More offenders to meet their victims under plan to expand restorative justice – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 30th, 2012 in bills, news, restorative justice, victims by sally

“More offenders will have to meet their victims and apologise before being sentenced under a rapid expansion of restorative justice unveiled on Tuesday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Last quango in Paris? Why the fate of the EHRC is important for all of us – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 29th, 2012 in bills, human rights, jurisdiction, news by sally

“In its foreign policy, the UK Government is a keen advocate of national human rights institutions (NHRI’s). The Brighton Declaration, drafted by the UK, encourages Council of Europe States to consider ‘the establishment, if they have not already done so, of an independent National Human Rights Institution’. In June 2012 the UK signed a UN General Assembly resolution ‘Reaffirming the important role that such national institutions play and will continue to play.’”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Use stronger snooping powers against fly tipping, watchdog urges – Daily Telegraph

“New powers to snoop on all emails, web visits and phone calls could still be used to combat minor crimes despite Government assurances, the watchdog who oversees them has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ken Clarke hits back over secret courts – The Guardian

“Clarke insists that under the justice and security bill nothing currently heard in open court would be moved to closed court.”

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The Guardian, 26th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

OFT sets out details of its new power to suspend consumer credit licenses – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 26th, 2012 in bills, consultations, consumer credit, consumer protection, licensing, news by sally

“Consumer watchdog the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has set out details of how it intends to use a new power which will allow it to suspend the licenses of rogue lenders with immediate effect in some circumstances.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Why saving the Human Rights Act will be good for your health – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 25th, 2012 in bills, health, human rights, legislation, news by sally

“Debate about whether the Human Rights Act (HRA) might be replaced by a new UK Bill of Rights often dwells on the potential loss, or at least weakening, of the legal route to accountability and redress for victims of human rights violations. An event next month in Liverpool reminds us how much more might be lost if the HRA were to be scrapped or watered down. In particular, it highlights the significance of section 6 of the Act, which requires all public authorities to act in a way which is compatible with European Convention rights unless primary legislation requires them to act otherwise.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

LIBOR to be regulated as Government accepts Wheatley’s recommendations “in full” – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 18th, 2012 in banking, bills, crime, financial regulation, interest, news by sally

“Administering and contributing to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) will become a regulated activity, while criminal sanctions will be introduced for ‘misleading statements’ in relation to the benchmark, the Government has confirmed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Criminals could avoid surveillance of their communications even under expanded regime, says Information Commissioner – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 18th, 2012 in bills, electronic mail, intelligence services, news, telecommunications by sally

“Serious criminals will be able to avoid details of their communications being monitored under an expanded intelligence gathering regime proposed by the Government, the UK’s data protection watchdog has warned.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 17th October 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

US ‘influenced British government’s decision to introduce secret courts’ – The Guardian

Posted October 17th, 2012 in bills, closed material, disclosure, intelligence services, news, terrorism, torture by sally

“The US government and its intelligence agencies were influential in the UK government decision to introduce a highly controversial new generation of secret courts, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation has told MPs and peers.”

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The Guardian, 16th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Draft Communications Bill: Powers may uncover ‘wrong targets’ – BBC News

“Plans to monitor all Britons’ online activity risk uncovering ‘incompetent criminals and accidental anarchists’ rather than serious offenders, the information commissioner has warned.”

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BBC News, 16th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord McNally’s speech for Legal Aid Practitioners Group Conference – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 15th, 2012 in bills, budgets, competition, dispute resolution, legal aid, speeches by sally

“Lord McNally’s speech for Legal Aid Practitioners Group Conference.”

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 12th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

New report heavily critical of secret justice plans ahead of controversial Bill – Amnesty International

Posted October 15th, 2012 in bills, closed material, disclosure, human rights, public interest, reports, trials by sally

“The government’s plans for a substantial extension of the use of secret evidence in the justice system have been heavily criticised in a new Amnesty International report published today”

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Full report

Amnesty International, 15th October 2012

Source: www.amnesty.org.uk

 

 

Scientists to get extra protection from libel – The Independent

Posted October 12th, 2012 in bills, defamation, freedom of expression, news, public interest by sally

“Scientists and academics are to be given extra protection from bullying corporations that use Britain’s libel laws to suppress legitimate criticism and debate, the Government has indicated.”

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The Independent, 12th October 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts could force website operators to remove defamatory statements under terms of revised Bill – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 27th, 2012 in bills, defamation, internet, news by sally

“Courts would have the power to order website operators to remove comments that have already been ruled to be defamatory even if those website operators did not post the comments themselves, according to the latest revisions to the Defamation Bill.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Government plan for courts to sit in private is rejected – The Independent

Posted September 26th, 2012 in bills, closed material, news, private hearings by sally

“The Liberal Democrat leadership suffered an embarrassing defeat last night as activists rejected Government plans to allow some courts to sit in private to hear evidence relating to national security.”

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The Independent, 26th September 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Time to untangle the debate over secret courts – UK Human Rights Blog

“Tomorrow (25 September), Liberal Democrats will debate the Justice and Security Bill and will vote on saying no to the Government’s controversial secret courts proposals. Played in the press as a good opportunity to put clear blue water between the coalition partners, the motion will give a party members a chance to speak out on a Bill which many see as an anathema to the traditional liberal commitment to open, fair and equal access to justice.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Government admits secret courts would protect it from bad publicity – The Guardian

Posted September 25th, 2012 in bills, closed material, media, news, private hearings by sally

“The government has admitted that a key motive for its plan to expand secret courts is to shield itself politically from charges that Britain has been complicit in the abuse of detainees abroad.”

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The Guardian, 24th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Secret courts: the essential guide – The Guardian

Posted September 25th, 2012 in bills, closed material, courts, intelligence services, news, private hearings by sally

“Is the justice and security bill a threat to fundamental legal liberties or a necessary veil to protect state secrets? Here’s what you need to know about the expansion of trials behind closed courtroom doors.”

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The Guardian, 25th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK among worst in Europe for employing female judges – The Guardian

Posted September 20th, 2012 in bills, diversity, equality, judiciary, news, remuneration by sally

“The United Kingdom’s record of slowly improving judicial diversity has been dealt a severe blow by a comparative European report revealing that only Azerbaijan and Armenia employ fewer female professional judges. Despite what the study describes as a gradual ‘feminisation of the judiciary resulting in a near gender equality’ across the continent and its eastern borders, only 23% of judges in England and Wales and 21% of judges in Scotland are women.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tony Blair’s ‘disastrous’ wars to blame for secret courts, says Ken Clarke – The Guardian

“Ken Clarke has blamed Tony Blair’s ‘disastrous war on terror’ for the need to introduce secret courts to protect sensitive intelligence material.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: The justice and security bill is on the right track