Non-fatal strangulation to carry five years in prison under reforms – The Guardian

‘Ministers will make non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence punishable by five years’ imprisonment following pressure from campaigners.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government reveals long-awaited whiplash rules and tariffs – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government has confirmed that legislation paving the way for whiplash reforms will come into force from 31 May. Newly-published draft statutory instruments have also finally indicated the tariff levels at which damages will be set for soft tissue injuries suffered in road traffic accidents.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 26th February 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government agrees to call pregnant ministers ‘mothers’ – The Independent

‘The government has agreed to change the wording in its new maternity leave legislation from referring to “pregnant people” to “mothers” after the phrasing was rejected by the House of Lords – despite gender-neutral language being government convention.’

Full Story

The Independent, 26th February 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New UK laws needed to stop hate speech and extremism, says report – The Guardian

‘Massive gaps in the law allow terrorism to be glorified and hatred to be spread, and a major crackdown is needed to stop more violence being triggered, an official report has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

James Bevan: ‘10-year prison sentences for breaching COVID-19 entry requirements into the United Kingdom’? Governmental Decree is undermining the Rule of Law – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, announced in Parliament on Tuesday 9th February that those returning from ‘red list’ countries who fail to disclose that fact could receive a 10-year prison sentence following conviction (see The Telegraph).’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 24th February 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

The PPE procurement case: transparency missed in both politics and law – Transparency Project

Posted February 24th, 2021 in coronavirus, government departments, judicial review, news, public procurement by sally

‘Last week the High Court made a widely publicised decision declaring that a government minister and his department had acted unlawfully in relation to the award of PPE procurement contracts in the early weeks of the pandemic. The case is called R (Good Law Project and others) v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care [2021] EWHC 346 (Admin). It’s of particular interest to us because it’s all about transparency.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 23rd February 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Fewer than one in six ‘hostile environment’ raids led to deportations – The Guardian

‘Fewer than one in six of more than 44,000 “intelligence-led” Home Office immigration enforcement raids on people’s homes since the introduction of the “hostile environment” policy have resulted in deportations, according to data obtained by the Guardian.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Fly-tipping: Licensing system failing to stop dumping, Panorama finds – BBC News

Posted February 22nd, 2021 in enforcement, government departments, licensing, local government, news, waste by tracey

‘A BBC Panorama investigation has revealed how the government’s licensing system for waste carriers fails to stop fly-tipping. All businesses that transport and dispose of waste in England have to be licensed with the Environment Agency.
But there are few checks on who gets a licence and BBC Panorama found licensed firms can still be involved in the dumping of rubbish.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Provision of support to trafficking victims following a negative conclusive grounds decision – Garden Court Chambers

‘In MN v SSHD [2020] EWCA Civ 1746 the Court of Appeal considered several linked cases brought by victims of trafficking who had received negative Conclusive Grounds decisions.’

Full Story

Garden Court Chambers, 17th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

At-home early medical abortions should be made permanent, say advocacy groups – The Guardian

‘Covid legislation in England allows patients in first 10 weeks of pregnancy to take pills at home.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trust in law at risk if ministers bypass parliament, says ex-legal chief – The Guardian

‘Public trust in the law is at risk if ministers continue to rush through hundreds of new rules and legislation, bypassing parliament and leaving citizens, businesses and police in the dark, the former head of the government’s legal department has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK’s £1,000 child citizenship fee ruled unlawful by appeal court – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2021 in appeals, children, citizenship, fees, government departments, news by tracey

‘Home Office fees of £1,000 for children to register as British citizens are unlawful, the court of appeal has upheld in a landmark ruling.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid: Court rejects self-employed mothers’ sexual discrimination case – BBC News

‘The charity Pregnant Then Screwed has lost its legal challenge against the government for indirect sexual discrimination over the amount of support self-employed mothers received.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DWP uses excessive surveillance on suspected fraudsters, report finds – The Guardian

‘Suspected benefit fraudsters in the UK are being subjected to excessive surveillance techniques such as being tailed by government officers or identified in CCTV footage, according to a report.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge hits out at lack of regulated placement for vulnerable, suicidal 16 year old, despite 11 High Court hearings and sending series of judgments to ministers – Local Government Lawyer

‘An exasperated High Court judge has sent a fourth judgment to ministers over the continuing unavailability of a regulated placement for a vulnerable 16 year old with multifaceted difficulties and at a high risk of serious self-harm or suicide.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 12th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Covid: HSE refuses to close workplaces that are putting employees at risk – The Guardian

‘The government’s health and safety watchdog has failed to shut down any workplaces that put employees at risk of coronavirus even though there have been over 3,500 outbreaks at work since the start of the pandemic, the Observer has discovered.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ban on bailiff-enforced evictions in England extended to end of March – The Guardian

‘The ban on bailiff-enforced evictions in England is to be extended until the end of March, the government has announced.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdogs to inspect controversial barracks housing asylum seekers after health fears – The Independent

‘The UK’s prison and immigration watchdogs are to carry out an investigation of two controversial military barracks that are housing asylum seekers, amid mounting concern about conditions on the sites.’

Full Story

The Independent, 11th February 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK government accused of ‘dragging heels’ on racism – The Guardian

‘The government is still “dragging its heels” on racism, according to MPs and race equality campaigners critical of its response to a damning parliamentary report on Black people and human rights.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid travel rule-breakers could face 10-year jail terms, says Hancock – The Guardian

‘Travellers arriving from coronavirus hotspots could face £10,000 fines and jail sentences of up to 10 years under a package of measures designed to stop new variants entering Britain.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com