Grenfell Tower Inquiry on hold until July at earliest amid coronavirus pandemic – BBC News
‘The Grenfell Tower Inquiry will not resume until July at the earliest, organisers have said.’
BBC News, 19th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: coronavirus
Up to 1,500 English primary schools to defy 1 June reopening plan – The Guardian
‘Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are expected to remain closed on 1 June after a rebellion by at least 18 councils forced the government to say it had no plans to sanction them.’
The Guardian, 19th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
FCA instructs City giant to run BI insurance test cases – Litigation Futures
‘The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has instructed City giant Herbert Smith Freehills for the test cases it intends to run on whether business interruption (BI) insurance covers the coronavirus pandemic.’
Litigation Futures, 18th May 2020
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Getting the Court to Hear Your Case During the Pandemic – 3PB
‘The county court has responded rapidly to the sudden and unprecedented change to its working practices. However, the move to remote hearings has brought a marked decline in the retention of existing listings. Many litigants have found their hearings adjourned by the court even when those hearings were, on the face of it, suitable for hearing remotely.’
3PB, 12th May 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
COVID-19 : a murderous virus? – Church Court Chambers
‘Notwithstanding the seriousness of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a global effort to fight the same, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to exacerbate the horror of the virus by spitting at others, purporting to have coronavirus. The Criminal Justice System is sadly accustomed to dealing with offences that involve threats to spread disease via bodily fluids; these offenders are often seeking to cause psychological terror and harm, rather than physical harm. However in circumstances such as this, the immediate psychological fear caused by the concern that the victim may have contracted the virus, may then be sadly outweighed by the pain and suffering of contracting the virus and subsequent death.’
Church Court Chambers, May 2020
Source: churchcourtchambers.co.uk
Planning for the Future – 39 Essex Chambers
‘There has been a determined effort by Ministers and much of government to keep the planning system going during the coronavirus crisis. The ability to carry out development is one of the means of maintaining jobs and restoring the economy as the country comes out of lockdown.’
39 Essex Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: www.39essex.com
Who gets the ventilator? Important legal rights in a pandemic – Blackstone Chambers
‘COVID-19 is a highly contagious infection with no proven treatment. Approximately 2.5% of patients need mechanical ventilation while their body fights the infection.1 Once COVID-19 patients reach the point of critical illness where ventilation is necessary, they tend to deteriorate quickly. During the pandemic, patients with other conditions may also present at the hospital needing emergency ventilation. But ventilation of a COVID-19 patient can last for 2–3 weeks. Accordingly, if all ventilators are in use, there will not be time for patients to ‘queue up’ to wait for those who arrived earlier to recover. Those who need a ventilator will die if they do not receive access to one quickly.’
Blackstone Chambers, 14th May 2020
Second edition released of Cloisters Toolkit: Returning to work in the time of Coronavirus – Cloisters
‘A second edition of Cloisters Toolkit: Returning to work in the time of Coronavirus is now available. The comprehensive guide takes account of the latest government guidance on workplaces, travel to work and the furlough scheme.’
Cloisters, 12th May 2020
Source: www.cloisters.com
John Bowers QC’s Employment Law Blog: Disobeying reasonable instructions – Littleton Chambers
‘As Britain gears up to go back to work the issue of whether employees can refuse to carry out certain tasks (or to work at all) will come to the fore as it has in other countries where the lock down has been lifted. The unions are already making it an issue. Clearly people will say I will not work without appropriate social or physical distancing. They may also argue that they are not willing to work without personal protection equipment. Or that they do not want to go to work on public transport. There is likely to be a great deal of litigation and some hard cases to be decided. So how does the law strike the necessary balance? This is not something that happened much in pre covid life but there are some precedents.’
Littleton Chambers, 11th May 2020
Source: littletonchambers.com
Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (‘SEISS’) – Old Square Chambers
‘With the scheme going live on 13 May 2020, Giles Powell and Conor Kennedy consider the SEISS and its effects.’
Old Square Chambers, 12th May 2020
Source: www.oldsquare.co.uk
How court trials are coping with coronavirus – BBC News
‘A pilot scheme has begun to restart jury trials in the UK after they were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.’
BBC News, 18th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Is it really true that Covid-19 is the virus that does not discriminate? – Park Square Barristers
‘Well that is what we have repeatedly been told by politicians and various medical and scientific advisers. However, statistical evidence shows to the contrary and that if you are BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) then you are up to 4 times more likely to die after contracting the Coronavirus, making it clear that this is far from a level playing field.’
Park Square Barristers, 14th May 2020
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Ofcom: Christian TV network aired Covid-19 conspiracies – The Guardian
‘A Christian television channel founded by a Lagos-based megachurch pastor has been sanctioned by Ofcom for airing “potentially harmful statements” about the Covid-19 pandemic, including a baseless conspiracy that the virus is linked to the rollout of 5G phone networks.’
The Guardian, 18th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Public Funds Part 2: Claiming Child Benefit – Richmond Chambers
‘In this second post, following on from Public Funds Part 1: Public Funds and Coronavirus we examine the one benefit that can potentially be claimed by migrants subject to the no recourse to public funds condition – child benefit.’
Richmond Chambers, 15th May 2020
Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk
PPE: a consideration of civil liabilities – St Philips Barristers
‘Have we ever talked so much about PPE? Each breakfast bulletin features interviews with essential workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, varyingly reporting inadequacies, shortages and faltering supply lines. When a shipment lands, it makes the news.’
St Philips Barristers, 14th May 2020
Source: st-philips.com
Safeguards over deprivations of liberty are “indispensable” to frail and vulnerable, says senior judge, amid “striking and troubling” drop in number of s.21A applications – Local Government Lawyer
‘The view that careful adherence to proper legal process and appropriate authorisation of deprivations of liberty may now, at times, be required to give way to other pressing welfare priorities is “entirely misconceived”, the Vice President of the Court of Protection has warned.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th May 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
A2P1 and Access to Education during Covid-19 – Monckton Chambers
‘As the home-time bell rang on 20 March 2020, schools and other educational providers across the country closed their doors in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The only pupils currently permitted to attend school are vulnerable children and the children of key workers. All children, however, continue to enjoy the right to education under Article 2 of the First Protocol (A2P1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).’
Monckton Chambers, 18th May 2020
Source: www.monckton.com
Return To Work During The Coronavirus Pandemic – Navigating Through The Employment Law Minefield – Hardwicke Chambers
‘With the recent announcement that lockdown measures are to be eased, and those who cannot work from home should return to work, we are likely to see a greater proportion of the workplace slowly return to work. The Prime Minister has announced that those in construction and manufacturing, scientific research, logistics and food production should return to work, once their employers have confirmed that it is safe for them to do so and set a “road-map” for the re-opening of shops, restaurants and other venues as well as workplace specific guidance for working safely during coronavirus.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
A patent problem in the global antiviral race? – Counsel
‘Foreign patents could prevent UK citizens accessing treatment for COVID-19, warns Professor Mark Engelman.’
Counsel, May 2020
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
COVID-19, Care Homes and Contact: BP v Surrey County Council & RP – Pump Court Chambers
‘On 2 April 2020 Hayden J handed down a judgment dated 25 March 2020 in the case of BP v Surrey County council & RP [2020] EWCOP 17 concerning the suspension of contact in a care home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a further written judgment dated 17 April 2020 which serves to clarify the reported judgment in relation to the law of derogation: BP v Surrey County Council & RP [2020] EWCOP 22.’
Pump Court Chambers, 14th May 2020
Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com
