‘Disturbingly poor care is too common in NHS’, says chairman of Mid-Staffs inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2013 in care homes, health, hospitals, inquiries, news, reports by sally

‘Reports of “disturbing, poor and unsafe care” in the NHS have become too   common, the chairman of the inquiry into Mid-Staffs has said, as he called   on hospitals to learn from the mistakes of previous scandals. Robert Francis QC, newly appointed as president of the Patients Association,   spoke as the charity exposed a catalogue of hospital and care home failings.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Probe into price comparison website deals – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in conflict of interest, consumer protection, insurance, internet, news by sally

‘Price comparison websites and insurers in the motor, travel and home insurance markets are the subject of a regulatory probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amidst concerns that consumers are being misled when buying cover through those sites.26 Nov 2013.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Tribunal confirms self-reporting does not provide immunity from fines but expert urges firms to self-report data breaches – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, data protection, fines, news, tribunals by sally

‘A new ruling issued by an Information Rights Tribunal should not deter businesses from owning up to data breaches, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th November 2013

Source:  www.out-law.com

Alexander Litvinenko inquest: high court halts lifting of secrecy order – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in closed material, coroners, disclosure, inquests, intelligence services, murder, news, Russia by sally

‘The government has won a high court order to prevent the partial lifting of a secrecy order affecting the proposed inquest into the death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Marine convicted of Afghan murder appeals to preserve anonymity – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in Afghanistan, anonymity, appeals, courts martial, evidence, murder, news, video recordings by sally

‘Lawyers for a Royal Marine convicted of murdering an injured Afghan prisoner will tell appeal court judges that he and his family could face possible revenge attacks if he is named.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gay snub Cornish B&B owners lose Supreme Court appeal – BBC News

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, Christianity, damages, homosexuality, hotels, news, sexual orientation discrimination, Supreme Court by sally

‘The owners of a Christian guesthouse who were ordered to pay damages for turning away a gay couple have lost their UK Supreme Court fight.”

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BBC News, 27th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds strict costs rule in Mitchell case – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, defamation, fees, media, news, solicitors, time limits by sally

‘The Court of Appeal today upheld a strict costs judgment in a landmark case which establishes the court’s post-Jackson hardline approach to costs budgeting.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th November 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted November 27th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by sally

The Government response to the HS2 design refinement consultation, Cm 8758 (PDF)

HS2 property and compensation for London-West Midlands: decision document – impact on social rented housing, Cm 8757

HS2 property and compensation for London-West Midlands: decision document – properties above tunnels, Cm 8756 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Court of Appeal awards council 50% of costs in youth cuts case – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, education, local government, news, young persons by sally

‘A council has been told it can recover half of its legal costs in a case where the Court of Appeal ruled that a 70% cut to youth services was unlawful but refused to grant relief to the claimant.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th November 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court rejects claim council owed duty to use general power of competence – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 27th, 2013 in children, housing, human rights, immigration, local government, news, statutory duty by sally

‘The High Court has dismissed a claimant’s argument that a London borough had a duty to use the general power of competence to provide her with accommodation and subsistence support.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Thousands of ‘right to buy’ negligence cases piling up against conveyancers – Legal Futures

Posted November 27th, 2013 in claims management, conveyancing, housing, mortgages, negligence, news, practice directions, right to buy, solicitors by sally

‘Law firms are facing thousands of claims for professional negligence over their involvement in “right to buy” work, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 27th November 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Update for the profession: Criminal Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs) Contracts – The Bar Council

Posted November 27th, 2013 in barristers, codes of practice, contracts, costs, press releases by sally

‘Update for the profession: Criminal Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs) Contracts.’

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The Bar Council, 26th November 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Government to legislate to cap the cost of payday loans – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in banking, bills, consumer credit, consumer protection, fees, financial regulation, interest, loans, news, penalties by sally

‘The Government will introduce legislation to cap the cost of payday loans to borrowers, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

FCA consults on “fairer and more transparent” rules on use of client commissions by investment managers – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 27th, 2013 in consultations, financial regulation, financial services ombudsman, news by sally

‘Stricter rules on what costs of trade-related services can be passed on to clients of investment managers in the form of commission payments have been proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).’

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th November 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

On families, powers and duties to accommodate – NearlyLegal

Posted November 27th, 2013 in children, housing, human rights, immigration, judicial review, local government, news, statutory duty by sally

‘R (on the application of MK) v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. A judicial review raising the extent of a Council’s duties and powers under s.17 Children Act 1989 and s.1 Localism Act 2011 (the general power of competence) in providing housing for someone not otherwise eligible for housing assistance.’

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NearlyLegal, 26th November 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 27th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Special Measures for Child Witnesses (Sexual Offences) Regulations 2013

The Taxation of Chargeable Gains (Gilt-edged Securities)  (No. 2) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted November 27th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Makdessi v Cavendish Square Holdings BV & Anor (Commital) [2013] EWCA Civ 1540 (26 November 2013)

Makdessi v Cavendish Square Holdings BV & Anor (Appeal) [2013] EWCA Civ 1539 (26 November 2013)

AA (Iran), R (on the application of) v Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) & Anor [2013] EWCA Civ 1523 (26 November 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

JSC BTA Bank v Ablyazov [2013] EWHC 3691 (Ch) (26 November 2013)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Bannai v Erez [2013] EWHC 3689 (Comm) (26 November 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Andrew Mitchell condemns police and CPS over plebgate – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in complaints, conspiracy, Crown Prosecution Service, evidence, misfeasance in public office, news, police, professional conduct, prosecutions, video recordings by sally

‘In a press conference, Mitchell condemned the police for failing to arrest Rowland or to interview him under caution, and attacked the Crown Prosecution Service for failing to get to the bottom of what had happened.’

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The Guardian, 26th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Drugs and prostitutes’ banker George Kalmar jailed – BBC News

Posted November 27th, 2013 in banking, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former executive at global financial services firm Morgan Stanley has been jailed for embezzling almost £400,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle.’

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BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK governments blocked investigations into Malaysian massacre cover-up – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in appeals, armed forces, colonies, government departments, homicide, inquiries, news, police by sally

‘British governments blocked two police investigations into the covering up of the killing by British troops of 24 unarmed rubber plantation workers during counterinsurgency operations in Malaysia nearly 65 years ago, the appeal court heard on Tuesday.’

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The Guardian, 26th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk