MPs make themselves exempt from FOI – The Times
“A move to exempt Parliament from freedom of information law has been approved by MPs after attempts to block it in the Commons failed.”
The Times, 18th May 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Category: news
Legal aid reforms will put civil liberty work ‘at risk’ – Law Society’s Gazette
“Proposed reforms to legal aid will destroy specialist civil liberties teams, practitioners have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 17th May 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Commercial bench feels squeeze – Law Society’s Gazette
“The Commercial Court is under pressure because of the number of judges needed to hear criminal cases – and terrorist trials in particular.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 17th May 2007
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Related links: Report of the Commercial Court and Admiralty Court, 2005-2006 (PDF)
Bank charge firms under spotlight – BBC News
“Regulators are investigating the tactics of ‘no win, no fee’ firms that specialise in recovering bank penalty charges, the BBC has learned.”
BBC News, 18th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Human-animal embryos get go-ahead – The Guardian
“Plans to outlaw the creation of ‘human-animal’ embryos are set to be scrapped by ministers amid fears that an outright ban would hamper work on incurable diseases and damage British science.”
The Guardian, 18th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Court bid to block casino plans – BBC News
“An attempt to block the government’s plans for a new super-casino has been launched at the High Court in London.”
BBC News, 17th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Reforms will not stop another Shipman, pathologist warns – The Guardian
“A pathologist involved in the Harold Shipman murder case today launched a stinging attack on the government’s proposed reforms to the coroner system, claiming they will do nothing to prevent another such killer.”
The Guardian, 17th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Court restores control order on terror suspect – The Guardian
“A control order which places severe curbs on a major terrorist suspect must remain in place, the court of appeal ruled today in a victory for the home secretary, John Reid.”
The Guardian, 17th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Senior judges refuse to back Ministry of Justice – Legal Week
“The judiciary has refused to give its full backing to the Government’s controversial new Ministry of Justice (MoJ) after senior judges failed to reach an agreement at a specially-convened meeting yesterday (15 May).”
Legal Week, 16th May 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
“Web site” baffles Internet terrorism trial judge – Reuters
“A judge admitted on Wednesday he was struggling to cope with basic terms like “Web site” in the trial of three men accused of inciting terrorism via the Internet.”
Reuters, 16th May 2007
Source: www.reuters.com
Related link: Statement from the Judicial Communications Office: Mr Justice Openshaw
Police may get power to evict bad neighbours – The Guardian
“Civil liberties and homelessness campaigners last night sharply criticised plans to give the police powers to ‘shut and seal’ all premises, including flats, pubs and clubs, generating yobbish behaviour.”
The Guardian, 17th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Ministers face more trouble over home seller packs in Lords – The Guardian
“The government’s travails over the introduction of the controversial home information packs (Hips) continued yesterday, despite its defeat of a last-minute Conservative motion calling for them to be dumped. Opposition peers are hopeful they are on course to defeat the government in a separate House of Lords vote next Tuesday, although the motion will not kill the proposals.”
The Guardian, 17th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Fathers to be given six months’ paid paternity leave – OUT-LAW.com
Fathers will be allowed to take six months’ paid paternity leave instead of mothers under new Government proposals. The law will not come into effect until maternity cover is extended to 12 months, which will happen in April 2009 at the earliest.
OUT-LAW.com, 17th May 2007
Source: www.out-law.com
Fertility bill to set out reforms – BBC News
“A draft bill setting out reform of the UK’s laws on assisted reproduction is being published later.”
BBC News, 17th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Parents ‘missed new homicide law’ – BBC News
“A couple who lied over how their baby son died were months from prosecution under new homicide laws, police say.”
BBC News, 17th May 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Raise the criminal age to 18’ – Daily Telegraph
“The age of criminal responsibility should be raised from 10 to as high as 18, a report says today.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th May 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Related link: Debating youth justice: from punishment to problem solving (PDF)
Abortion laws to be reviewed by MPs – Daily Telegraph
“Abortion laws will be subjected to the first parliamentary review for 17 years as a result of draft legislation on human embryology to be published today.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th May 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
DTI: we need more legal input into Companies Act – Legal Week
“The Government has sounded a last-minute rallying call to lawyers in the UK in the bid to encourage the legal profession to engage with its consultation on the Companies Act.”
Legal Week, 17th May 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
Judiciary under fire as arrested judge carries on working – Legal Week
“The judiciary has this week come under renewed criticism for failing to police its own after it emerged one of the UK’s most senior judges has been working behind the scenes despite facing a court battle of his own over allegations of indecent exposure.”
Legal Week, 17th May 2007
Source: www.legalweek.com
