More visible policing and swifter consequences for antisocial behaviour – Home Office

Posted July 7th, 2023 in anti-social behaviour, government departments, news, police by tracey

‘Communities across England and Wales will see more police patrolling antisocial behaviour hotspots and perpetrators will face tougher, swifter consequences.’

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Home Office, 6th July 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Court orders ministers to hand Boris Johnson’s WhatsApps to Covid inquiry – The Guardian

‘Ministers have been ordered to hand over an unredacted cache of documents including Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages, notebooks and diaries to the Covid inquiry after losing a legal challenge.’

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The Guardian, 6th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court begins hearing judicial review against Home Office and London borough over support for child trafficking victims – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court is this week (4-5 July) hearing a judicial review challenge brought by a child trafficking victim who contends he was not given any specialist support for his trafficking-related needs from the Home Office and his local authority for several years.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th July 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Why UK court ruled Rwanda isn’t a safe place to send refugees – and what this means for the government’s immigration plans – EIN Blog

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled against the UK government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, adding a significant legal hurdle to the prime minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats”.’

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EIN Blog, 4th July 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

New Judgment: R (on the application of Toraane and another) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] UKSC 23 – UKSC Blog

‘The public sector equality duty (“PSED”) imposed by section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 is a procedural obligation that requires public bodies to have due regard to the equality needs listed in that section when exercising their functions. This appeal concerns the territorial scope of the PSED. It raises the issue of whether a public body is required under the PSED to have due regard to people living outside the United Kingdom when exercising its functions.’

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UKSC Blog, 28th June 2023

Source: ukscblog.com

Lord Anderson publishes review of Investigatory Powers Act – Home Office

‘Lord Anderson has published his independent review of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.’

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Home Office, 30th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

What is conversion therapy and will it be banned? – The Independent

‘Five years have passed since the Government announced its intention to ban conversion therapies. Here is what has happened since.’

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The Independent, 3rd July 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Unpublished policy and unlawful detention: a case note on R (MXK) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In R (MXK) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWHC 1272 (Admin), the Administrative Court held that:
the repeated detention of the claimants – foreign nationals with limited leave to remain – when they returned to the UK from travelling abroad, so that they could be questioned about their NHS debts, was unlawful;
the policy pursuant to which the claimants were detained (the “Policy”) was unlawful because it contained a positive statement of law which was wrong or, alternatively, because it failed to provide a full account of the legal position;
the Policy was unlawful because it was unpublished; and
the Secretary of State for the Home Department (“SSHD”) was in breach of the public sector equality duty (“PSED”) under s.149 of the Equality Act 2010.

In reality, the facts carried the day. This was true not only in relation to the unlawful detention issue, but also on some other points – for example, the SSHD failed to evidence any public interest in not publishing the Policy or any consideration given to the equality impacts of the exercise of the relevant powers of detention. Insofar as there are lessons to be learned, they are likely to be found in the criticisms levelled at the evidence (or lack thereof) provided by the SSHD.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th June 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK high court to look at legal battle over WhatsApp evidence for Covid inquiry – The Guardian

‘A legal battle between the Cabinet Office and Covid public inquiry will be considered by the high court on Friday, amid wrangling over the issue of redacted documents, including Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages.’

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The Guardian, 30th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Braverman plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda unlawful, appeal court rules – The Guardian

‘Court of appeal judges have ruled that it is unlawful to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claims processed, in a judgment that delivers a potential hammer blow to government policy.’

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The Guardian, 29th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office must process asylum claim every four minutes to clear backlog by January – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2023 in asylum, delay, government departments, immigration, news, refugees, statistics by sally

‘The Home Office needs to process an asylum claim every four minutes between now and the end of the year if the prime minister’s pledge to clear the backlog is to be honoured, according to new data.’

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The Guardian, 28th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office delays have devastating effect on child asylum seekers – report – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2023 in asylum, children, delay, government departments, news, reports by sally

‘Lone child asylum seekers are facing fivefold increases in delays in having their claims processed by the Home Office, with devastating consequences, according to a new report.’

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The Guardian, 27th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Campaigners alarmed by rejection of refugees using ‘safe and legal routes’ – The Guardian

‘Campaigners have raised concerns about the high proportion of refugees seeking to join family members in the UK who have their applications rejected by the government, despite using the “safe and legal routes” touted by the home secretary.’

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The Guardian, 26th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Deprivation of liberty safeguards reform delayed – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Major reform of safeguards covering people detained under the Mental Capacity Act will be a matter for the next government, the current government has revealed.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd June 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New guidance needed to stop ministers putting friends on Whitehall boards – The Guardian

‘Ministers may be bringing in political “super-spads” through the backdoor by putting them on the boards of Whitehall departments, a leading committee of MPs has found, as it called for an overhaul of appointment rules.’

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The Guardian, 21st June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police urged to use stop and search to save more lives – Home Office

‘Police leaders must make sure their officers are confident to use stop and search powers wherever necessary, to seize dangerous weapons and prevent knife crime.’

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Home Office, 20th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Windrush: Hundreds with chronic and mental illness sent back to Caribbean – BBC News

‘Hundreds of long-term sick and mentally ill people from the Windrush generation were sent back to the Caribbean in what has been described as a “historic injustice”, the BBC has found.’

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BBC News, 21st June 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Liberty launches judicial review challenge arguing protest law is “unjustified interference” with Parliamentary sovereignty – Local Government Lawyer

‘The National Council for Civil Liberties, also known as Liberty, is threatening a judicial review of the Home Secretary’s efforts to widen the circumstances in which the police can impose conditions on people organising or taking part in protests.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th June 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

More action to fight fraud, bribery and other economic crime – Home Office

‘Plans have been submitted to modernise the identification doctrine, a legal principle which can hold corporations criminally liable for an offence.’

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Home Office, 15th June 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Home Office admits asylum plans in doubt – BBC News

Posted June 16th, 2023 in asylum, bills, delay, government departments, immigration, news, statistics by tracey

‘Plans to improve the asylum system are “in doubt” unless the Home Office takes urgent action, the department has told the government’s spending watchdog.’

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BBC News, 16th June 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk