[Edit 27/08/10 An early version of this post said that the JR had been given permission. This was wrong. The hearing was actually adjourned to 8 September without permission having formally been given. Apologies for my error. I've edited the post to correct...
“Irrational” Welfare tender newsflash
Hot on the heels of the last post comes this news of a Judicial Review permission hearing on an application by friends of the blog, Community Law Partnership, against the LSC. Choice quotes from Collins J "I am bound to say this is a dreadful decision and on...
Of contracts, shifting goalposts and lawfulness
[Edit 01/09/2010. There has been a further change to the FAQ discussed in this post. See the new post here] Bear with me. This is going to be a bumpy ride. The LSC's terms of tender for civil contracts stated Paragraph 15.11: “For a tender to be complete,...
Contracts and appeals: An Unclarification from the LSC
The LSC, aware that there is a lot of interest in the appeals process for the contract award decisions (mainly, of course, because there are a lot of organisations appealing), has become concerned about "some inaccurate and confusing press reports". The LSC...
Sunday Misc.
Some bits and pieces from the weekend... New websites 1 The OPSI and Statute Law Database sites have been combined into one new site for statute: www.legislation.gov.uk. However, the databases are the same and the current estimate is that about 50% of the...
No comment required
With thanks to John Bolch at Family Lore.
Social Welfare Law contracts – update
The LAG news blog is reporting that while Family contracts resulted in 'carnage' with an estimated 1300 out of 2400 firms being awarded contracts - about 54%, in Social Welfare Law the LSC is saying that it believes 'around 70%' of existing providers will be...
Legal Aid contract round – In the thick of it
The results of the Social Welfare Law and combined Housing/Family contract bids are slowly coming through. I am mindful that as I write this, firms/organisations in specific areas have not yet been informed whether they have a contract and if so for how many...
Pulling the Rugg out from under them
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has now confirmed that not only the National Landlord Register is finished as a proposal. Also dead in the water are regulation of letting and managing agents, and compulsory written tenancy agreements. Councils are 'urged to...
DoLALY
The people of the UK have spoken! And with one mighty voice, said "Um, errr..." (as of 8 am Friday) So, in the meantime, here is something that I wasn't going to mention, at all. But then I was told by some of the others that, should the highly unlikely...
Access to Justice
An anecdotal rant, for which forgive me. Sometimes one needs to vent, but this is hardly an unusual situation. It is 'just' an example of the viciousness of the public funding boundaries. I've combined a few instances in what follows, and changed details for...
Legal Aid enters its Bến Tre period
The Ministry of Justice response to the 'Legal Aid: Refocusing on Priority Cases' consultation is now out, with the MoJ's final proposals [link to pdf]. Although the responses to the consultation appear to have been pretty universally negative, the MoJ is...