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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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 sally

‘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

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

Posted June 5th, 2017 in appeals, government departments, immigration, news, tribunals by sally

‘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

Afghanistan blast scientist Lee Peters receives MoD payout – BBC News

‘A scientist who lost three fingers when a suspicious package exploded as he handled it has been compensated by the Ministry of Defence.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Society tells attorney general: open advocacy panels to solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 17th, 2017 in advocacy, government departments, news, solicitor advocates by sally

‘The Law Society has urged the attorney general to give a warmer welcome to solicitor advocates to carry out civil, EU and international work for the government.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 15th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government discriminated against job applicant with Asperger’s – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Government Legal Service (GLS) discriminated against a woman with Asperger’s syndrome, who had applied to join it, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th May 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government set to be taken back to court over air pollution plans – The Guardian

‘Environment lawyers are expected to take the government back to court over its controversial plans to tackle the UK’s air pollution crisis. They say the proposals are so weak they flout ministers’ obligation to protect public health.

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The Guardian, 6th May 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government loses criminal records disclosure appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 5th, 2017 in criminal records, disclosure, government departments, news by sally

‘The government will have to go back to the drawing board over its criminal records disclosure scheme after losing a Court of Appeal challenge in relation to rules for multiple convictions.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 5th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

APIL pushes for “predictable claim process” for fixed cost clinical negligence cases – Litigation Futures

Posted May 3rd, 2017 in costs, government departments, negligence, news, personal injuries by sally

‘The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has called for a “predictable claim process” for clinical negligence actions if the government goes ahead with its plan to impose fixed costs for cases worth up to £25,000.’

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Litigation futures, 2nd May 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Government loses bid to suppress pollution plan that could drop ‘controversial bomb’ on election – The Independent

Posted April 28th, 2017 in delay, elections, environmental protection, government departments, news by sally

‘The Government has lost a High Court bid to delay publication of an air pollution plan – described as a “controversial bomb” by its own lawyer – until after the General Election.’

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The Independent, 27th April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High court orders UK government to explain clean air plan delay – The Guardian

‘The government has been ordered back to the high court to explain its last-minute bid to delay publication of the UK’s clean air plan.’

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The Guardian, 25th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk