legislation – Page 62 – Current Awareness

‘The Government has a “duty” to safeguard the thousand-year-old practice of recording Britain’s laws on vellum, a minister has said as he confirmed his department has found the £80,000 needed to safeguard this “great tradition.”‘

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th April 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 13th, 2016 in legislation by sally

SI 2016/500 – The Exempt Charities Order 2016

SI 2016/497 – The Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations Order 2016

SI 2016/496 – The General Dental Council (Fitness to Practise etc.) Order 2016

SI 2016/477 – The Designation of Schools Having a Religious Character (Independent Schools) (England) Order 2016

SI 2016/476 – The Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 4 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 2016

SI 2016/475 – The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/471 – The Hornsea One Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2016

SI 2016/466 – The Education and Adoption Act 2016 (Commencement, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/484 – The Consumer Rights Act 2015 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional Provisions, Savings and Consequential Amendments) (Amendment) Order 2016

SI 2016/481 – The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Consequential Amendments) (Bankruptcy) and the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/482 – The March West and White Fen Internal Drainage Board Order 2016

SI 2016/488 – The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Returning Officers’ Accounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/486 – The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/478 – The Education (National Curriculum) (Specified Purpose) (England) Order 2016

SI 2016/465 – The Water Act 2014 (Commencement No. 6, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2016

SI 2016/458 – The Apprenticeship Certificate (England) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/457 – The Renewables Obligation Closure Etc. (Amendment) Order 2016

SI 2016/455 – The Infrastructure Act 2015 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2016

SI 2016/454 – The Vaccine Damage Payments (Specified Disease) Order 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Chills, thrills and surprises: ten years of freedom of information in the UK – OUP Blog

Posted April 12th, 2016 in freedom of information, legislation, media, news, parliament by sally

‘The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act has been in the news again, when the controversial Independent Commission, much to the surprise of many, concluded the Act was ‘generally working well’, had ‘enhanced openness and transparency… there is no evidence that the Act needs to be radically altered’.’

Full story

OUP Blog, 10th April 2016

Source: http://blog.oup.com

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 8th, 2016 in legislation by sally

Riot Compensation Act 2016

Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Act 2016

NHS (Charitable Trusts Etc) Act 2016

Scotland Act 2016

www.legislation.gov.uk

Ban on legal highs delayed over concerns law is not enforceable – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2016 in delay, drug abuse, drug offences, legislation, news by sally

‘The government’s blanket ban on legal highs that was due to come into effect on 6 April has been postponed for at least a month, the Home Office has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted March 17th, 2016 in adoption, appropriation, budgets, charities, children, drug offences, education, legislation, local government, social security by sally

Psychoactive Substances Act 2016

Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016

Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016

Education and Adoption Act 2016

Childcare Act 2016

Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016

Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Poppers ‘not part of legal highs ban’ – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, homosexuality, legislation, news by sally

‘Government drugs advisers have said “poppers” – used by many gay men to enhance sexual experience – will not be covered by a ban on “legal highs”. The Psychoactive Substances Act, which comes into force in the UK next month, makes it illegal to supply drugs which have a direct effect on mental processes, unless the drug is exempted. Ministers had indicated that poppers would be included in the ban. But advisers say poppers have only a “peripheral” effect on the brain.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mental Capacity Law Newsletter – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted March 15th, 2016 in case management, Court of Protection, legislation, McKenzie friends, mental health, news, pilot schemes, reports by sally

Mental Capacity Law Newsletter (PDF)

39 Essex Chambers, March 2016

Source: www.39essex.com

British women cannot wait 50 years for justice – The Guardian

Posted March 15th, 2016 in equality, judiciary, legislation, news, quotas, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘Men’s domination of the senior echelons of the British judiciary means the law is biased against women. We urgently need gender quotas for women in senior legal roles.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Legal Mechanics of Brexit – 11 KBW

Posted March 14th, 2016 in brexit, EC law, legislation, news, referendums, treaties by sally

‘This paper will offer some crystal ball gazing about how Brexit might take legal effect. It is necessarily speculative and uncertain. It looks at:-
(1) the referendum;
(2) withdrawal from membership of the EU under the Treaty for European Union (“TEU”);
and
(3) the effect of the European Communities Act 1972 (“the ECA”).’

Full story

11 KBW, 1st March 2016

Source: www.11kbw.com

Review decides not to change Freedom of Information Act – The Guardian

Posted March 1st, 2016 in freedom of information, legislation, news, reports by sally

‘A government announcement that there will be “no legal changes” to the Freedom of Information legislation following a review of the act was being cautiously welcomed by campaigners on Monday.

Full story

The Guardian, 1st March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Celebrities, the Media and the Personal Data Privacy Wars – Gresham College

Posted February 18th, 2016 in damages, data protection, EC law, legislation, media, news, privacy by sally

‘The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) should properly have been called the Data Privacy Act: it is about privacy of personal data and not merely its security. Recent cases – if successful for the claimants – will change the litigation landscape for everyone.’

Transcript

Gresham College, 27th January 2016

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

Why is the UK still printing its laws on vellum? – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2016 in costs, legislation, news, parliament by sally

‘After a reprieve, the UK is to continue printing and storing its laws on vellum, a paper made from calf or goat-skin. But shouldn’t these traditions give way to digital storage, asks Chris Stokel-Walker.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

No case for rewriting FoI Act, says information commissioner – The Guardian

Posted January 21st, 2016 in civil servants, freedom of information, legislation, news, parliament, public interest, select committees by sally

‘Advice given to ministers by civil servants should not be excluded from freedom of information legislation, according to the official responsible for overseeing the workings of the act.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Terrorism Act incompatible with human rights, court rules in David Miranda case – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2016 in declarations of incompatibility, freedom of expression, human rights, legislation, news, terrorism by sally

‘A key clause in the Terrorism Act 2000 is incompatible with the European convention on human rights, the master of the rolls, Lord Dyson, has declared as part of a court of appeal judgment.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bringing the law on firearms up to date – Law Commission

Posted December 17th, 2015 in firearms, Law Commission, legislation, press releases, reports by sally

‘In a report published today, we make recommendations to solve pressing problems that undermine the effectiveness of the law governing the acquisition and possession of firearms. The existing law is confused, unclear and difficult to apply. There are over 30 pieces of overlapping legislation, some of the key terminology – such as “lethal”, “component part” and “antique” – is not clearly defined, and the law has fallen out of step with developments in technology.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 16th December 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Outdated marriage law in need of reform – Law Commission

Posted December 17th, 2015 in Law Commission, legislation, marriage, press releases, reports by sally

‘The law that governs how and where couples in England and Wales can marry is badly in need of reform, according to the Law Commission.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 17th December 2015

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Ex-civil service chief criticises government for attempts to curb FoI legislation – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2015 in civil servants, freedom of information, legislation, news by sally

‘The UK government’s reasons for curbing freedom of information laws have been challenged by Lord Kerslake, the former head of the civil service.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Dark ages’ warning issued over freedom of information changes – The Guardian

Posted December 8th, 2015 in freedom of information, legislation, news by sally

‘Exempting advice given to ministers from freedom of information requests risks returning the UK to the “dark ages” of “private government”, the information commissioner has warned. Christopher Graham told a review into the legislation that changes to FoI being considered by a government commission could lead to a blanket ban on all advice being made available to the public.’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk