Retailers to be required to report suspicious or bulk purchases of knives – The Guardian

‘Retailers will be required to report suspicious or bulk purchases of knives, and those caught selling blades to under-18s will face tougher sentences under a new raft of measures to clamp down on young people’s access to weapons labelled Ronan’s law.’

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The Guardian, 19th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Most academy leaders in England say new bill will not affect school management – The Guardian

Posted February 14th, 2025 in bills, education, government departments, news, teachers by Lily

‘The majority of academy leaders in England say the government’s new schools bill will not affect how they manage their schools, according to a new survey of multi-academy trust chief executives.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs: Ministers must give protections to creative sector amid AI copyright fears – The Independent

‘Ministers must heed warnings from the creative industries over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on copyright and provide them with legal protections, according to MPs.’

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The Independent, 12th February 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Key reforms in the Renters’ Rights Bill and their impact on tenants and landlords – Kingsley Napley Real Estate Law Blog

Posted February 12th, 2025 in bills, landlord & tenant, news, rent, repairs, repossession by sally

‘This Bill, which was originally introduced by the previous government as the Renters’ Reform Bill, seeks to level-up the perceived current imbalance between residential landlords and tenants by bestowing on tenants greater rights and security. But critics argue that the proposed reforms go too far in favour of tenants. So, what are the current key reforms affecting private residential tenancies?’

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Kingsley Napley Real Estate Law Blog, 11th February 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Provisions to treat unaccompanied asylum seekers as adults if they refuse scientific age assessments to be scrapped – Local Government Lawyer

‘Provisions that would see unaccompanied asylum seekers treated as adults if they refused a scientific age assessment without “reasonable grounds” are set to be scrapped by Government.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th February 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Reforms to the NSIP Regime proposed in Government working paper – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 11th, 2025 in bills, consultations, local government, news, planning by tracey

‘Alastair Lewis, Emyr Thomas, Emily Knowles and James Goldthorpe look over proposed changes to the planning system in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th February 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Abuse in English football a ‘crisis’ – Kick It Out – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2025 in bills, diversity, equality, hate crime, news, race discrimination, racism, sex discrimination, sport by tracey

‘The level of abuse in English football has “reached crisis point”, says the head of anti-discrimination body Kick It Out.’

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BBC News, 10th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mental Health Matters Report – February 2025 – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted February 10th, 2025 in bills, chambers articles, mental health, news by tracey

‘In the Mental Health Matters Report: the Mental Health Bill progresses and two important Upper Tribunal cases.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 1st February 2025

Source: www.39essex.com

Hundreds arrested in New Year illegal worker blitz – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2025 in bills, deportation, employment, government departments, immigration, news, statistics by tracey

‘Hundreds of migrants have been arrested since the start of this year as part of a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working, the government has said.’

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BBC News, 10th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs push for assisted dying to be expanded to people with a year left to live – The Independent

Posted February 7th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, health, limitations, news by Lily

‘MPs are pushing for assisted deaths to be available for people suffering from Motor Neurone Disease or Parkinson’s who have a year left to live in a new amendment to the bill.’

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The Independent, 6th February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Delay to ‘Awaab’s law’ risks lives of social housing tenants in England, Shelter says – The Guardian

‘The housing charity Shelter has criticised the government for putting lives at risk by delaying a law to make social landlords in England fix dangerous hazards quickly.’

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The Guardian, 6th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law to make social landlords fix mould in force from October – BBC News

‘Landlords will be forced to investigate and fix damp and mould in social housing in England within strict timescales from October, the government has announced.’

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BBC News, 6th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Research Briefing: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 2024-25 – House of Commons Library

Posted February 7th, 2025 in asylum, bills, government departments, immigration, news, refugees by Lily

‘The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 30 January 2025. Second reading, when MPs debate the purpose of the bill, is scheduled for 10 February 2025.This briefing focuses on the main provisions of the bill and its most significant clauses. The bill’s explanatory notes give further detail on other clauses. These and other accompanying documents, including an impact assessment, are available from the bill’s page on parliament.uk. Most provisions of the bill cover the entire UK.’

Full Briefing

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House of Commons Library, 6th February 2025

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Autonomy and assisted dying / suicide – an important judicial light shed from an unexpected corner – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted February 5th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, consent, electronic commerce, gambling, news by sally

‘Individual decision-making and its complexities was very much in the spotlight this week in the context of the oral evidence sessions held by the Public Bill Committee considering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The decision of Collins Rice in ‘RTM’ v Bonne Terre Ltd [2025] EWHC 111 (KB), handed down on 23 January 2025, is an important reminder of just how complex the idea of autonomy is in real life.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Creators of AI child sex abuse images face up to five years in prison under crackdown – The Independent

‘Creators of AI-generated images of child sexual abuse will face up to five years in prison in a new government crackdown. Home secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the UK will be the first country in the world to make it illegal to own artificial intelligence tools designed to make images of child sexual abuse.’

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The Independent, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Planned UK people-smuggling laws risk ‘criminalising’ asylum seekers, charities say – The Guardian

‘Keir Starmer’s planned people-smuggling laws risk “criminalising” hundreds of asylum seekers, refugee charities have said, after it emerged that people who refuse to be rescued by the French authorities could be jailed for five years.’

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The Guardian, 30th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

New crime of endangering lives to target small boat crossings – BBC News

‘Endangering lives at sea is to be a new criminal offence carrying a jail term of up to five years as part of plans to tackle people smuggling, the Home Office says.’

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BBC News, 30th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Counter terror-style powers to strengthen ability to smash smuggling gangs – Home Office

‘New counter terror-style powers to identify, disrupt and smash people smuggling gangs will be introduced as part of landmark legislation to protect our borders.’

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Home Office, 30th January 2025

Source: www.gov.uk

Ex-supreme court judge says high court signoff for assisted death unnecessary – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, judiciary, news by sally

‘A former supreme court judge has told MPs that applications for assisted dying should not need high court approval.’

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The Guardian, 29th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Stricter age-verification checks for all knife retailers – Home Office

‘Stricter age verification checks and a ban on doorstep drops will be introduced to greater protect young people from knife crime.’

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Home Office, 28th January 2025

Source: www.gov.uk