JUSTICE is concerned about the range of the measures in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill. The Bill is lengthy and broad in its scope, covering such diverse issues as compensation for miscarriages of justice, extradition and counter-terrorism powers exercised at ports and other points of entry to the UK. As the House of […]

The Immigration Bill has its Second Reading debate in the House of Commons this morning. We regret that the Bill will receive its House of Commons Second Reading only six sitting days after its publication.  Given the complexity of this area of law we regret that more time has not been allowed for Parliamentarians to […]

JUSTICE considers that the proposals for reform in Transforming legal aid are ill-considered, rushed and unsupported by evidence. We consider that each of the proposals under consideration by the JCHR will undermine the rule of law and significantly restrict access to justice for individuals without independent means.  We are specifically concerned that the proposals to […]

JUSTICE considers that the operation of closed material procedures (CMP) is inherently damaging to our system of justice. Their introduction by Part 2 of the Justice and Security Act 2013 (“the JSA”) into civil proceedings is unfair, unnecessary and unjustified. That one party will present his case unchallenged to the judge in the absence of […]

Reviewing the Lord Chancellor’s evidence in today’s UK Human Rights Blog, our Director of Human Rights Policy, Angela Patrick considers the implications of Mr Grayling’s multiple references to ideology and belief as the basis for the Government’s proposed reforms to legal aid. JUSTICE considers that the proposals in Transforming Legal Aid are rushed, ill-considered and […]

JUSTICE has submitted evidence to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee. Our briefing highlights the deficiencies of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill and provides essential modifications to the Bill’s provisions on anti-social behaviour, extradition and criminal compensation. The Public Bill Committee is currently scrutinising the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill and […]

JUSTICE has today welcomed the wide-ranging House of Commons backbench debate on the Government’s latest proposals to restrict access to legal aid in Transforming Legal Aid. However, today we publish our correspondence with the House of Commons Justice Select Committee. We welcome the decision of the cross-party Committee to question the Lord Chancellor about restrictions […]

JUSTICE and others have today written to the press in an open letter, regretting the coming into force of the Justice and Security Act 2013. We regret that the Act will give Government a green light to exclude claimants and their lawyers and their press from any or all part of a case, in violation […]

Today, seven justices of the Supreme Court unanimously reject an attempt by the Ministry of Defence to legally exclude armed forces personnel operating overseas from the protection of the Human Rights Act 1998 (“HRA 1998”). In Smith & Others v Ministry of Defence, families of troops killed in Iraq during operations asked the Supreme Court […]

JUSTICE, together with other NGOs, wrote to the national press to highlight the critical recommendations of the UN Committee against Torture on the UK’s recent record. The Government must take heed of the Committee’s recommendation that the interim findings of the Gibson inquiry on the treatment of detainees should be published as soon as possible.  […]