Inner Temple Library Current Awareness

Prison Cell Fire Safety Risks in England and Wales

The Ministry of Justice in England and Wales has admitted that tens of thousands of prison cells remain unsafe due to fire risks, reneging on a pledge to make them fire-safe by the end of 2027. This means a significant portion of the prison population will continue to be at risk. Legal action is being threatened by a penal reform charity.

House of Lords Backs Plans to Decriminalise Abortions

The House of Lords has backed plans to decriminalise abortions, following a vote by MPs last summer. This move, part of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, aims to end police investigations into abortions under a 164-year-old law. The decision follows a BBC investigation into an increase in prosecutions under the Offences Against the Person Act.

Passenger Fails Appeal Over Car-Cruising Injunction Breach

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a passenger who was found to have breached a car-cruising injunction obtained by the London Borough of Enfield. The appellant argued he was unaware of the injunction and did not participate in the prohibited activity, but the court upheld the High Court's finding that he knew of the order and was a participant.

Court of Appeal rules council approval for reserved matters lawful

The UK Court of Appeal has ruled that Buckinghamshire Council lawfully approved a reserved matters application for a housing development. The environmental group Wildfish's judicial review, challenging the approval due to issues with wastewater treatment capacity, was dismissed.

Dartmoor Commons Grazing Case - Wild Justice Wins One Ground

The High Court ruled in favor of environmental group Wild Justice on one of eight grounds in its case against the Dartmoor Commoners' Council regarding livestock grazing. The court found the council failed in its duty to properly assess the number of animals that could be grazed while preserving the commons' ecological value.