Budget to propose longer Sunday trading hours – BBC News
‘Shops in England and Wales could be allowed to open for longer on Sundays, under plans to be unveiled by Chancellor George Osborne.’
BBC News, 7th July 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: budgets
High Court abandons cost budgeting for clinical negligence claims to clear backlog – Litigation Futures
‘Costs budgeting will not be applied to High Court clinical negligence cases listed for costs hearings between October 2015 and January 2016 in an attempt to clear the backlog, it has emerged.’
Litigation Futures, 2nd July 2015
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Mr Justice Mostyn: Nobody anticipated “savagery” of legal aid cuts – Legal Futures
‘Mr Justice Mostyn has delivered some of the strongest judicial criticisms yet of the legal aid cuts and warned that “more are in prospect” under a majority Conservative government.’
Legal Futures, 1st July 2015
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Stocker v Stocker [2015] EWHC 1634 (QB) – Zenith PI Blog
‘Whilst the recent case of STOCKER v STOCKER [2015] EWHC 1634 (QB) is a libel case, the guidance on cost budgeting is relevant to all civil proceedings. Mr Justice Warby, who adjudicated on costs budget in Mr Yeo MP’s libel claim (Yeo v Times Newspapers 2015 EWHC 209)) has given some further guidance of general interest on proportionality, costs of budgeting, experts, trial preparation and costs of the trial in Stocker v Stocker. By the way, he reduced the Defendant’s estimated costs by 40%, from £330,000 to £197,000, not a good outcome for Mrs Stocker and her legal team.’
Full story
Zenith PI Blog, 26th June 2015
Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com
Head of legal aid’s pay rise an ‘insult’ to solicitors after fees fall 17.5% in last year – The Guardian
‘A pay rise of more than 10% for the head of the body that oversees legal aid has been described as an insult by solicitors whose fees have been slashed on his watch.’
The Guardian, 16th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
UK under fire over ‘incoherent’ approach to domestic violence – The Guardian
‘The British government has been criticised by the UN for lacking “a consistent and coherent” approach to tackling violence against women, warning that its austerity agenda will further undermine the safety of vulnerable individuals.’
The Guardian, 14th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Watchdog praises Care Act implementation but warns of burden on councils – Local Government Lawyer
‘he Department of Health’s cost estimates and chosen funding mechanisms for implementing the first phase of the Care Act 2014 have put local authorities under increased financial risk given the uncertain level of demand for adult social care, the National Audit Office has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 11th June 2015
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Legal aid fees to be cut by 8.75%, confirms Ministry of Justice – The Guardian
‘Legal aid fees for criminal solicitors will be cut by 8.75% and the number of contracts for attending police stations and magistrates court reduced by two-thirds, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.’
The Guardian, 10th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Miscarriages of justice will result from fresh cuts to legal aid budget, say solicitors – The Independent
‘Miscarriages of justice will result from fresh cuts to the legal aid budget announced on 10 June, solicitors are warning.’
The Independent, 10th June 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
MoJ hit with further £249m of cuts – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Ministry of Justice will have to find a further £249m of savings this year, as part of a fresh round of spending reductions following Whitehall’s in-year budget review announced today.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 4th June 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
NHS patient safety fears as health watchdog scraps staffing guidelines – The Guardian
‘The NHS has been accused of backtracking on improvements to patient safety brought in after the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in an effort to tackle its escalating financial problems. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) watchdog has unexpectedly scrapped work to set out how many nurses are needed in different parts of hospitals to ensure safe patient care.’
The Guardian, 4th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Surge in rape reports is overwhelming the police – Daily Telegraph
‘Met Chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says rape will be given the same priority as counter terrorism, but warns that hundreds more officers will be needed if the force is to avoid being overwhelmed.’
Daily Telegraph, 2nd June 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Woman left housebound after having legs amputated receives compensation following blunder that led to benefit money being withheld – The Independent
‘A woman who was left housebound following the amputation of both legs has received £27,000 in compensation after watchdogs found financial support was withheld due to an administrative battle between a council and the NHS.’
The Independent, 28th May 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Family reunited after housing battle led to homelessness and separation – The Guardian
‘Titina Nzolameso on her successful fight to be rehoused after the benefits cap left her homeless and her children being taken into care, and the impact this could have on similar cases.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Theresa May pledges £15m to keep mentally ill people out of police cells – The Guardian
‘The home secretary, Theresa May, is to pledge up to £15m of new funding to provide health-based alternatives for the 4,000 people a year who spend time in detention in police cells under the Mental Health Act.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Harbour Lecture by Lord Justice Dyson MR: Confronting Costs Management – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
‘Harbour Lecture by Lord Justice Dyson MR: Confronting Costs Management.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 14th May 2015
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
