Claimants’ ability to pay tribunal fees will be based on combination of income and savings, Government confirms – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 11th, 2013 in consultations, fees, news, remuneration, tribunals by tracey

“A single system of fee remission, based on a combination of claimants’ income and ‘disposable capital’, will be introduced across all courts and tribunals, including employment tribunals, the Government has announced.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Direct marketing via email to consumers requires ‘extremely clear and specific’ consent, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

“Organisations need to obtain ‘extremely clear and specific’ consent from individuals in order to conduct direct marketing via email to them or through any other form of electronic marketing message, according to new guidelines.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

LAG: ‘disturbing’ drop off in legal aid cases – LegalVoice

Posted September 11th, 2013 in civil justice, debts, housing, legal aid, news, statistics by tracey

“The Legal Action Group has warned that what remains of civil legal aid could just ‘wither away’ as new research reveals ‘a disturbing reduction’ in the take-up of cases, writes Jon Robins. According to the group, there has been a marked drop off even for the cases still covered by legal aid.”

Full story

LAG report

LegalVoice, 11th September 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 11th, 2013 in legislation by tracey

The BRB (Residuary) Limited (Tax Consequences) Order 2013

The Food Additives, Flavourings, Enzymes and Extraction Solvents (England) Regulations 2013

The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

The Local Elections (Ordinary Day of Elections in 2014) Order 2013

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Commencement No. 1, Transitional Provisions and Savings) (Amendment) Order 2013

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition and Markets Authority) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013

The Registered Pension Schemes and Overseas Pension Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (Prescribed Relevant Offences and Relevant Enforcement Action) Regulations 2013

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

A v A and another (Children: Habitual Residence) (Reunite International Child Abduction Centre and others intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted September 11th, 2013 in appeals, children, custody, EC law, jurisdiction, law reports by tracey

A v A and another (Children: Habitual Residence) (Reunite International Child Abduction Centre and others intervening): [2013] UKSC 60;   [2013] WLR (D)  345

“The High Court of England and Wales had jurisdiction to order the ‘return’ to this country of a small child who had never lived or even been here, on the basis that he had British nationality.”

WLR Daily, 9th September 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina (Gibson) v Secretary of State for Justice – WLR Daily

Regina (Gibson) v Secretary of State for Justice: [2013] EWHC 2481 (Admin);   [2013] WLR (D)  344

“Where the Crown Court fixed a term of imprisonment in default of a sum recoverable under a confiscation order the words ‘at the time the period of detention was imposed’ in section 79(2) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 meant the time when the default term was activated by the magistrates’ court, not the time when it was fixed by the Crown Court, for the purposes of calculating a reduction in the term of imprisonment.”

WLR Daily, 4th September 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Acpo’s role to be examined by Sir Nick Parker – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2013 in inquiries, news, police, standards by tracey

“A retired general will lead an inquiry into whether an association for senior police officers is fit for purpose.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Michael Le Vell: CPS defends prosecution of Coronation Street actor – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 11th, 2013 in child abuse, Crown Prosecution Service, evidence, news, prosecutions, public interest by tracey

“Prosecutors last night defended the decision to put Michael Le Vell on trial insisting it was in the public interest to let the jury decide on his guilt or innocence.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Equitable Life scandal victims to receive compensation this year – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 11th, 2013 in compensation, maladministration, news, pensions, victims by tracey

“Around 10,000 victims of the Equitable Life scandal will receive a £5,000 compensation payment a year early, the Government has announced.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Shocking’ bedroom tax should be axed, says UN investigator – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2013 in government departments, housing, human rights, news, taxation, United Nations by tracey

“Housing expert Raquel Rolnik says policy could constitute a violation of the human right to adequate housing.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Hospital settles Stafford mother’s poor care claim – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2013 in birth, compensation, hospitals, medical treatment, news, standards by tracey

“A six-figure settlement has been agreed for a woman who suffered life-changing injuries caused by mistakes when she gave birth at Stafford Hospital.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fine wine fraudsters jailed for conning elderly investors – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 11th, 2013 in conspiracy, elderly, fraud, news, sentencing by tracey

“Two members of a family of fraudsters who conned elderly investors in a £4.5 million fine wine scam have been jailed for a total of ten-and-a-half years.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

On-the-spot fines are making High Streets ‘fair game’ to young criminals – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 11th, 2013 in cautions, courts, fines, magistrates, news, police, recidivists, young offenders by tracey

“Britain’s High Streets are at risk of becoming ‘fair game’ to young criminals who are ‘blighting our communities’ because they know they can escape with on-the-spot fines, the Justice Secretary warns today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

IPCC’s Tom Davies: Police disciplinary system’s ‘grave flaws’ – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2013 in disciplinary procedures, news, ombudsmen, police, Wales by tracey

“The disciplinary process for serious complaints against police officers has ‘grave flaws’ and needs to be overhauled, says the outgoing head of the police watchdog in Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Michael Le Vell cleared: Should rape suspects get anonymity? – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2013 in anonymity, child abuse, news, rape, sexual offences, victims by tracey

“In the wake of Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell being cleared of child rape and other sex abuse charges, the question of whether suspects in such cases should be granted anonymity, just as complainants are, arises once more.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gym chains forced to improve contract terms – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 10th, 2013 in consumer protection, contracts, news by tracey

“Three leading health and fitness operators have been forced to improve their contracts for customers after an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dyson sues Samsung over new vacuum’s steering mechanism – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2013 in intellectual property, news, patents by tracey

“British manufacturer Dyson is suing Samsung over claims that the South Korean firm ‘ripped off’ one of its inventions.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police Taser use more than doubles in four years – The Independent

Posted September 10th, 2013 in firearms, news, police by tracey

“Use of stun guns by police officers in England and Wales has more than doubled over two years, according to official figures.”

Full story

The Independent, 10th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Abuse of Asian girls missed because of focus on white victims, says report – The Guardian

Posted September 10th, 2013 in news, race discrimination, reports, sexual grooming, sexual offences, victims by tracey

“Asian girls are the hidden victims of child grooming gangs, dipping under the radar of police or social services, according to a report released on Tuesday. Vulnerable girls and some boys are being sexually exploited by gangs of men but are being missed by the authorities because agencies are too focused on a model of grooming involving white victims, according to research from the Muslim Women’s Network UK.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mortgage companies’ additional data reporting must serve a valid purpose and be limited to a necessary volume, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 10th, 2013 in data protection, mortgages, news, privacy by tracey

“The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) should review the necessity of asking mortgage providers to provide it with additional personal information about customers in order to ensure those individuals’ privacy rights are respected, a data protection watchdog has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com