Current Awareness

Councils hit back after minister attacks affordable housing policy legal challenge – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 19th, 2016 in appeals, housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The two councils that challenged a Government policy on affordable housing and small-scale sites have defended their decision to bring legal action, after a minister claimed the proceedings were “a total waste of taxpayers’ money”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gambling ad banned for mocking Christ’s crucifixion – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in advertising, Christianity, complaints, gambling, news by sally

‘A gambling ad featuring a hand nailed to a piece of wood that ran over Easter has been banned for mocking the crucifixion of Jesus and the Christian religion.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Age checks for porn sites in Queen’s Speech – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2016 in bills, internet, news, parliament, pornography, speeches, transport by sally

‘The UK government will require pornographic sites to verify users are over 18 as part of a raft of measures announced in the Queen’s Speech.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Would-be IS bride jailed at Sheffield Crown Court for terror tweets – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2016 in internet, news, publishing, sentencing, terrorism by sally

‘A woman who said she wanted to marry “Jihadi John” has been jailed for four years and six months for sharing so-called Islamic State propaganda.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison reform plan ‘will not solve overcrowding and funding problems’ – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in bills, drug abuse, electronic monitoring, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Prison reformers have dismissed the government’s planned shake-up of prisons as a “tragic distraction” that will not solve key problems of overcrowding and underfunding.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bill-by-bill summary: Queen’s Speech at-a-glance – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2016 in bills, children, education, health, intellectual property, internet, news, parliament, pensions, planning, prisons, social security, speeches, tax evasion, transport, Wales by sally

‘The Queen has announced the government’s legislation for the year ahead, at the state opening of Parliament. Here is a bill-by-bill guide to what is in the 2016 Queen’s Speech.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Celebrity injunction: PJS cannot be named, says Supreme Court – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2016 in appeals, injunctions, internet, media, news, privacy, public interest, Supreme Court by sally

‘An injunction banning the naming of a celebrity involved in an alleged extra-marital relationship should stay in place, the Supreme Court has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Why a new toilet law could flush cafes and takeaways down the pan – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in health & safety, news, small businesses by sally

‘A legal ruling that coffee shops and fast food outlets with fewer than 10 seats must now provide loos for their customers could threaten thousands of small businesses.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hope is at the heart of my prisons reform – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 19th, 2016 in education, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘Prisons exist to keep society safer. When we put criminals behind bars we take them off our streets, prevent them from preying on the innocent and uphold the clear bright line between right and wrong. But if we really want to fight crime as effectively as possible, we must do more than just incapacitate criminals for the length of their sentence. We need to ensure that when they leave jail they do not offend again.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Supreme court to give ruling on ‘celebrity threesome’ injunction – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2016 in appeals, injunctions, internet, media, news, privacy, Supreme Court by sally

‘The supreme court is set to deliver its long-awaited decision on a privacy injunction preventing identification of a celebrity said to have taken part in a three-way sexual encounter.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Unlocking potential: a review of education in prison – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2016 in budgets, education, pilot schemes, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, reports, statistics by sally

‘Dame Sally Coates’ report and recommendations following her review of education in prison.’

Full report

Ministry of Justice, 18th May 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Biggest shake-up of prison system announced as part of Queen’s Speech – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2016 in bills, budgets, education, electronic monitoring, pilot schemes, press releases, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics by sally

‘More than 5,000 offenders will be housed in new reform prisons by end of the year as part of largest reform programme since Victorian times.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 18th May 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

NHSLA ordered to pay indemnity costs for surveillance video “ambush” – Litigation Futures

Posted May 18th, 2016 in codes of practice, compensation, costs, damages, employment, evidence, health & safety, hospitals, indemnities, news, personal injuries, trials, video recordings by sally

‘The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) has been ordered by the High Court to pay indemnity costs after sending a last-minute surveillance video to the claimant’s lawyers which resulted in a trial being vacated.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 16th May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Barristers unhappy with BSB warning on commercial pressures – Legal Futures

Posted May 18th, 2016 in barristers, codes of practice, complaints, fees, legal education, legal profession, news, standards by sally

‘Barristers have complained that the decision of their regulator to make public the risk of commercial pressures damaging the Bar could on its own have a negative impact on the profession’s reputation.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 18th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Home Secretary’s Police Federation Conference 2016 speech – Home Office

Posted May 18th, 2016 in bills, codes of practice, consent, domestic violence, fraud, ombudsmen, police, professional conduct, public interest, speeches, sport, statistics, unlawful killing, victims by sally

‘Speech given by Theresa May at the Police Federation Annual Conference 2016 in Bournemouth.’

Full speech

Home Office, 17th May 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

BSB echoes Bar Council concerns on equality and access to justice – The Bar Council

Posted May 18th, 2016 in barristers, consumer protection, diversity, equality, fees, judiciary, legal aid, legal profession, legal representation, McKenzie friends, press releases, public interest, remuneration, women by sally

‘The Chairman of the Bar Council, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC has signalled agreement with the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) concern for equality and diversity in the profession. As the independent regulator reported in its recently published Risk Outlook yesterday, the Bar Council also welcomed the focus on access to justice and on ensuring that consumers’ needs are properly met following the prolonged period of cuts to our system of justice.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th May 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB’s Strategic Plan and Risk Outlook launch provokes lively debate – Bar Standards Board

Posted May 18th, 2016 in barristers, diversity, equality, legal profession, press releases, public interest by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) officially launched its Strategic Plan 2016-19 and Risk Outlook last month at a function in central London, to an audience of barristers, representative bodies of the Bar, legal consumer organisations and diversity groups.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 17th May 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk