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BASC welcomes firearms provision in new Policing and Crime Bill

BASC, the UK’s largest shooting organisation, has welcomed the introduction of the firearms provisions contained in the new Policing and Crime Bill placed before parliament today. The new provisions provide an opportunity to clarify areas of the law which would benefit those who shoot.

The Bill contains some provisions relating to the recent Law Commission recommendations on firearms law.

This legislation comes at an important time for shooting, when firearms law is in the spotlight. In Europe, the government is currently negotiating hard to represent the lawful interests of the British shooting community as the Commission makes proposals for the amendment of the European Firearms Directive. BASC has played a key role in briefing Ministers, civil servants and MEPs to ensure that unintended consequences do not damage shooting in the UK .

Flight delayed passengers CAN claim compensation for delays caused by lightning strikes

A judge has ruled that lightning strikes are NOT a valid excuse for airlines to avoid paying flight delay compensation.

Her Honour Judge Melissa Clarke ruled in favour of passengers Michael Evans and Julie Lee today (14/01/16) in the appeal case of Evans v Monarch Airlines Ltd at Reading County Court. The Judge awarded the passengers €600 (£450) each for a five hour flight delay.

New sentencing guidelines introduced for corporate manslaughter, health and safety and food safety

New sentencing guidelines have been published today aiming to ensure a consistent, fair and proportionate approach to sentencing organisations or individuals convicted of corporate manslaughter, health and safety and food safety and hygiene offences.

Offences that come under the guidelines are very varied and could include a building firm that causes the death of an employee by not providing the proper equipment for working at height, a restaurant that causes an outbreak of e. coli poisoning through unsafe food preparation, a manufacturer that causes injury to a new worker by not providing training for operating machinery or a gas fitter whose sub-standard work leads to the risk of an explosion in someone’s home.

Law Society proposes changes to employment tribunal system

Unlawful employment practices will continue to go unpunished unless the tribunal system is overhauled, the Law Society has warned. The body representing solicitors has published proposals to transform the employment tribunal structure to benefit employees, employers and the administration of justice.

They include a new employment tribunal structure, where claims are dealt with flexibly, depending on their intricacy and the financial stakes involved, and all employment law disputes will be dealt with in a single jurisdiction consisting of four levels.

According to the proposed structure, simple cases such as handling unpaid wages claims would be dealt with on a paper basis in the lowest level, while more complex cases - such as multi-strand discrimination cases - would be heard by an experienced judge in level four.

Overhaul of Court of Protection media rules needed to prevent miscarriages of justice and improve transparency, new study finds

A group of legal experts is calling for an overhaul of the rules governing the way in which the Court of Protection (CoP) works with the media in England and Wales, to improve transparency and help protect against miscarriages of justice.

The study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and led by researchers from Cardiff University’s School of Law, recommends changes to the rules that govern media access to CoP cases, to enhance accountability and increase public understanding of the Court’s work.