Britain’s most senior judge takes aim at gender imbalance – The Guardian

Posted March 5th, 2013 in closed material, diversity, evidence, judges, judiciary, news, women by sally

“The stereotypical image of judges as male and white may be so deeply entrenched that there could be an ‘unconscious bias’ against women, the United Kingdom’s most senior judge has suggested.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lettings agents ‘breaking the law’ by not revealing fees – The Independent

Posted March 5th, 2013 in consumer protection, fees, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

“Lettings agents have been accused of breaking the law by not revealing their fees to renters.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Why secret justice is bad for Britain – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 5th, 2013 in bills, civil justice, closed material, news, private hearings by sally

“As Parliament prepares to vote on the Justice and Security Bill today, Terry McGuinness outlines why Closed Material Procedures (CMP) are an affront to open justice.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog, 4th March 2013

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Prison cuts ‘could lead to more crimes’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 5th, 2013 in crime, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, reports by sally

“Serial criminals could commit even more crimes, MPs have warned, because cuts to prison services risk rehabilitation programmes being scaled back.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Caste discrimination should be outlawed, say Lords – The Guardian

“The House of Lords voted on Monday to outlaw discrimination against people on the basis of their caste.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

QB Master warns of “blood on the floor” after 1 April – Litigation Futures

Posted March 5th, 2013 in costs, courts, delay, judges, news by sally

“The Jackson reforms will leave ‘blood on the floor’ and a lack of resources behind the reforms will leave courts and judges ‘overwhelmed’ by the extra workload, Master Cook of the Queen’s Bench Division has predicted.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 5th March 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

PPI complaints rise ‘unprecedented’, says ombudsman – BBC News

Posted March 5th, 2013 in banking, complaints, financial services ombudsman, insurance, news by sally

“The financial ombudsman service is taking on 2,000 new cases a day following payment protection insurance (PPI) complaints, with numbers rising at “unprecedented” rates.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Secret court hearing plans pushed through by government – The Guardian

Posted March 5th, 2013 in bills, civil justice, closed material, news, private hearings by sally

“The government pushed through its plans for secret court hearings on Monday night, defeating amendments tabled by the Labour frontbench with significant majorities.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Voyeur Reverend Richard Lee walks free from court over indecent pictures of girls and woman – The Independent

“A Church of England vicar has walked free from court after admitting using secret cameras to spy on and film intimate pictures of three girls and a woman.”

Full story

The Independent, 4th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Children’s rights cited in legal challenge launched against ‘bedroom tax’ – The Guardian

“A legal challenge has been launched on behalf of 10 disabled and vulnerable children against the government’s so-called ‘spare bedroom tax’, which is expected to lead to a reduction in benefits for hundreds of thousands of people because they have at least one unused room.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted March 4th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Aladeselu & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 144 (01 March 2013)

Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust v James & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 65 (01 March 2013)

Perry v The Nursing and Midwifery Council [2013] EWCA Civ 145 (28 February 2013)

Waterson v Lloyd MP & Anor [2013] EWCA Civ 136 (28 February 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

VFS Financial Services Ltd v JF Plant Tyres Ltd [2013] EWHC 346 (QB) (26 February 2013)

RH (A Child) v University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust [2013] EWHC 299 (QB) (01 March 2013)

Boyle v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2013] EWHC 395 (QB) (28 February 2013)

Furnell v Flaherty (t/a Godstone Farm) [2013] EWHC 377 (QB) (27 February 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

89 Holland Park (Management) Ltd & Ors v Hicks [2013] EWHC 391 (Ch) (27 February 2013)

EMI Records Ltd & Ors v British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 379 (Ch) (28 February 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Manchester College of Accountancy & Management, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 409 (Admin) (01 March 2013)

EAT, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Newham [2013] EWHC 344 (Admin) (28 February 2013)

Caetano v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2013] EWHC 375 (Admin) (28 February 2013)

Singh, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 380 (Admin) (28 February 2013)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Westfields Construction Ltd v Lewis [2013] EWHC 376 (TCC) (27 February 2013)

