The Scottish Government as part of its current review of criminal procedure has identified that in Scottish police stations the information available for suspects is inadequate. The EU directive on the right to information comes into force next year and requires all member states of the EU to produce a letter of rights. We welcome […]

JUSTICE joined a group of prominent UK and international NGOs in writing to the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee (“ISC”), to indicate that we would not be participating in their inquiry on the treatment of detainees alleged to have been tortured. While we are concerned that these allegations must be properly investigated – […]

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill was introduced in the House of Commons following the Queen’s speech on 9th May 2013 and had its second reading on the 10th June 2013. Parts 1-6 of the Bill represent the government’s attempt to overhaul the statutory powers available to tackle anti-social behaviour and disorderly conduct. The […]

JUSTICE is concerned that the Immigration Bill would create a more legally obscure system of immigration control, which places greater power in the hands of administrative authorities without effective means of independent oversight. We regret that the proposal to remove access to an independent determination on appeal from most applicants will – in practice – […]

JUSTICE joins with a coalition of organisations to support amendment of the Care Bill to clarify that all publicly funded or arranged care services should be considered a public function for the purposes of Section 6 of the Human Rights Act. In May, the Government accepted the case and made their own amendments to the […]

The Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill will introduce important procedural limitations to the process of judicial review in Scotland. Judicial review allows individual citizens to seek a remedy for the unlawful conduct of public authorities and decision makers. In a country without a written constitution which governs the relationship between the individual and the State, its […]

The Civil Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (No 3) Regulations 2014 (“the Regulations”) will give effect to the Government’s decision to significantly restrict access to legal aid for judicial review applications. JUSTICE is concerned that – in light of the significant constitutional function of judicial review – these changes are unnecessary and ill-considered. They will, in […]

In general terms, we welcome the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill as a means of bringing forward reforms to the Scottish criminal justice system, particularly to amend changes brought about through the emergency legislation hastily enacted in response to the Cadder case, in which we intervened, that recognised the right of access to a lawyer during […]

The Draft Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2014 (“the Order”) will give effect to the Government’s decision to restrict access to legal aid for persons with less than 12 months lawful residence. The Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee will consider the Order on 1 July 2014, with […]