Category: charities
R(ZLL) v SSHCLG: Everyone In a “call to action” not a policy – Nearly Legal
‘In this case, Fordham J scrutinised the nature of “Everyone In” and analysed whether it was a “policy”, such as to impose public law duties on the Secretary of State on its curtailment. The judgment (2022) EWHC 85 (Admin) contains a detailed discussion of the ingredients that make a policy, and a pithy take on when the need to consult stakeholders arises. The judge finds that Everyone In cannot properly be described as prescriptive policy guidance, but can safely be described as “an initiative”, so the Secretary of State was not bound by the constraints on changing policy. Judgment was given under the old Departmental name, since changed to the snappy Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The two interested parties, Camden LB Council and Shelter, did not appear.’
Nearly Legal, 24th January 2022
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
‘I’m so afraid’: Child refugees forced to share rooms with adults after being wrongly deemed over 18 – The Independent
‘Child refugees are being forced to share rooms and even beds with adults they do not know as increasing numbers are incorrectly placed in accommodation meant for over-18s by the government, The Independent can reveal.’
The Independent, 16th January 2022
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Police need to be trained not to discriminate against black families in missing person cases, say experts – The Independent
‘Police forces responding to reports of missing people should implement training to address racial discrimination, a groundbreaking report has recommended. Missing People, a UK charity supporting missing people and their families, has released new guidance in response to disclosures of bias faced by families when reporting their loved one missing to the police, based upon months of research into disparities around the matter.’
The Independent, 12th January 2022
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Campaigners threaten UK legal action over porn sites’ lack of age verification – The Guardian
‘The UK data watchdog must introduce age verification for commercial pornography sites or face a high court challenge over any failure to act, children’s safety groups have warned.’
The Guardian, 5th December 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Remand inmates in England and Wales ‘facing second Christmas behind bars’ – The Guardian
‘Some defendants will be facing “a second Christmas behind bars without the opportunity to prove their innocence”, a legal charity has warned, as the number of remand prisoners in England and Wales detained longer than the legal custody limit continues to rise.’
The Guardian, 1st December 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Priti Patel faces three legal challenges over refugee pushback plans – The Guardian
‘Priti Patel is facing three legal challenges over her controversial plans to push back refugees on small boats in the Channel who are trying to reach the UK.’
The Guardian, 25th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Relocating hen harrier chicks to spare grouse for the gun – UK Human Rights Blog
‘RSPB, R (On the application of) v Natural England [2021] EWCA Civ 1637 (9 November 2021). This case was an appeal by the RSPB and Dr Mark Avery, a scientist specialising in nature conservation, against a ruling by the court below that the grant of a licence by the respondent, Natural England (NE), to “take and disturb” hen harriers from the Northern English uplands for scientific, research or educational purposes pursuant to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Pt I s.16(1)(a) was lawful.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd November 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Home Office ‘covering up’ its own study of why refugees come to the UK – The Guardian
‘The Home Office is covering up its own research into why refugees and asylum seekers travel to the UK because ministers “know their arguments don’t stand up,” charities claim.’
The Guardian, 20th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Inquiry into foundation linked to Prince of Wales launched – The Guardian
‘The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into allegations that donations intended for the Prince of Wales’ Prince’s Foundation went instead to the Mahfouz Foundation.’
The Guardian, 18th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Universal credit claimants were sent unlawful demands to repay, says charity – The Guardian
‘The Department for Work and Pensions has unlawfully told “significant” numbers of people who legitimately claimed universal credit at the start of the pandemic to repay money often totalling thousands of pounds, a charity has claimed.’
The Guardian, 13th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Windrush compensation scheme has ‘concerning weaknesses’, says charity – The Guardian
‘There are “concerning weaknesses” in the Windrush compensation scheme, according to a legal charity that has called for the programme to be taken out of the Home Office.’
The Guardian, 15th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Watchdog stopped ministers breaching neutrality code in top BBC and BFI hires – The Guardian
‘A watchdog had to prevent ministers breaching a strict code on political neutrality and independence during the search for new chairs for the BBC and the British Film Institute (BFI), the Guardian can reveal.’
The Guardian, 7th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
Charity’s private prosecution ‘perverting the course of public justice’ – Law Society Gazette
“A specialist law firm and animal rights charity may have been engaged in ‘systemic fraud’ and ‘perverting the course of justice’, by bringing abusive and unfounded private prosecutions, a judge has said.”
Law Society Gazette, 4th November 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Home Office must rethink ‘regressive’ plans to use X-ray asylum seekers for age assessments, say charities – The Independent
‘The Home Office must rethink its “regressive and unethical” plans to use scientific methods such X-rays to age assess asylum seekers, a coalition of children’s charities has warned.’
The Independent, 1st November 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Saturday musings: the Charity Commission and “political” campaigning – Law & Religion UK
‘The Runnymede Trust is a charitable think-tank focused on race equality and race relations in the UK. The Charity Commission opened a compliance case in April 2021 after complaints about the Trust’s response to the report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (“the CRED report”) and the trustees’ decision to work with the Good Law Project to challenge certain public appointments. The Commission also noted the appearance of a senior executive of Runnymede at an event organised by a political party, alongside several elected representatives and affiliated speakers. The issue, in short, was whether the Trust was engaging in party-political activity, contrary to charity law – and the Commission has concluded that the Trust has not broken the law. So far, not much obviously to do with “religion” – but read on.’
Law & Religion UK, 4th September 2021
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Runnymede Trust did not breach guidance over race report, watchdog finds – The Guardian
‘A leading race equality thinktank did not breach charity guidance despite claims from Conservative MPs that it is pursuing a political agenda, a watchdog has found.’
The Guardian, 1st September 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
High Court gives go-ahead for discrimination claim over legislation on regulated settings and children in care – Local Government Lawyer
‘A children’s rights charity has secured permission from the High Court for a judicial review of secondary legislation made by the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, which provides that children in care in England up to the age of 15 – but not 16 and 17-year-olds – must always live in regulated settings where they receive day-to-day care from adults.’
Local Government Lawyer, 18th August 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
More than 100 councils and charities vow to boycott Home Office policy to deport rough sleepers – The Independent
‘More than 110 local councils and charities have vowed to boycott a controversial new Home Office policy to deport foreign rough sleepers. Rules that came into effect on 1 January made rough sleeping grounds to cancel or refuse a non-British national’s right to be in the UK.’
The Independent, 8th August 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
A Coalition Of Over 200 Organisations Condemns Proposed Changes To Judicial Review – Each Other
‘In an unprecedented move, a coalition of more than 220 organisations has condemned proposed changes to judicial review and the Human Rights Act, including EachOther UK.’
Each Other, 28th July 2021
Source: eachother.org.uk
