Ministers defeated in Lords over licences for bankers – BBC News

‘The government has been defeated in the House of Lords over its plans for reforming the banking system. A Labour amendment to the Financial Services Bill, which would introduce a licensing system for senior bankers, was passed by five votes.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police launch criminal investigation into cancer scandal – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 27th, 2013 in cancer, criminal justice, delay, hospitals, inquests, medical treatment, news, police by sally

‘Police launch a criminal investigation into the alleged manipulation of cancer waiting lists at a hospital.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Justice costs: Fury as lawyers’ fees top £850 an hour – The Independent

Posted November 27th, 2013 in budgets, costs, fees, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Britain’s biggest law firms are shamelessly exploiting the maxim that “you get what you pay for”, with hourly fees at record levels of £850 an hour, according to new research.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cyclist who fled after hitting girl, nine, faces jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 27th, 2013 in bicycles, children, grievous bodily harm, news, wanton and furious driving by sally

‘ A cyclist who left a nine-year-old girl with life-threatening injuries after knocking her down on a pedestrian crossing is facing jail. Philip Benwell, 38, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Leila Crofts by “wanton and furious” cycling under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

EU migrants: David Cameron sets out more benefit restrictions – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2013 in benefits, bills, EC law, employment, enforcement, fines, housing, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘David Cameron made a fresh effort to assuage public concern about a wave of migration from Bulgaria and Romania on Tuesday when he announced a series of benefit restrictions on all EU migrant workers, including a ban on access to housing benefit for all new arrivals and a three-month ban before jobseeker’s allowance can be claimed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 27th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Foreign Office apology for Egypt rape victim – BBC News

‘A British woman who was raped in Egypt has received an apology and £1,000 in compensation from the Foreign Office after it failed to provide proper support to her.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Smoking ban at hospital sites – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 27th, 2013 in disciplinary procedures, hospitals, news, smoking by sally

‘Hospitals have been told to remove smoking shelters and end the “terrible spectacle of people on drips in hospital gowns smoking outside” by introducing an outright ban on cigarettes. Nurses should no longer to help patients out of the ward to have a cigarette outside, while staff and visitors should not to smoke anywhere on the grounds of an NHS hospital or clinic, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lostprophets’ Ian Watkins guilty of child sex offences – BBC News

‘Ian Watkins, singer of Welsh rock band Lostprophets, has pleaded guilty to a series of “depraved” child sex offences including attempted rape of a baby.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court battle over burial of Richard III adjourned – BBC News

‘The legal battle over where the remains of Richard III should be buried has been adjourned at the High Court. A judicial review will decide whether the procedure that led to his bones being excavated in Leicester and the decision to reinter them at the city’s cathedral, was conducted correctly.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CPS decisions in Operation Alice – incident at Downing Street on 19 September 2012 – Crown Prosecution Service

‘CPS decisions in Operation Alice – incident at Downing Street on 19 September 2012.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 26th November 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

One officer charged over ‘Plebgate’ – BBC News

‘A police officer is to be charged with misconduct in a public office over the Andrew Mitchell “Plebgate” row.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge sentencing rapist, 12, warns against using Internet as a babysitter – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 26th, 2013 in children, internet, news, pornography, rape, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A judge has warned that the Internet cannot be used as a “babysitter” as he sentenced a 12-year-old for raping his younger sister after watching porn at school.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB closes “anomaly” that would have forced barristers to accept VHCC fee cut – Legal Futures

Posted November 26th, 2013 in barristers, fees, legal aid, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board has moved to close a “regulatory anomaly” that would have temporarily seen barristers forced to accept the controversial new legal aid rates set by the government for very high-cost cases (VHCCs).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th November 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Adam Perry and Farrah Ahmed: Are Constitutional Statutes ‘Quasi-Entrenched’? – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted November 26th, 2013 in constitutional law, extradition, news, repeals, Scotland by sally

‘The Supreme Court issued its decision in H v Lord Advocate (pdf) in 2012. The decision has been virtually ignored by constitutional scholars, but we believe it may be of great constitutional significance. In this post we explain why, starting with some background about constitutional statutes.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Group, 26th November 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org/blog

Small and mighty – Legal Voice

Posted November 26th, 2013 in law firms, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

‘The government may want to hand out criminal legal aid contracts to fewer, bigger firms, but smaller practices with lower overhead costs are arguably in a better position to survive the planned 17.5 per cent cuts, argues David Gilmore.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 26th November 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Forced marriage and the “lawfully wedded” wife – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 26th, 2013 in bills, forced marriages, news by sally

‘Today, on the 32nd International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill reaches the Committee stage of the House of Lords. The Bill introduces a raft of measures covering matters as diverse as dangerous dogs, extradition proceedings, firearms and, tucked away in Part 10, forced marriage. Forced marriage is to be criminalised. “Was it not already?”, you may ask.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

FGM – No More Excuses – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 26th, 2013 in female genital mutilation, health, news, prosecutions, reports, select committees by sally

‘There is no topic more appropriate to write about on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women than that of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM involves the partial or total removal of a girl’s genitalia for non-medical reasons. The potential health risks resulting from the FGM procedure are numerous and severe: in extreme cases it can lead to sterility, infection, haemorrhaging and death. The risks associated with FGM are exacerbated by the fact that it is usually performed by people with no formal medical training in unsanitary conditions. Many statements from girls who were mutilated describe being physically held down on tables in make-shift theatres, and having their genitalia cut with sharp implements. Anaesthetic is rarely used.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 26th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure and Section 62A Applications) (England) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Energy Supply Company Administration (Amendment) Rules 2013

The Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2013

The National Health Service (Approval of Licensing Criteria) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Regina (Ignaoua) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Regina (Ignaoua) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: [2013] EWCA Civ 1498; [2013] WLR (D) 451

‘New certification provisions introduced in 2013, in so far as they purported to empower the Home Secretary automatically to terminate any existing proceedings for judicial review of a direction excluding the claimant from the United Kingdom on national security grounds, were outside the powers conferred by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission Act 1997 as amended.’

WLR Daily, 21st November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Patel and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Anwar v Same; Alam v Same – WLR Daily

Posted November 26th, 2013 in appeals, human rights, immigration, law reports, Supreme Court, tribunals by sally

Patel and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Anwar v Same; Alam v Same: [2013] UKSC 72; [2013] WLR (D)  450

‘The Home Secretary was not under a duty to issue a direction for removal from the United Kingdom at the same time as refusing an application for an extension of limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom. A tribunal hearing an immigration appeal against a refusal of further leave to remain in the United Kingdom may consider additional grounds which had not been raised before the Home Secretary before the decision under appeal had been made but which had subsequently been raised in response to a one stop notice.’

WLR Daily, 20th November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk