PLC Public Sector reports:
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Spending Review 2013: those working in both central and local government are likely to be interested in the government’s public spending plans for 2015-16 set out in its 2013 Spending Review.
Children’s services: lawyers working in children’s services should be aware that three consultations have been published on safeguarding for looked after children, new guidance on children who run away or who go missing and on reforming care in children’s homes. In addition, the government also announced a series of consultation events covering safeguarding for looked after children and reforming children’s homes.
Civil litigation: litigation lawyers should be aware that:
- The Court of Appeal has held that a renewed application for permission to appeal made at an oral hearing was precluded by CPR 52.15(1A) (Parekh v Upper Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum Chamber) and another).
- The High Court has held that a claim against a Spanish trade union for breach of the claimants’ right to freedom of establishment and to provide cross-border services was not a civil and commercial matter under Article 1 of the Brussels Regulation (British Airways plc and another v Sindicato Espanol De Pilotos De Lineas Aereas and another).
Employment: employment lawyers should be aware that:
- A number of employment law changes under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 took effect on 25 June 2013.
- The EAT has held that covert video surveillance did not make a dismissal unfair (City and County of Swansea v Gayle).
- The EAT has held that a tribunal erred in failing to consider what a claimant could afford when it made a costs award (Howman v Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn).
- The NAO has criticised the lack of transparency in public sector compromise agreements.
Environment: environment lawyers may be interested that the Environment Agency has updated its code of practice for developers for Japanese knotweed.
Equality Act 2010: equality and human rights lawyers should note that the EHRC has said that its legal team will take action against Scottish public bodies that have failed to publish any equality duty information.
FOI and data protection: lawyers dealing with public sector information (PSI) should be aware that:
- Directive 2013/37/EU revising the rules on re-use of PSI has been published in the Official Journal of the EU.
- The government has published its response to the Shakespeare review of PSI.
- The Home Office has published its consultation on new guidance on DNA and fingerprint retention.
Health: healthcare lawyers may be interested in the DoH consultation on the prices of branded NHS medicines.
Housing: housing officers should note that the Affordable Housing Guarantee Scheme has opened for applications.
Local government: local government lawyers should be aware that the:
- National Assembly for Wales has approved the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Bill.
- Charity Retail Association has warned that changes to business rates relief will result in charity shop closures in Wales.
Public procurement: procurement officers and lawyers may wish to note that:
- HM Treasury has established a new unit to represent the government’s equity interest on boards of PF2 projects.
- The European Commission has published a Communication and guide on building open ICT by making better use of standards in public procurement.
- The European Commission has sent reasoned opinions to Italy and Romania to ask them to comply with EU procurement rules.
- The DfT has published a rail franchising competition guide.
Regulation and enforcement: regulatory lawyers should note that BIS has published a consultation on revised statutory guidance for its Primary Authority regulation scheme.