Legislation / Legal
OFT: The Office of Fair Trading recently referred the completed acquisition by Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. (Eurotunnel) of certain assets of former ferry operator, SeaFrance S.A. (SeaFrance) to the Competition Commission for further investigation, due to concerns the merger could substantially reduce competition in the provision of cross channel transport services.
HO: New powers to help pay the nation's £11bn a year bill for alcohol-related crime & disorder came into effect last week. The measures will give local authorities the opportunity to ensure those selling alcohol help pay towards the costs of cleaning up and policing the effects of excessive drinking in towns & cities across the country, as well as restrict the sale of alcohol in the early hours.
EHRC: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) hosted an event in parliament last week to highlight concerns expressed by many public bodies & media commentators, over government proposals to extend the use of closed material procedures in civil court cases.
The EHRC has examined the Justice and Security Bill under its statutory duty to monitor & advise on proposed changes of law to ensure they meet human rights standards. This assessment (see briefing note) finds the use of closed material procedures (sometimes called secret trials) is not compatible with the Human Rights Act.
HMT: The Infrastructure (Financial Assistance) Bill, which will enable the Government to guarantee up to £40bn of investment in infrastructure, and up to £10bn of new homes, has received Royal Assent. Since the launch of the scheme in July, over 60 projects have come forward for discussions with the Treasury.
Ofgem: New rules meaning that gas suppliers will have to be much more proactive at stamping out gas theft are set to come into force from January 2013.
As well as meeting the new rules, suppliers will also be required to set up a cross industry theft risk assessment service to help them target investigations. This body will analyse & identify when theft may be happening. Similar bodies already exist in the water, insurance and telecommunications sectors.
EHRC: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has intervened in a case before the UK’s Supreme Court to argue that volunteers are given protection against discrimination. The case involves X who gave advice on welfare law as a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) volunteer. She was told to leave her role, which included writing submissions, when she made the Bureau aware of her HIV status.
UK law does not provide volunteers with protection from discrimination – for example being victimised or being asked to leave purely on the grounds of disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. As an independent third party expert on human rights and equality law, the Commission is intervening to offer guidance to the Supreme Court on how the European Directive for Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation, should be interpreted to provide protection for volunteers.
HO: Several so-called ‘legal highs’ will become illegal Class B drugs, the Home Office has announced. Following advice from the government's independent drug experts, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), new synthetic cannabinoids (such as those sold under the name 'Black Mamba') and methoxetamine (sold as Mexxy) and its related compounds will be classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
