Home Office told to disclose advice behind decision on intercept evidence – The Guardian

‘The Home Office has been ordered to release secret legal advice justifying its decision to prevent intercept evidence being used in criminal trials. The ruling by an information tribunal could shine a light on the way intelligence agencies gather and store material as well as on their relationship with law enforcement organisations. The appeal for the advice to be disclosed was made by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law which submitted a Freedom of Information request to uncover the reasoning behind a 2009 report, entitled “Intercept as Evidence”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Treasury ordered to pay £142,000 to ‘whistleblower’ former civil servant – The Guardian

‘The Treasury has been ordered to pay £142,000 to a former senior civil servant after refusing to carry out a previous tribunal’s ruling that he should be found another job.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Her Majesty’s Passport Office made directly accountable to Ministers – Home Office

Posted September 26th, 2014 in government departments, immigration, passports, press releases by tracey

‘Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) is to be brought into the Home Office and made directly accountable to Ministers, Home Secretary Theresa May has announced today.’

Full press release

Home Office, 26th September 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Defence ministry agrees to provide court information to reporters – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2014 in armed forces, courts, courts martial, government departments, news, publishing by tracey

‘Two days ago I reported that the Military Court Service (MCS) had been withholding from journalists vital information about trials. Now, it would appear, there has been a climbdown or, to quote the official version of events, an announcement that a review of the system has resulted in a change of mind.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th September2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Call for inquiry into death at Morton Hall immigration detention centre – The Guardian

‘The family of a 26-year-old man who died at an immigration detention centre have called for an urgent independent inquiry saying they have concerns about the circumstances surrounding his death.’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Chancellors should be judges, APIL argues – Legal Futures

‘Lord Chancellors should be recruited from the judiciary and no longer combine the role with that of justice secretary, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has argued.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 29th August 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Badger cull faces fresh legal challenge – The Guardian

Posted August 21st, 2014 in agriculture, animals, environmental health, government departments, news by tracey

‘The Badger Trust is back in court on Thursday with a new legal challenge over the government’s badger cull policy. It is seeking a High Court ruling that there has been an unlawful failure to put in place an independent expert panel to oversee this year’s planned cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK taxpayer faces £220m bill over e-borders contract termination – The Guardian

Posted August 19th, 2014 in contracts, damages, government departments, news, tribunals by tracey

‘The taxpayer has been left to foot a £220m bill after a tribunal ruled that a government contract awarded to a US defence firm to deliver the e-borders programme was unlawfully terminated.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Review of the investigation of alleged Home Office failure to act on allegations of child abuse in the 1980s – Home Office

Posted July 25th, 2014 in child abuse, government departments, inquiries, reports by tracey

‘A review, led by Peter Wanless, of the investigation into the handling of information received by the Home Office in relation to child abuse allegations.’

Terms of reference

Home Office, 24th July 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

YS v Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel; Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel v M and another – WLR Daily

Posted July 18th, 2014 in data protection, EC law, government departments, immigration, law reports by tracey

YS v Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel; Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel v M and another; (Joined Cases C-141/12 and C-372/12) ECLI:EU:C:2014:2081; [2014] WLR (D) 324

‘Article 2(a) of Parliament and Council Directive 95/46/EC meant that data relating to an applicant for a residence permit contained in an administrative document amounted to “personal data”. Article 12(a) of Directive 95/46 and article 8(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union meant that an applicant for a residence permit had a right of access to all personal data concerning him which were processed by the national administrative authorities within the meaning of article 2(b). For that right to be complied with, it was sufficient that the applicant was in possession of a full summary of those data in an intelligible form, which allowed the applicant to become aware of those data and to check that they were accurate and processed in compliance with that Directive, so that he could, where relevant, exercise the rights conferred on him by that Directive. Article 41(2)(b) of the Charter meant that the applicant for a residence permit could not rely on that provision against the national authorities.’

WLR Daily, 17th July 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Ethiopian man takes UK to court over resettlement policy – BBC News

Posted July 15th, 2014 in government departments, human rights, judicial review, news by tracey

‘A legal battle has been launched by an Ethiopian citizen who claims the UK has helped to fund a “brutal” resettlement programme in his country. The man, who can only be referred to as “O”, won permission to seek a judicial review at London’s High Court. He wants a ruling that the UK acted unlawfully by providing aid to Ethiopia without assessing its human rights record.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lady Butler-Sloss stands down from child-abuse inquiry – The Guardian

‘Lady Butler-Sloss, the retired high court judge, has resigned as chair of the panel that is due to examine the extent to which public institutions failed to investigate allegations of child abuse.

Full story

The Guardian, 14th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child abuse victims to sue Government – The Independent

‘An alleged victim of historical child abuse has instructed lawyers over his intention to take legal action, claiming the Government is in breach of its obligations to victims of abuse. The victim, who has asked not to be named for legal reasons, believes the government has not lived up to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees respect for home life. Had it done so, it is claimed, many more victims would have come forward to assist the police. The victim is an alleged survivor of child abuse at Grafton Close, a care home run by Richmond Borough Council in south-west London.’

Full story

The Independent, 13th July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Office’s lost child abuse files: a victim’s story – The Guardian

‘When it emerged last week that 114 files containing allegations of child sex abuse had disappeared from the Home Office, survivors began to ask questions about whether their abuse had been deliberately covered up or ignored by the authorities.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Immigration: Serious failings within Government system carry ‘high risk of unfairness’ for asylum seekers, says High Court judge – The Independent

Posted July 9th, 2014 in asylum, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has ruled that a system for fast-tracking asylum claims has “serious failings” and is being operated unlawfully by the Government.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Alison Hewitt family awarded £130,000 for stalker failings – BBC News

‘A family who endured a “living nightmare” at the hands of a stalker are to receive £130,000 because of Home Office failings.

Full story

BBC News, 8th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NSPCC wants covering up abuse to be criminal offence – BBC News

‘The man leading a review into how the Home Office handled historical allegations of child abuse has said people who cover up such crimes should be prosecuted.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

District council loses High Court bid to stop DCLG claw back of EU funds – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 8th, 2014 in advertising, contracts, government departments, local government, news by tracey

‘A district council has lost a judicial review challenge over the Communities Secretary’s decision to claw back almost £160,000 in payments made from the European Regional Development Fund.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th July 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Harassed family gets payout after Home Office failings – BBC News

‘A family who endured a “living nightmare” at the hands of a violent criminal is to receive a £130,000 payout over Home Office failings.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Westminster child abuse allegations: Government to set up ‘wide-ranging’ inquiry – The Independent

Posted July 7th, 2014 in child abuse, government departments, inquiries, news, police by sally

‘The Home Secretary Theresa May will this afternoon back down and announce that the Government is planning to set up a “wide-ranging” inquiry into historic sex abuse claims.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk