‘Dangerous path to go down’: four legal experts on the Post Office exoneration bill – The Guardian

‘The government’s decision to pass a law overturning the convictions of post office operators has left many lawyers and judges uneasy.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Union reports MoD to watchdog over handling of sexual abuse allegations – The Guardian

‘The Ministry of Defence has been reported to the equalities watchdog after claims from female civil servants that it has failed adequately to address allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The union Prospect wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) asking for an investigation into whether the MoD was failing in its public sector equalities duty in relation to discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The EHRC will now have to decide whether to take action.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Asylum accommodation to be excluded from social housing landlords crackdown – The Guardian

‘Accommodation used to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers, often the worst in the UK when it comes to damp and mould, will be excluded from a crackdown on landlords managing social housing, the Guardian has learned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Delays at Probate Service starting to ease, says minister – Legal Futures

Posted January 12th, 2024 in delay, government departments, HM Courts Service, news, probate, statistics by sally

‘Delays at the Probate Service are shortening in the wake of a “distinct improvement in recruitment, competency, productivity and call handling”, the government said this week.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

UK government admits Rwanda has ‘issues with its human rights record’ – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2024 in asylum, bills, deportation, government departments, human rights, immigration, news, Rwanda by sally

‘The government has admitted that Rwanda still has “issues with its human rights record” despite claims by Rishi Sunak that it is a safe country.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

An end to ‘a reasonable period’? Awaab’s Law – Nearly Legal

‘As you will doubtless recall, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 introduced a new section 10A Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, implying a term into all social tenancies that the landlord will comply with all “prescribed requirements” on responding to relevant defects to be specified in regulations – the framework for “Awaab’s Law”. A breach of section 10A would be actionable by the tenant in the County Court – quite possibly together with section 9A/10 and section 11.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 9th January 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Government consults on legal requirements for social landlords to address hazards including damp and mould quickly – and in some cases within 24 hours – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has launched a consultation on the introduction of strict time limits for social housing providers requiring them to take swift action in addressing dangerous hazards such as damp and mould.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Domestic abuse victims to be given up to £2,500 to help them flee partners – The Independent

Posted January 10th, 2024 in domestic violence, government departments, news, victims by sally

‘Domestic abuse victims will be given up to £2,500 to help them escape their situation under a new government scheme.’

Full Story

The Independent, 9th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Appeal examines procedural unfairness in EEA family permit case and holds FTT acted unfairly on remittances – EIN Blog

Posted January 10th, 2024 in appeals, families, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has held that the FTT had acted unfairly during the hearing of an appeal against the SSHD’s refusal of Dahir Elmi Abdi, Ubah Elmi Abdi and Mahrez Sharif Hassan’s applications for EEA family permits by failing to give them and their brother Ashkir Elmi Abdi, an EEA national on whom they claimed to be financially dependent, an opportunity to address the point on which it dismissed their appeal, i.e. the remittances demonstrating dependence did not come from him, based on a calculation showing that his declared income in the UK could not have supported the amounts he claimed to have sent, and therefore they were not financially dependent on him.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 10th January 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Gas drilling at site in Jeremy Hunt’s Surrey constituency given green light – The Guardian

‘Gas drilling at a site in the Surrey Hills can go ahead after the court of appeal ruled that no further attempts to stop the project could be brought to court.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Post Office scandal could lead to rules change on private prosecutions – The Guardian

‘Rules to prevent companies taking private prosecutions in the way the Post Office went after innocent post office operators are being considered by the government.’

Full Story

The Guardian, January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ministers to meet to discuss Post Office Horizon scandal – BBC News

‘Ministers are to meet to consider possible ways of clearing the names of hundreds of sub-postmasters convicted in the Post Office Horizon scandal.’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How to lift the No Recourse to Public Funds condition – EIN Blog

‘The “No Recourse to Public Funds” Condition is imposed on grant of limited leave to remain which in effect means that the person holding that leave cannot obtain public funds. However, it is possible to ask the Home Office to lift the condition and there are special criteria to be met.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 2nd January 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Cleverly says UK asylum backlog cleared as almost 100,000 wait for decision – The Guardian

Posted January 3rd, 2024 in asylum, delay, government departments, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘Almost 100,000 people seeking asylum in the UK are waiting for a decision amid growing claims that ministers have massaged official figures to try to show that they have cut the backlog of cases.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sizewell C nuclear plant project upheld by Court of Appeal – BBC News

‘Government approval of the planned Sizewell C nuclear plant was lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Troubles legacy act: Ireland takes human rights case against UK – BBC News

‘The Irish government is to begin a legal challenge against the UK government over its decision to offer immunity for Troubles-era crimes.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Schools in England ‘face legal risks if they follow new transgender guidance’ – The Guardian

‘Schools in England could face legal action if they follow new guidance on how to treat transgender children, ministers’ own lawyers have reportedly warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alerter by Tim Green KC & Douglas Maxwell – The fundamental reform of product safety? – Henderson Chambers

Posted December 20th, 2023 in chambers articles, compensation, government departments, health & safety, news by sally

This article provides a concise summary of the significant changes that are being considered to the UK’s product safety regulation over the next 12 months. In August 2023, the Department for Business and Trade (the “DBT”) and the Office for Product Safety and Standards’ (the “OPSS”) published a Consultation on “Smarter regulation: UK product safety review” (the “Consultation”). The Consultation was part of the Government’s “smarter regulation strategy” and broader regulatory reform of product safety. The Ministerial Forward did not shy away from the potential scale of the changes, stating “fundamental reform is necessary”. The relatively short Consultation window closed on 24 October 2023.’

Full Story

Henderson Chambers, 3rd November 2023

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Cassandra Somers-Joce: Public Inquiries, the Public Record, and Governmental Accountability – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted December 20th, 2023 in constitutional law, disclosure, government departments, inquiries, news by sally

‘“Public inquiries are one of Britain’s only growth industries,” the Financial Times has suggested recently. Research from the Institute for Government demonstrates that there were 69 public inquiries launched between 1990 and 2017, compared with 19 in the previous 30 years. Several high-profile public inquiries are open at time of writing, including the Grenfell Inquiry, the Covid-19 Inquiry, and the Post Office Horizon Inquiry. The near-constant media coverage of the Covid-19 Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, serves as a reminder of the role that public inquiries play in ensuring accountability and scrutiny. Each week of the Covid-19 Inquiry has painted a fuller picture of governmental decision making during the pandemic. The Covid-19 Inquiry has, however, demonstrated the shortcomings in governmental record-keeping and disclosure, particularly with respect to decisions which were taken via private communications platforms such as WhatsApp.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th December 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Legal action planned over UK’s ‘cruel’ income threshold visa rules – The Guardian

‘Multinational families threatened with division or exile by tough new income thresholds for living together in the UK are planning legal action to overturn the “cruel and inhumane” policy.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com