch hunt’ – BBC News
‘The Thatcher government feared a “witch hunt” if a public inquiry were held into policing of the 1984-5 miners’ strike, declassified files show.’
BBC News, 9th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Assisted Dying: Lords Debate – Law & Religion UK
‘On 6 March 2017, the House of Lords held a short debate on assisted dying. Baroness Jay of Paddington asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they had made of recent legislation on assisted dying in North America; and whether those laws provide an appropriate basis for legislation in England and Wales.’
Law & Religion UK, 9th March 2017
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
Rotherham sexual abuse scandal: no misconduct found so far, IPCC says – The Guardian
‘Hundreds of allegations of police wrongdoing during the investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham have not resulted in a single case of misconduct against an officer, the police watchdog has said.’
The Guardian, 9th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Future-proof growth for the digital economy – Technology Law Update
‘Last year, the digital economy accounted for 14.5% of all UK service exports, at around £30bn. The UK remains a leader in digital innovation, and maintaining that status is a Government priority. Coadec, the Coalition for a Digital Economy, has released a detailed report suggesting four areas that for improvement to keep pace in the global race: skills, talent, investment and trade.’
Technology Law Update, 7th March 2017
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
The ‘robot lawyer’ giving free legal advice to refugees – BBC News
‘A technology initially used to fight traffic fines is now helping refugees with legal claims.’
BBC News, 9th March 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
