Jack Maxwell and Joe Tomlinson: Model students: why Ofqual has a legal duty to disclose the details of its model for calculating GCSE and A level grades – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 28th, 2020 in coronavirus, disclosure, examinations, news, teachers by sally

‘On 18 March 2020, the UK Government cancelled GCSE and A level exams for students in England. The closure of schools and the need to slow the spread of COVID-19 made exams impracticable. But the Prime Minister confirmed that students would still get ‘the qualifications they need and deserve for their academic career.’ This created an obvious headache for public administration: the objective was to create a legitimate system of assessment, which could maintain confidence, without actual assessments.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 28th July 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Circuit poll: Barristers set to quit if court hours are extended – Legal Futures

Posted July 28th, 2020 in barristers, carers, coronavirus, courts, news, women, working time by sally

‘Some 55% barristers would consider leave the Bar if the courts adopt extended operating hours (EOH) and they could set back female barristers’ progress by 50 years, research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 27th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Police in England and Wales ‘twice as likely’ to fine young BAME men during lockdown – The Guardian

‘Police were twice as likely to fine young black and Asian men under the lockdown rules than their white counterparts, according to new figures that underline concerns about racial bias in policing.’

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The Guardian, 27th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Only 19 bereaved families approved for NHS staff coronavirus compensation scheme – The Guardian

‘Only 19 families of NHS and social care workers who died after contracting coronavirus have so far been approved for the £60,000 compensation payment from the government.’

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The Guardian, 26th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Justice secretary drops plan to replace jury trials – Legal Futures

‘Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland has dropped a widely criticised plan to replace juries in some criminal trials with a judge and two magistrates.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Video witnessing of wills to be made legal in England and Wales during pandemic – The Guardian

Posted July 27th, 2020 in coronavirus, news, video recordings, wills by sally

‘Video witnessing of wills is to be made legal in England and Wales to make it easier for people to record their final wishes during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

What is redundancy, who can be made redundant and what are my rights? – BBC News

Posted July 24th, 2020 in coronavirus, employment, news, redundancy by sally

‘Job losses are climbing as businesses feel the financial effects of the coronavirus crisis.

What are your rights if you are made redundant?’

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BBC News, 24th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Our goodwill has run dry” – hundreds to refuse out-of-hours hearings – Legal Futures

‘Hundreds of crime lawyers have issued public refusals to attend hearings in evenings or at weekends as new figures show that backlogs in courts and tribunals were growing even before the coronavirus.’

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Legal Futures, 24th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

UK set to bring in strict new junk food rules including pre-9pm ad ban – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2020 in advertising, coronavirus, food, health, news by sally

‘The government is set to implement strict rules on how junk food is advertised and sold in the UK, with restrictions such as a ban on online adverts and TV commercials before the 9pm television watershed.’

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The Guardian, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coronavirus: New face covering rules come into force in England – BBC News

‘Face coverings are now compulsory for customers in shops in England, after new coronavirus rules came into force within 12 hours of the government issuing guidance on the change.’

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BBC News, 24th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Asylum seeker to sue Home Office after falling ill with Covid-19 – The Guardian

‘An asylum seeker who became infected with Covid-19 after an outbreak in his accommodation – despite assurances from the Home Office that he would not be at risk from the virus there – is taking legal action against the government.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Demand for legal services to surge after pandemic – Legal Services

Posted July 22nd, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, delay, Law Society, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘The end of the coronavirus pandemic will be followed by a “massive increase” in demand for legal services, the president of the Law Society has predicted.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Campaigners launch legal challenge against UK’s green recovery plans – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2020 in airports, climate change, coronavirus, environmental protection, news by sally

‘Climate campaigners have launched a formal legal challenge against the government’s green recovery plans, claiming they are inadequate and “clearly unlawful” in light of the UK’s obligations to reduce emissions.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government admits breaking privacy law with NHS test and trace – The Guardian

‘The UK government broke the law in rolling out its test-and-trace programme without a full assessment of the privacy implications, the Department of Health and Social Care has admitted after a legal challenge.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Could This Emergency Law Prevent Thousands Becoming Homeless? – Each Other

Posted July 21st, 2020 in bills, coronavirus, housing, news, repossession by sally

‘Housing campaigners are urging the government to introduce emergency legislation to protect tens of thousands of private renters at risk of being made homeless.’

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Each Other, 20th July 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Legal aid minister under fire from practitioners – Legal Futures

Posted July 21st, 2020 in coronavirus, criminal justice, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

‘Criminal lawyers took their fight for government support direct to the legal aid minister yesterday, haranguing him mercilessly during an online meeting and complaining that barristers were operating on “petrol fumes” due to the absence of jury trials.’

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Legal Futures, 21st July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Location of ‘Nightingale courts’ to tackle case backlog in England and Wales revealed – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2020 in civil justice, coronavirus, courts, criminal justice, delay, news by sally

‘The locations of 10 emergency “Nightingale courts” created by the Ministry of Justice for socially distanced trials to tackle the massive backlog in cases in England and Wales have been announced.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

FCA begins case over insurers’ refusal to pay firms’ Covid-19 claims – The Guardian

‘The City regulator will on Monday begin a test case on behalf of thousands of businesses that claim they should have been paid by insurers to cover closures during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mystery directions – Nearly Legal

‘In the evening of Friday 17 July, The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 appeared, having apparently been laid earlier that day. These will come into force on 23 August 2020.’

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Nearly Legal, 18th July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Coronavirus: Ten ‘Nightingale Courts’ in England and Wales to open – BBC News

Posted July 20th, 2020 in coronavirus, courts, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics, trials by sally

‘Ten temporary courts are being set up to help clear a backlog of hearings caused by the coronavirus pandemic.’

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BBC News, 19th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk