Elitist culture of secrecy must end, says Lord Falconer – The Times
“The former Lord Chancellor wants an end to off-the-record briefings and a relaxation of Cabinet collective responsibility.”
The Times, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Code for handling personal data is muddled, says lawyer – OUT-LAW.com
“A code of conduct for handling personal data was launched in London yesterday. But the document is inconsistent on the need for consent when collecting personal data, according to a data protection expert. Sometimes consent is not necessary, he said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.out-law.com
Catholic charities breaking law on homosexual adoption – Daily Telegraph
“Catholic charities who discriminate against homosexual couples who want to adopt children are breaking the law, the Charity Tribunal has ruled.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
A more civilised approach to suicide – The Times
“Under current law if you accompany a terminally ill relative to a clinic, knowing they are going there to be assisted in ending their own life, you are committing a crime. The Suicide Act 1961, now almost half a century old, makes this clear when it says that it is unlawful to “aid, abet, counsel or procure” the suicide of another person.”
The Times, 3rd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Privacy rights thwart evidence search in hammer attack lawsuit – OUT-LAW.com
“A school that is being sued for failing to prevent a vicious attack on a pupil does not need to give the victim’s legal team access to a database of pupil misbehaviour because the disclosure would be disproportionate and breach children’s human rights.”
OUT-LAW.com, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.out-law.com
Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2009
The Transfer of Functions (Estate Agents Appeals and Additional Scheduled Tribunal) Order 2009
The Transfer of Functions of the Charity Tribunal Order 2009
The Transfer of Functions of the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal Order 2009
The Transfer of Functions (Transport Tribunal and Appeal Panel) Order 2009
Source: www.opsi.gov.uk
£300,000 for judge off sick after blackmail trial – Daily Telegraph
“Immigration judge Mohammed Ilyas Khan who had an affair with his Brazilian cleaner has been paid nearly £300,000 while off work.”
Daily Telegraph, 2nd July 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Woman set for suicide appeal bid – BBC News
“A woman with multiple sclerosis is urging the House of Lords to clarify the law on assisted suicide.”
BBC News, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Britons confused by legality of downloads, finds report – OUT-LAW.com
“Consumers are spoilt for choice when they seek content online and are confused about what is legal and not legal, according to a report published on Friday. That confusion, and the ease of lawbreaking, present challenges for Government, the authors say.”
OUT-LAW.com, 1st June 2009
Source: www.out-law.com
Charity loses funding to help child refugees wrongly classified as adults – The Guardian
“Hundreds of children fleeing war and persecution will be wrongly denied education and given no more help than adult asylum seekers in the UK under controversial changes introduced by the government, a leading charity warned yesterday.”
The Guardian, 1st June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
FSA steps up battle against insider trading – The Times
“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is to increase the firepower of its enforcement division by hiring several lawyers from leading City firms, The Times has learnt.”
The Times, 1st June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
House of Lords Judgments: What’s new?
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
Curtis, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 1003 (30 April 2009)
Straughan, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 955 (28 April 2009)
Fazli, R v [2009] EWCA Crim 939 (24 April 2009)
Welsh, R. v [2009] EWCA Crim 945 (24 April 2009)
Hakimzadeh, R. v [2009] EWCA Crim 959 (28 April 2009)
Source: www.bailii.org
Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI
The Firefighters’ Pension (Wales) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2009
The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2009
The Functions in relation to External Qualifications (Wales) Order 2009
The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (Wales) Order 2009
The Pension Schemes (Reduction in Pension Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2009
The Fisheries (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009
The Transfer of Tribunal Functions (Lands Tribunal and Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2009
The Climate Change Act 2008 (2020 Target, Credit Limit and Definitions) Order 2009
The Nottingham Express Transit System Order 2009
Source: www.opsi.gov.uk
Brown to launch ‘code of conduct’ for MPs – The Independent
“Gordon Brown said today there were ‘clear cases’ of MPs who may have broken the law over expense claims but insisted that only ‘a few’ MPs had abused the Westminster perks system.”
The Independent, 31st May 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk‘
Three convicted of petrol murder – BBC News
“Three people who tied up a student, doused him in petrol and set him on fire have been convicted of his murder.”
BBC News, 29th May 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Foreign Office abandoned me to Iraqi jail torture, Briton says – The Guardian
“A British man who spent more than two years in an Iraqi jail has told the Guardian that he was abandoned by the British government and feared it would leave him to die.”
The Guardian, 29th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Abortion numbers for disabilities should be kept secret: Government lawyers – Daily Telegraph
“Releasing data on the number of abortions performed for conditions like clubroot and cleft palate may cause ‘mental distress or harm’ to vulnerable women and must be kept secret, lawyers for the Department of Health have argued.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th May 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Slavery’ mother-in-law is jailed – BBC News
“A 63-year-old woman who imprisoned her three daughters-in-law, treating them as ‘slaves and dogs’, has been jailed for seven years.”
BBC News, 29th May 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
