Month: September 2023
Offers of accommodation and the public sector equality duty – Local Government Lawyer
‘Michael Mullin and Scarlet Taylor-Waller analyse an important Court of Appeal ruling in a case where a council offered accommodation in Walsall to an appellant who had lived all her life in London.’
Local Government Lawyer, 21st September 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Local authorities and the Building Safety Regulator – Local Government Lawyer
‘Simon Lewis and Michelle Essen look at the impact of the Building Safety Act 2022 on councils.’
Local Government Lawyer, 22nd September 2023
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Step forward to online lasting powers of attorney – Ministry of Justice
‘The most vulnerable in society will be better protected as reforms to simplify and streamline lasting powers of attorney are given Royal Assent.’
Ministry of Justice, 19th September 2023
Source: www.gov.uk
Tying the Knot Abroad – Family Law
‘For those romantics, escapees from tradition (Las Vagas chapel not country church) or the merely impetuous, what does getting married abroad mean in terms of validity of the marriage? And for those who marry abroad and subsequently move to live in the UK, is their marriage recognised?’
Family Law, 14th September 2023
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Speech by Judge Barry Clarke: Discrimination in Employment/Industrial Courts – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
‘Speech by Judge Barry Clarke: Discrimination in Employment/Industrial Courts.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 18th September 2023
Source: www.judiciary.uk
AI developing too fast for regulators to keep up, says Oliver Dowden – The Guardian
‘Artificial intelligence is developing too fast for regulators to keep up, the UK’s deputy prime minister is to announce as he aims to galvanise other countries to take the threat seriously in advance of the UK’s AI safety summit in November.’
The Guardian, 22nd September 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Hospital watchdog takes action against NHS trust over patient safety concerns – The Independent
‘Hospital regulators have taken enforcement action against an NHS trust after patients were found to have ingested batteries and screws amidst a catalogue of failings. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) upheld its “inadequate” rating of Brooklands hospital in Birmingham – which specialises in care for adults with autism and learning disabilities – after an inspection in March.’
The Independent, 22nd September 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Swansea: PC Jack Williams jailed for punching autistic man – BBC News
‘A policeman who punched an autistic man in the head seven times during an arrest has been jailed for 12 weeks.’
BBC News, 21st September 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal set to be cleared by UK regulator – The Guardian
‘Microsoft’s $69bn (£54bn) deal to buy Activision Blizzard, the maker of games including Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, looks set to be cleared after the UK competition regulator said a revised deal addresses its concerns.’
The Guardian, 22nd September 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Five companies fined £590,000 for making almost 2 million marketing calls targeting vulnerable people – The Independent
‘Five companies have been fined a total of £590,000 for collectively making 1.9 million unwanted marketing calls to elderly and vulnerable people.’
The Independent, 21st September 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Anonymous litigant barred from bitcoin costs challenge – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The absence of a specific procedure rule requiring a paying party’s name and address in costs assessment proceedings does not permit the party to conceal their identity from the court, an appeal judge has ruled.’
Law Society's Gazette, 20th September 2023
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
The Disability Ground in Abortion Law, and the Negative ‘Message’ it is Sending: R (Crowter) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care – Oxford Human Rights Hub
‘A recent decision of the Court of Appeal involved a very interesting legal challenge based on an alleged negative “message” in the law. It raises important questions about the law on disability-selective abortion, but also more broadly on the possibility of challenges to the law based on any allegedly negative message.’
Oxford Human Rights Hub, 21st September 2023
Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
Expert evidence – the importance of independence – Mills & Reeve
‘The rules on expert witnesses in the courts of England and Wales are governed by Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules. One of the fundamental principles when it comes to expert evidence is that of independence.’
Mills & Reeve, 19th September 2023
Source: www.mills-reeve.com
Olly Stephens: Murdered boy’s dad says new law a ‘game-changer’ – BBC News
‘The father of a 13-year-old murdered by two schoolboys has welcomed a new law to make social media firms more responsible for users’ safety.’
BBC News, 21st September 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New Acts – legislation.gov.uk
2023 c. 49 – Firearms Act 2023
2023 c. 48 – Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023
2023 c. 47 – Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023
2023 c. 45 – Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023
2023 c. 44 – Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023
2023 c. 42 – Powers of Attorney Act 2023
2023 c. 40 – Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Act 2023
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Three-quarters of rape survivors say police response damaged their mental health – The Guardian
‘The full extent of the trauma rape survivors experience as a direct result of their interaction with police has been shown for the first time in a damning official survey.’
The Guardian, 21st September 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
