The Crime and Courts Bill was introduced to the House of Lords immediately after the Queen’s Speech on 10th May 2012, and to the Commons on 19th December 2012. The Bill is wide ranging in scope and application. Part 1 of the Bill makes provision for a new body to fight organised crime, the National […]
The Government’s new secret evidence proposals: unfair, unjustified and unnecessary
December 19, 2012
A significant part of JUSTICE’s work over the coming months will focus on the response to the Government’s Green Paper on Justice and Security. In Al-Rawi, the Supreme Court held that it did not have the inherent jurisdiction to expand the use of secret evidence procedures in civil proceedings ([2011] UKSC 34). The Government had […]
The right to legal assistance- EU Procedural Safeguard Measure C
December 19, 2011
Government’s plans to change law on family migration
What is the government proposing to do? The government wishes to reduce net immigration to the UK as well as to prevent abuse of the immigration system. It has, therefore, made a number of proposals to tighten requirements for third-country nationals wishing to join family members in the UK, as well as to change/clarify the […]
Proposed changes to the law on anti-social behaviour
The Home Office issued a consultation paper in February 2011, More Effective Responses to Anti-Social Behaviour, to which JUSTICE responded. What changes is the government proposing? The main measures proposed by the consultation paper are the Crime Prevention Injunction (CPI) and the Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). The CPI would be available on the application of […]
EU procedural safeguards update
What is happening? Since we last mentioned procedural safeguards in edition 9 (Spring 2009), where we outlined the need for protection of suspects’ rights in criminal matters, and informed that the Swedish Presidency would bring the issue back to the EU agenda, much work in this area has taken place. The Swedish Roadmap was adopted […]
Arrest warrants for international crimes
What is happening? The government is seeking to change the law to prohibit the issue of an arrest warrant by a magistrate on application by a private citizen against a person suspected of one of a list of international crimes – torture, war crimes, piracy and hijacking – unless the Director of Public Prosecutions gives […]
Police (Detention and Bail) Bill
July 6, 2011
View the latest information on this bill on Parliament’s website. JUSTICE has published a briefing on the Police (Detention and Bail) Bill for all stages in the House of Commons. This Bill responds to the ruling of the High Court in R (Greater Manchester Police) v Salford Magistrates Court and Hookway, regarding the legality of police detention following pre-charge bail. […]
Stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000
December 19, 2010
What is stop and search? ‘Stop and search’ is the general term used to describe the power of police (and occasionally other officials) to search members of the public in various contexts. For example, section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 gives police officers a general power to stop and search any […]
The coalition response to terrorism and torture
What has the coalition government done so far? Very little, but it has promised a great deal. In July, the new Home Secretary Theresa May MP announced a ‘rapid review’ of counter-terrorism powers. That review was originally due to report in early October but is now expected to be delayed by at least several weeks. […]