Charities call for inquiry into deaths linked to benefits cuts – The Guardian

‘Some of the UK’s best known mental health charities and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have jointly called for an independent inquiry into the deaths of scores of vulnerable people who were reliant on welfare benefits.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

People cannot define themselves as gender neutral on passports, court rules – The Independent

Posted March 10th, 2020 in gender, news, passports, privacy by sally

‘A campaigner who wants passports to include a category for those who do not identify as male or female has lost a Court of Appeal challenge over gender neutral passports.’

Full Story

The Independent, 10th March 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 10th, 2020 in legislation by sally

The Parental Bereavement Leave Regulations 2020

The Public Service Pensions Revaluation Order 2020

The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2020

The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2020

The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted March 10th, 2020 in law reports by sally

High Court (Chancery Division)

Jeffreys & Ors v Scruton & Ors [2020] EWHC 536 (Ch) (09 March 2020)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Niramax Group Ltd v Zurich Insurance Plc [2020] EWHC 535 (Comm) (09 March 2020)

High Court (Patents Court)

Geofabrics Ltd v Fiberweb Geosynthetics Ltd [2020] EWHC 444 (Pat) (05 March 2020)

Source: www.bailii.org

Court of Appeal clarifies UK Construction Act treatment of hybrid contracts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 10th, 2020 in building law, contracts, news, notification by sally

‘The Court of Appeal in London has ruled that UK construction law does not require hybrid contracts to include distinct notifications with separate break downs for construction operations and non-construction operations.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th March 2020

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Judge rejects call by developer for summary judgment in dispute over s106 agreement and second planning permission – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 10th, 2020 in contracts, interpretation, news, planning, summary judgments by sally

‘A High Court judge has rejected a developer’s application for summary judgment of its claim for a declaration that residential development of land in Holt, Norfolk was not bound by obligations contained in a section 106 agreement.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Supreme Court to hear case over whether 18th century lead urns were ‘buildings’ for purposes of listed building consent – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 10th, 2020 in appeals, listed buildings, local government, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court will this week hear a dispute over whether a pair of 18th century lead urns resting on limestone piers were “buildings” on an application for listed building consent.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Financial Remedy Update March 2020 – Family Law Week

Posted March 10th, 2020 in divorce, financial provision, news by sally

‘Sue Brookes, Principal Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during February 2019.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 9th March 2020

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Eloise Parry: Man convicted over diet pill death – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in homicide, medicines, negligence, news by sally

‘An online dealer has been convicted of killing a woman who took toxic tablets sold to her as slimming pills.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick cleared over paedophile ring inquiry – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in child abuse, inquiries, news, police, sexual offences by sally

‘The chief of London’s police has been cleared over her handling of an investigation into false claims of a VIP paedophile ring.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

De-radicalisation approach needs ‘fundamental review’ – Prison Officers’ Association – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in news, parole, prison officers, prisons, rehabilitation, terrorism by sally

‘The Prison Officers’ Association has called for a “fundamental review” of the UK’s de-radicalisation programmes.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lincolnshire removal centre still too violent, say inspectors – The Guardian

Posted March 10th, 2020 in detention, immigration, news, self-harm, violence by sally

‘Inspectors have discovered high levels of self-harm, violence and use of force at an immigration detention centre in Lincolnshire where one detainee had been held for more than two years.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Unexplained Wealth Order focuses on London mansion – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in money laundering, news, unexplained wealth orders by sally

‘A high-security mansion on one of London’s most exclusive roads is the target of the UK’s latest use of Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs).’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom rejects 309 complaints that Dave’s Brit Awards performance was ‘racist’ – The Independent

Posted March 10th, 2020 in complaints, media, news, racism by sally

‘Ofcom has rejected more than 300 complaints made about a performance by rapper Dave at February’s Brit Awards, which was accused of being “racist”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 10th March 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man, 81, sexually assaulted girl, 3, in Honiton supermarket – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in child abuse, elderly, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘An 81-year-old “predatory paedophile” has been jailed for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl in a supermarket.’

Full Story

BBC News, 9th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs oppose ‘bedroom tax’ being applied to domestic abuse survivors – BBC News

Posted March 10th, 2020 in benefits, domestic violence, housing, news, parliament by sally

‘The government must stop applying the so-called “bedroom tax” to domestic abuse survivors fleeing their partners, 44 MPs have written in a letter seen by the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police warned about ‘insider threat’ from extremists inside their own forces – The Independent

Posted March 10th, 2020 in news, police, proscribed organisations, reports, terrorism by sally

‘Police have been warned about the threat from extremists inside their own forces. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found that while officers’ work through the government’s Prevent counter-extremism programme was broadly good, few considered the possibility that their own colleagues could be radicalised.’

Full Story

The Independent, 9th March 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Against Consistency as a Ground of Review – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted March 9th, 2020 in constitutional law, equality, judicial review, news by sally

‘Equal treatment, the principle that like cases should be treated alike, occupies a paradoxically ambivalent place within moral and legal discussion of equality. In one sense, it is an essential feature of justice that similarly situated persons be afforded similar treatment and that differences in treatment be adequately justified. This principle is informed by and presupposes the moral equality of persons, without which the demand for justification of departures from consistent treatment would be unintelligible. However, in another sense, equalisation of treatment, purely for the sake of equalisation, gives rise to the now well established “levelling-down” objection: a requirement of equalisation can be satisfied either by treating people equally badly or by replicating wrongful forms of treatment, even when we are aware that the treatment in question is wrongful. The levelling-down objection indicates that equalisation for its own sake is unlikely to be intrinsically valuable, even if there may be some instrumental reasons to do so.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 9th March 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 9th, 2020 in legislation by sally

The Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Fees) Order 2020

The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts and Personal Medical Services Agreements) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted March 9th, 2020 in law reports by sally

High Court (Administrative Court)

Price, R v (on the application of) v The Crown Court at Snaresbrook [2020] EWHC 496 (Admin) (06 March 2020)

Gladman Developments Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2020] EWHC 518 (Admin) (06 March 2020)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Depp II v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Anor [2020] EWHC 505 (QB) (06 March 2020)

Source: www.bailii.org