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25 June 2014
Issue: 7612 / Categories: Legal News
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Rights concern over new Bills

Three government Bills have been singled out for potential human rights breaches.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights, which scrutinises government Bills for human rights compatibility, highlighted the Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill, the Modern Slavery Bill, and the Serious Crime Bill as “likely to raise particularly significant human rights issues”. 

The Serious Crime Bill tackles female genital mutilation, makes provision about involvement in organised crime groups and creates an offence of possession of guidance about committing sexual offences against children. The Modern Slavery Bill consolidates existing offences relating to slavery and trafficking, and increases the maximum sentence for human trafficking to life imprisonment. The Armed Forces (Service

Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill sets up a Service Complaints Ombudsman and creates powers to make charitable payments that benefit the armed forces community.

The Committee has asked for submissions from interested parties by 18 July. 

 

Issue: 7612 / Categories: Legal News
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Kennedys—Milan Devani

Kennedys—Milan Devani

Chief information officer appointment strengthens technology leadership

Maguire Family Law—Hannah Barlow & Sophie Hughes

Maguire Family Law—Hannah Barlow & Sophie Hughes

Firm strengthens Wilmslow team with two solicitor appointments

DWF—Ian Plumley

DWF—Ian Plumley

Londoninsurance and reinsurance practice announces partner appointment

NEWS
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A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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