News The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced in Parliament on Thursday last week the UK Border Agency’s new policy on applications for settlement from members of the Brigade of Gurkhas and their families. She said: "Our new guidance will reflect the will of the House, while remaining affordable and consistent with our broader immigration policy. […]
The Latest Housing Law News Tolerated trespassers: there are (hopefully) no more tolerated trespassers. On Wednesday 20 May 2009 most of the provisions of s299 and Schedule 11 to the Housing & Regeneration Act 2008 came into force. For the commencement order for England and Wales, click here. At the same time, an order was […]
LEGAL BULLETIN NO 139 (published 22nd May 2009) NEWS The British Medical Association said that reform of tier one skilled migrant category was unfair on doctors from outside the EU. The changes mean that junior doctors who have completed the foundation state of their training and want to move onto specialist training need to have […]
Employment Bulletin Issue 63 – 18 May 2009 COURT OF APPEAL Age discrimination Rolls Royce plc v Unite the Union [2009] EWCA Civ 387The Court of Appeal has held, by majority, that the inclusion of a length of service criterion in a redundancy selection policy constituted a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. The […]
The Latest Housing Law News Tolerated trespassers: there are hopes that later this week (or early next) a commencement order will be made to bring the provisions of Housing & Regeneration Act 2008 section 299 and Schedule 11 into force, at last. The ministerial order necessary to extend the impact of the changes to cases […]
On 11th May 2009 the Council of Europe's Roma and Travellers Division announced the publication of the handbook for lawyers defending Roma and Travellers communities "Ensuring access to rights for Roma and Travellers - The role of the European Court
The Latest Housing Law News Tolerated trespassers: there is still no sign of a commencement order to bring the provisions of Housing & Regeneration Act 2008 section 299 and Schedule 11 into force – even to the limited extent of stopping the creation of new tolerated trespassers. Although the Government had previously made it clear […]
News In what has been a difficult week for the UK Border Agency, it has published responses to the growing pressure over Gurkha settlement rights: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/ghurkhas-decisions- response and the news that trafficked children have disappeared from Local Authority care (more info) The Agency has also had to announce that the new Tier 4 application for […]
Anna Morris defends British woman accused of smuggling heroin
The Latest Housing Law News Help for those facing repossession (1): the £20m additional funding announced in the Budget to help with homelessness prevention for occupiers facing repossession as a result of the recession will be distributed to local housing authorities this week by the Communities & Local Government Department. That follows the distribution of […]
Legal Bulletin No 137 – 5 May 2009 News The Home Office has reached the maximum issuing level for Japanese nationals for the period ending 31 December 2009 and will no longer be accepting new applications for this year. Japanese applicants may next apply from 1 January 2010 (more info) The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) […]
Peter Rowlands has joined Garden Court Chambers from 18 Red Lion Court , as of 29th April 2009.
Three men have been cleared of helping the July 7 bombers plan their attacks.
COURT OF APPEAL Equal Pay Slack & ors v Cumbria County Council [2009] EWCA Civ 293Although the contracts signed by two of the Claimants contained new terms and a statement that they superseded any previous contract of employment, the Claimants had worked for the Respondent continually without any breaks between the contracts and on the […]
The Latest Housing Law News Help for Home Owners (1): on 21 April 2009 the Government launched the new Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme operated by mortgage lenders. The intention is that some homeowners in temporary difficulty with their mortgages can reduce to paying as little as 30%of the monthly interest for a period of up […]
News The UKBA has announced new criteria which it will use to consider applications from former members of the Brigade of Gurkhas to settle in the UK. In response, campaigners for these former Gurkha soldiers seeking to retire in Britain have accused the Government of treachery, saying that the new guidelines would bar most of […]
News The UK Border Agency has published a new customer charter and customer strategy. The charter proposes to help service users, by committing the Agency to specific service and delivery standards. It also explains how service users can assist the Agency in dealing with applications. The UK Border Agency has also amended its instructions concerning […]
A reformed drug addict has been saved from eviction despite claims that his presence made the area "a magnet for noisy and ill-behaved" youths. Lord Justice Toulson, sitting at London’s Civil Appeal Court on 1st April heard how a neighbour kept a diary of incidents, and told Welwyn and Hatfield Borough Council that she and […]
Garden Court's Jan Luba QC wins Appeal Against Historic Council Eviction Attempt
The Latest Housing Law News Social housing allocation: new statutory guidance for local housing authorities on housing allocation has been issued by the Secretary of State in exercise of her powers under section 169 of the Housing Act 1996. The guidance is contained in the new CLG Circular 04/2009 Housing Allocations: Members of the Armed […]
