News The Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is organising a hearing on "Private military and security firms and the erosion of the state monopoly on the use of force" in Paris on 10 September 2008 with the participation of parliamentarians from its 47 member states, experts and […]
Latest Housing Law News Housing Allocation: the long-delayed new statutory Code of Guidance on Social Housing Allocation has just been published under Housing Act 1996 section 169. This further guidance – Allocation of Accommodation: Choice Based Lettings – Code of Guidance for Local Housing Authorities – provides information about the factors that local housing authorities […]
News In her Report on a full announced inspection of Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre (published Wednesday 27th August 2008), the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons wrote that the Inspectors had particular concerns about the safety of children: staff could do little to mitigate the damaging effects of their detention, the length of which often […]
News The government is reviewing the immigration appeals process, and there are proposals for a new appeals system that could be in place by June 2009, featuring a First-Tier and an Upper Tribunal to replace the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. The Upper Tribunal may take over much of immigration judicial review. More info In his […]
News The Secretary of State is encouraging employers to apply for a sponsor licence by the 1st October 2008 if they want to be have them in place in time for the opening of the skilled worker tier (tier 2) and the temporary worker tier (tier 5) under the point-based system at the end of […]
Latest Housing Law News Possession claims: the latest figures on the number of possession claims being made in county courts in England & Wales should have been released on 8 August 2008 but were hit by a computer problem and will now be published later this week. For the explanation given for the delay, click […]
EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE Disability discrimination Coleman v Attridge Law Case C-303/06The prohibition of direct discrimination and harassment laid down in Directive 2000/78 EC (Equal treatment in employment and occupation)is not limited only to people who are themselves disabled. Where an employer treats an employee who is not himself disabled less favourably than another employee […]
News The EU Commissioner for human rights stressed that family unity is a human right for refugees. As restrictive refugee measures are put in place in a number of European countries, the Commissioner encouraged positive and humane policies which encourage family reunification, in line with agreed international norms. More info The Immigration (Supply of Information […]
Full time students, who are lone parents, are now eligible to claim Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support during the summer vacation
Garden Court Chambers is not associated with any of the individuals named or entities above which are entirely fictitious
News Foreign students hoping to come to the UK to study will have to meet strict new criteria. The Home Office has published proposals tighter rules for foreign students – and the universities and colleges hosting them – under their student tier of the new Points Based System. All colleges and universities that want to […]
News Report: Improving the Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being of Children and Young People, 29 July 2008, Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF): Reports the interim findings of an independent review, sponsored by the DCSF and the Department of Health, aimed at ensuring that the educational and psychological needs of all children and young […]
The House of Lords has today allowed an appeal by Mr Doherty against a possession order granted to Birmingham City Council for his eviction from the gypsy caravan site on which he has lived for over 15 years.
In a significant test case ruling, R (C) -v- Secretary of State for Justice CI/2008/0698, handed down on 28 July 2008, the Court of Appeal allowed the claimant's appeal from the decision of the Divisional Court and quashed the Secure Training Centre (Amen
News From Monday 28 July 2008, employers and educational institutions can apply to join the sponsor register for tiers 2, 4 and 5 of the points-based system. This applies especially to employers and educational institutions planning to bring in migrants to work or study in the UK under these tiers. More info The latest report […]
LEGISLATION TERRORISM ACT 2000 (PROSCRIBED ORGANISATIONS) (AMENDMENT )(NO 2) ORDER 2008. SI/2008/1931 wef 18.7.2008 amends the list of proscribed organisations by adding the "military wing of Hizbullah including Jihad council and all units reporting to it" CASES EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS NA V UK (Application number 25904/07) 17.7.2008The Court held that the applicant’s expulsion […]
"Outsourcing Abuse" - Report and Press Conference held at Garden Court
Latest Housing Law News Legal aid for Housing cases: by an announcement made on 10 July, the Legal Services Commission has invited solicitors and advisers to tender to provide help in 30,000 more "combined Social Welfare Law" cases. That category includes Housing and Homelessness. The deadline for submitting tenders expires on 7 August 2008. For […]
News The Home Office published the arrangements for migrants covered by the HSMP Forum judicial review judgment of the 8 April 2008. Persons with an application pending for an extension in Tier 1 (General) will have it assessed in accordance with the requirements for an extension that were in place before 7 November 2006, without […]
Latest Housing Law News Housing & Regeneration Bill: the Bill has now entered its last lap in Parliament with its Lords’ Report stage scheduled for later this week (see below). A swathe of last minute government (and opposition) amendments has been prepared for debate. They include the issues of how to deal with ‘tolerated trespassers’ […]