Geophysical Service Centre Co v Dowell Schlumberger (ME) Inc [2013] EWHC 147 (TCC) (18 January 2013)

Berry Piling Systems Ltd v Sheer Projects Ltd [2013] EWHC 347 (TCC) (28 February 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Gordon Brown’s PCC complaint against Sunday Times rejected – the Guardian

Posted March 4th, 2013 in codes of practice, complaints, expenses, fees, media, misrepresentation, news by sally

“Gordon Brown’s complaint to the Press Complaints Commission over a Sunday Times story about the more than £2m in fees and expenses received since he stepped down as prime minister has been rejected.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nicola Edgington jailed for 37 years for street decapitation, as report blames police blunders for attack – The Independent

Posted March 4th, 2013 in mental health, murder, news, police, sentencing by sally

“A woman who decapitated a stranger in the street was jailed for at least 37 years today.”

Full story

The Independent, 4th March 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

“Can’t We Make the Local Authority Pay for It?” – Family Law Week

“Andrew Pack, care lawyer with Brighton & Hove City Council, considers the court’s powers to compel a local authority to meet the costs of a particular action.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 2nd March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Revisions to the codes of practice for skilled migrant workers – UK Border Agency

Posted March 4th, 2013 in codes of practice, employment, immigration, news, remuneration by sally

“Today [1 March], the UK Border Agency is publishing a statement of intent, to help employers prepare for changes to the points-based system.

The statement announces changes to the codes of practice for skilled migrant workers from outside the European Economic Area. These will come into effect on 6 April 2013 and will also affect the timing of the applications for restricted certificates of sponsorship in March and April.”

Full story

UK Border Agency, 1st March 2013

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Vernon Bogdanor – What Place for the Referendum in the UK? – UCL Constitutional Unit

Posted March 4th, 2013 in news, referendums by sally

“The referendum is an instrument of popular sovereignty, an institutional expression of the doctrine that political sovereignty derives from the people. In Britain, it has been used on a small range of issues, primarily to secure legitimacy. Some matters, especially those which involve a transfer of sovereignty, are so fundamental that the public may not accept a decision made by parliament alone as legitimate. In the 1970s, it has been suggested, Edward Heath took the British establishment into Europe, but it was left to Harold Wilson to bring the British people into Europe. Today, the establishment continues to favour membership, the people do not. That is the basic case for an `in-out’ referendum.”

Video

UCL Constitution Unit, 1st March 2013

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

Ending the postcode lottery for inquests – Ministry of Justice

“Supporting bereaved families during an inquest will be at the heart of the new coroner system in England and Wales, Justice Minister Helen Grant said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 4th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Regional Strategy for the South East (Partial Revocation) Order 2013

The Value Added Tax (Reduced Rate) (Cable-Suspended Passenger Transport Systems) Order 2013

The Payment to Treasury of Penalties Regulations 2013

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exercise of Powers under Part 4A) (Consultation with Home State Regulators) Regulations 2013

The Central Rating List (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Export Control (Amendment) Order 2013

The Financial Services Act 2012 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2013

European Union (Approvals) Act 2013

HGV Road User Levy Act 2013

Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2013

Prisons (Property) Act 2013

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013

The Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013

The Child Poverty Act 2010 (Extension of Publication Deadline) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Improving inquests – Ministry of Justice

“Supporting bereaved families during an inquest will be at the heart of the new coroner system.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Perry v Nursing and Midwifery Council – WLR Daily

Posted March 4th, 2013 in appeals, employment tribunals, evidence, human rights, law reports, nurses by sally

Perry v Nursing and Midwifery Council [2013] EWCA Civ 145; [2013] WLR (D) 88

“Fairness did not require that a respondent to an allegation of unfitness to practise his profession had to be given an opportunity to give evidence as to the substance of that allegation before a tribunal considering whether to make an interim suspension order or other interim order under a legislative scheme, such as that contained in the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001, since that was not what the statutory scheme envisaged or what fairness required at the interim stage. Guidance was given as to the procedure to be followed by a committee, considering whether to make an interim order pending the substantive hearing of a complaint against a member of the profession, in order to satisfy the fairness requirement.”

WLR Daily, 28th February 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk