Legislation / Legal
HMIC: The case files prepared for court are vital for securing justice and must be completed to a high standard; but too often the completion of them is treated as a tick-box exercise, and files include irrelevant or incomplete information, found a joint review published last week.
Both the police and the Crown Prosecution Service have in recent years produced guidance on how to build proportionate case files. However, a review of 180 prosecution case files by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, (HMCPSI) found that while there have been some improvements in this respect, the reports police send to prosecutors are still frequently missing important details, or being ‘overbuilt’ with material or evidence that is not needed.
IPCC: The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed that Ann Hall, Cleveland Police's Assistant Chief Officer, has been allowed to resign by Cleveland Police. Ms Hall is currently under investigation by the IPCC in relation to an allegation that unauthorised payments amounting to thousands of pounds have been made to an executive coaching company.
Ms Hall was subject to a separate investigation commissioned by Cleveland Police and the IPCC understands she was due to face a disciplinary hearing in relation to this. However, she has tendered her resignation in advance of this and this has been accepted by Cleveland Police.
Press release ~ PC&PE: Time for police forces to be ‘policed’ effectively & independently (4th item)
WAG: New laws to give the Welsh NHS greater financial flexibility, tackle homelessness & domestic violence and reform the planning system are at the heart of the Welsh Government’s legislative priorities for 2013-14, the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones has said.
CO: The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trades Union Administration Bill has been published. It seeks to make the influences on the political process more transparent to the public.
The bill includes the introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists, tighter regulation of the amount organisations can spend on political campaigning during election periods, and new powers for certification officers to ensure that trades union records are accurate.
DCMS: The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill completed its historic journey through Parliament by receiving Royal Assent last week, officially making it law. Women & Equalities Minister Maria Miller also announced that the first same sex wedding could take place by as early as summer 2014.
CBI: The CBI responded to the publication of the Company ownership: transparency and trust discussion paper, by the Business Secretary, Dr Vince Cable.
