Weekly law digests

Animal

Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association (an unincorporated association) and another v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [2019] EWHC 2813 (Admin), [2019] All ER (D) 150 (Oct)

There were aspects of the defendant Secretary of State’s approach to the introduction of a proposed ban on e-collars which were justifiably open to criticism, but she had not acted unlawfully. Accordingly, the Administrative Court dismissed the claimants’ application for judicial review of her decision to ban the use of hand-held remote-controlled e-collar devices for cats and dogs.

Costs

Travelers Insurance Company Ltd v XYZ [2019] UKSC 48, [2019] All ER (D) 190 (Oct)

A non-party costs order was imposed on the appellant (the insurer) under s 51 of the Senior Courts Act 1981, in respect of a group litigation brought against a company which operated medical clinics that supplied and fitted breast implants, some of which had ruptured and injured a number of claimants. The Supreme Court allowed the insurer’s appeal, holding, among other things, that, of the three elements of the insurer’s