No secure care place available for ‘dangerous’ teenager, UK judge told – The Guardian

‘A senior judge has expressed concern after being told there is no secure accommodation anywhere in the country for a “troubled and dangerous” teenager believed to be involved in serious gangland activity.’

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The Guardian, 24th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government to consider laser pen licence after attack rise – BBC News

Posted August 14th, 2017 in aircraft, consultations, government departments, licensing, news, weapons by sally

‘Buying powerful laser pens could require a licence in future, the government has said, amid concerns over the number of attacks on aircraft.’

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BBC News, 12th August 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK judges rule DWP wrong to deny appeals over refused benefits – The Guardian

‘The Department for Work and Pensions has been unlawfully stopping people going to tribunal to appeal against decisions to refuse them benefits, three senior judges have ruled.’

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The Guardian, 4th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government threatened with new court action for ‘failing to act’ on harsh impact of immigration rules on children – The Independent

‘Campaigners have threatened a fresh court challenge after accusing the Government of failing to act on the Supreme Court’s ruling that harsh immigration rules unfairly punish children.’

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The Independent, 31st July 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Building regulations to be reviewed after safety tests following Grenfell – The Guardian

‘The government has announced an independent review of building regulations after tests showed that at least 82 residential high-rises use a combination of insulation and cladding that does not meet fire safety standards.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trojan Horse affair: remaining disciplinary proceedings dropped – The Guardian

‘The government has given up its two-year-long attempt to ban teachers caught up in the Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham, after those in the remaining cases were told disciplinary action against them has been halted.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ministers ‘undermined law’ over Iraq war crimes allegations – The Guardian

‘The government has been accused of undermining the rule of law by putting pressure on an independent regulator in its action against a legal firm pursuing claims of human rights abuses involving British troops in Iraq.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Contaminated blood inquiry runs into trouble as victims boycott consultation – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2017 in blood products, government departments, HIV, inquiries, news, victims by tracey

‘Officials forced to rethink plans as all key campaign groups refuse to attend meeting due to involvement of Department of Health.’

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The Guardian, 21st july 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office fined £366,900 for breaking pay cap for abuse inquiry chief – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2017 in child abuse, fines, government departments, inquiries, news, remuneration by tracey

‘The Home Office has been fined £366,900 for breaching the government’s senior salary pay cap when it appointed the head of a child sex abuse inquiry. It was penalised by the Treasury for failing to get clearance in advance before agreeing to pay Professor Alexis Jay £185,000 a year.’

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BBC News, 14th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Secretary announces action plan to tackle acid attacks – Home Office

‘Victims and survivors will be at the centre of a new government strategy aimed at reducing the number and impact of acid attacks.’

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Home Office, 16th July 2017

Source: www.gov.uk

“Real misery is being caused to no good purpose” – Nearly Legal

‘This was the judicial review of the ‘reduced’ benefit cap – £20,000 pa outside London, £23,000 in London, brought by claimants who were all single mothers with children, including children under two years old. The claim was on the basis that the regulations were discriminatory, either against women as the majority of single parents, or against the children, on the basis that single parents of children under two years old were not able to ‘escape’ the cap by obtaining 16 hours or more a week of employment.’

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Nearly Legal, 25th June 2017

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

In depth look at the new Home Office settlement policy for refugees after five years – Free Movement

Posted June 23rd, 2017 in government departments, immigration, news, refugees by tracey

‘In March 2017 the Home Office has announced a new policy of reviewing whether all refugees require protection at the end of a 5 year initial period of Refugee Status. This policy is effective for all existing and future applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain (“ILR”) as a Refugee. This policy has now been effective for three months and, with Refugee Week upon us, it is a good opportunity to delve into it in greater detail.’

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Free Movement, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Government acted unlawfully by restricting ‘ethical’ boycotts of Israel, High Court rules – The Independent

‘The Government acted unlawfully by seeking to restrict “ethical” boycotts of Israel, the High Court has ruled. After accepting a judicial review, the judge said Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, acted unlawfully in issuing guidance to restrict local councils from pursuing boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel through their pension schemes.’

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The Independent, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Term-time holiday legal battle has cost taxpayers almost £140,000 so far – The Guardian

Posted June 23rd, 2017 in costs, education, fines, government departments, holidays, news, school children by tracey

‘The government spent almost £140,000 of taxpayers’ money on a prolonged legal battle against a father who took his daughter out of school for a holiday during term-time, according to new figures.’

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The Guardian, 23rd June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cap on benefits for single parents with toddlers ruled unlawful in landmark judgment – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 23rd, 2017 in benefits, class actions, families, government departments, judges, news, poverty by tracey

‘A central plank of the Government’s benefit reform programme has suffered a major setback after a High Court judge ruled it was unlawful and was causing “real misery” to single parents and their children.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Refugee campaigners launch legal challenge over Home Office ‘failure’ to implement Dubs scheme – The Independent

‘Campaigners have launched a High Court challenge against the Government over the number of unaccompanied child refugees accepted into the UK under the Dubs scheme.’

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The Independent, 20th June 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Leigh Day exonerated after longest and most expensive disciplinary tribunal prosecution ever – Legal Futures

‘The longest and most expensive case brought in the history of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ended with high-profile claimant lawyer Martyn Day, two of his colleagues and his firm Leigh Day fully exonerated.’

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Legal Futures, 9th June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law Society warns of lack of legal advice in redress scheme for birth injuries – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 7th, 2017 in birth, government departments, health, Law Society, news, personal injuries by sally

‘The Law Society has told the Department of Health that its proposed rapid resolution and redress (RRR) scheme will fail to deliver its intended result of fewer severe avoidable birth injuries.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th June 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Zimbabwean national unlawfully detained after Home Office fails to serve immigration decision – Free Movement

‘Substantial damages of £10,500 have been awarded to a claimant who was unlawfully detained for a period of 70 days. The Home Office had failed to serve the Claimant with notice of a decision on his application to vary his leave to remain in the UK before detaining him, rendering his detention unlawful. The case is R (on the application of) Godwin Chaparadza v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 1209 (Admin).’

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Free Movement, 7th June 2017

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

When must the tribunal allow appeals against Home Office decisions containing errors of law? – Free Movement

Posted June 6th, 2017 in appeals, government departments, immigration, news, tribunals by tracey

‘Where the Secretary of State makes an error of law in a decision which is then appealed to the tribunal, does the tribunal have to allow that appeal on the basis that the decision contains an error of law? Not unless the decision as a whole is unlawful, finds the Court of Appeal in Singh (India) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWCA Civ 362 (24 May 2017).’

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Free Movement 5th June 2017

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk