Prison system crisis due to overreliance on long sentences, says Gauke review – The Guardian

Posted February 18th, 2025 in criminal justice, imprisonment, news, prisons, reports, sentencing by tracey

‘Successive governments’ overreliance on prison sentences and desire to seem “tough on crime” have driven the justice system in England and Wales to the brink of collapse, an official review has found.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

David Erdos: Lost in Inaction? The Statutory Reports on Media Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted February 13th, 2025 in constitutional law, data protection, dispute resolution, media, news, reports by sally

‘Section 179 of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 places the Secretary of State under a duty to ensure that a Report is “la[id] before Parliament” on both the “use” and “effectiveness” of “relevant alternative dispute resolution procedures” in cases involving actual or alleged failures by media organisations, other than broadcasters, “to comply with the data protection legislation”. Such a duty applies at the end of a repeating three-year period. The procedures to be reported on are those provided by “persons who produce or enforce codes of practice” for such media organisations and are “alternative” in the sense of being extra-judicial. This duty was proposed after the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) – the principal self-regulator of the Press – stated (following Government pressure) that it would introduce a ‘compulsory’ arbitration procedure covering data protection.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 12th February 2025

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

After experts find ‘no medical evidence’ of murder, will Lucy Letby get a retrial? – The Guardian

‘Despite 14 leading experts concluding there was “no medical evidence” that Lucy Letby murdered babies, there is no guarantee that her case will be sent back to the court of appeal – let alone quickly.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lucy Letby murder convictions: what did the expert panel find? – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in children, evidence, hospitals, murder, news, nurses, reports by sally

‘Group concludes babies died due to natural causes or errors in medical care, saying there was no evidence of deliberate harm.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

BSB publishes its Annual Diversity at the Bar Report – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 3rd, 2025 in barristers, diversity, news, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its annual summary of the latest available diversity data for the Bar. It covers pupils, practising King’s Counsel – KC – and practising non-KC barristers. Last year’s report is available on the BSB website.This report assists the BSB in meeting its statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 and sets out an evidence base from which relevant and targeted policy can be developed.’

Full Story

Bar Standards Board, 31st January 2025

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Race at the Bar: time to double down on race equality work – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2024 in barristers, equality, news, race discrimination, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Council is calling on individuals, chambers, and organisations at the Bar to step up work on race equality and keep the momentum going, as it publishes the follow up report to the landmark Race at the Bar report 2021.”

Full Story

The Bar Council, 4th December 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Mental health trust could lose its licence – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2024 in homicide, hospital orders, hospitals, licensing, mental health, news, reports by tracey

‘NHS England says the mental health trust that treated the killer who carried out the Nottingham attacks must attend monthly progress meetings to discuss improvements or face losing its licence.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Leaseholders dispute £200,000 maintenance bill – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2024 in housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, ombudsmen, repairs, reports, service charges by tracey

‘Leaseholders living in a block of flats have reported their management company to the housing ombudsman in a dispute over maintenance costs.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Blurred distinctions” as legal aid solicitors do their own advocacy – Legal Futures

Posted December 3rd, 2024 in advocacy, barristers, civil justice, legal aid, news, reports, solicitors by tracey

‘The distinction between solicitors and barristers is becoming increasingly “blurred” in civil legal aid cases as solicitors do their own advocacy, research for the government’s review of civil legal aid has found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 3rd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Civil Justice Council report calls for pre-action protocol on judicial review to require parties to make positions on ADR clear – Local Government Lawyer

‘The pre-action protocol (PAP) for judicial review should be amended to make sure the parties make clear their position on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) at an early stage, a report produced for the Civil Justice Council (CJC) has recommended.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Prisoners denied dignity while receiving NHS care, watchdog finds – The Guardian

Posted November 28th, 2024 in health, hospitals, news, prisons, reports, women by sally

‘A female inmate remained handcuffed to a male prison officer while she had a mammogram, in an example of prisoners being denied their dignity while receiving NHS care, a watchdog has revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

FCA is ‘incompetent at best, dishonest at worst’, claim MPs and peers – The Guardian

Posted November 26th, 2024 in financial regulation, news, parliament, reports by tracey

‘Britain’s financial sector watchdog is “incompetent at best, dishonest at worst”, according to a damning report by MPs and Lords which called for a big shake-up.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Makin Review: Summary of Recommendations – Law & Religion UK

‘The independent review led by Keith Makin into the Church of England’s handling of allegations of serious abuse by the late John Smyth was published on 7 November 2024. The 253-page Review includes eight Key Recommendations [Review paragraph numbers in black] and twenty seven Specific Recommendations directed at particular concerns.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 14th November 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Bishop calls on Welby to resign over Church abuse scandal – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2024 in child abuse, Church of England, clergy, news, reports by tracey

‘A Church of England bishop has called on the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign, calling his position “untenable” after a damning report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church.’

Full Story

BBC News, 11th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Issues at rat-infested prison laid bare in report – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2024 in health & safety, news, prisons, reports by tracey

‘The full extent of conditions at a rat-infested jail has been revealed in a report that calls for urgent improvements.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Licences granted to nearly 200 UK care providers despite labour law violations – The Guardian

Posted November 12th, 2024 in care homes, care workers, employment, immigration, licensing, news, reports by tracey

‘Nearly 200 care providers have been given government licences to bring foreign nurses to the UK despite having previously violated labour laws, according to a study that highlights widespread employment problems in the social care sector.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Church covered up ‘abhorrent’ abuse, report finds – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2024 in assault, barristers, child abuse, Church of England, news, reports, sexual offences by tracey

‘A British barrister’s “horrific” and violent abuse of more than 100 children and young men was covered up within the Church of England for decades, according to the conclusion of a damning report.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Churchyard Regulations – “non-standard cases” – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 11th, 2024 in faculties, monuments, news, regulations, reports by tracey

‘The Report of the Ecclesiastical Judges Association Working Party into Churchyard Memorial Regulations (“the Report”), reviewed here and reproduced at the end of this post, included a consideration of how chancellors have dealt with petitions that do not comply with the criteria set by the diocesan Churchyard Regulations for the introduction of a memorial without a faculty.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 11th November 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Wholesale reform to adoption process is needed, says Public Law Working Group – Courts & Tribunal Judiciary

Posted November 7th, 2024 in adoption, families, news, reports by tracey

‘Wholesale reform is needed, the adoption sub-group of the Public Law Working Group has said in its report ‘Recommendations for best practice in respect of adoption’, which is published today (Thursday, 7 November).’

Full report

Full Story

Courts & Tribunal Judiciary, 7th November 224

Source: www.judiciary.uk

UK asylum system retraumatises women fleeing sexual abuse, says report – The Guardian

Posted November 7th, 2024 in asylum, news, reports, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘The UK asylum system is retraumatising women and girls who have fled rape and sexual abuse and putting them at risk of further harm, leading charities have said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com