Complaint against Newcastle care services investigated
A joint investigation into the care given by the NHS and Newcastle City Council to a man with Down’s Syndrome found significant failings after a complaint was made by the man’s brother.
'A Report by the Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman About the Care and Support Provided to a Person with Down's Syndrome’ (HC 1644) tells the story of Mr J, who was discharged into inappropriate, locked accommodation after being in hospital for seven months.
Petty disputes central to NHS complaints
An annual review of how the National Health Service (NHS) deals with complaints found that the most straightforward of matters are not being managed at a local level.
In the report 'Listening and Learning: the Ombudsman's Review of Complaint Handling by the NHS in England 2010-22’ (HC 1522), the Health Ombudsman resolved 15,186 complaints that were often a result of poor responses by NHS staff.
Baha Mousa Inquiry findings revealed
‘The Report of the Baha Mousa Inquiry’ (HC 1452) details findings of the investigation into an Iraqi civilian’s cause of death whilst detained by British troops eight years ago.
On 15 September 2003, 26-year-old Baha Mousa died in a detention facility in Basra, Iraq; a combination of his weakened physical state and a final struggle with the guards working at the facility led to his death, the report finds.
Energy review highlights uncertainty over pricing
A report from the Energy and Climate Change Committee highlights that consumers who are now paying more as a result of changing their energy suppliers should be compensated.
'Ofgem's Retail Market Review’ (HC 1046) details that customers may feel pressured into switching gas and electricity suppliers by ruthless sales teams overwhelming them with complex tariffs.
Consumers must be protected against unfair treatment
The unfair treatment of consumers by businesses is not successfully regulated as responsibility is widespread among numerous departments and is irregularly examined, a report has found.
The National Audit Office (NAO) report 'Protecting Consumers - The System for Enforcing Consumer Law: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Office of Fair Trading and Local Authority Trading Standards Services’ (HC 1087) details that consumer detriment is costing billions of pounds each year but the system for enforcing consumer law is not delivering value for money.
Inquiry findings suggest state failed to protect Rosemary Nelson
'The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Report’ (HC 947) found no evidence of state agencies contributing to the murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson but concludes that there was insufficient prevention of the attack.
Sir Michael Morland looked into the murder of the solicitor in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, after a bomb exploded under her car near her home in March 1999.
UK arms should be supplied to Arab nations more cautiously
A report from four select committees details Government misjudgment of supplying arms to North Africa and the Middle East as they may have been used inappropriately for internal repression.
'Scrutiny of Arms Export Controls (2011): UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2009, Quarterly Report for 2010, Licensing Policy and Review of Export Control Legislation’ (HC 686) is the first joint report on arms export controls since the present Government took office in May 2010.
Best practice for protests considered by Human Rights committee
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has reported on the policing of recent protests in central London including the preparations put in place for the large-scale 'March for the Alternative' which occurred on 26 March 2011.
'Facilitating Peaceful Protest’ (HL Paper 123 / HC 684) encouraged cooperation between the police and organisers prior to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) march, and the planned involvement of human rights observers in the control room on the day of the march itself.
Committee gathers evidence for the debate on voting by convicted prisoners
This short report, 'Voting by Convicted Prisoners: Summary of Evidence' (HC 776) sets out a summary of evidence taken by the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee looking into the issue of voting by convicted prisoners, in advance of the debate taking place on 10 February 2011.
Evidence was taken from legal experts, including the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Mackay of Clashfern.
Human tissue of deceased used without consent by UK Nuclear Organisations
An investigation into the legitimacy of testing on human tissue by UK Nuclear Organisations over a period of nearly 40 years has been released.
'The Redfern Inquiry’ (HC 571) concludes that, in many cases, the families had been wronged. Organs were removed at post mortem and provided for analysis despite being of no possible relevance to the cause of death.
42 day detention plans examined
This Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights, 'Counter-Terrorism Policy and Human Rights (Eleventh Report): 42 Days and Public Emergencies' (HL 116 / HC 635), comments on the adequacy of the additional safeguards that the Government has indicated it intends to bring forward to meet the human rights concerns about its proposal to extend the maximum period of pre-charge detention to 42 days.
Human Rights Annual Report 2007
The 'Human Rights Annual Report 2007' (Cm. 7340), is the
tenth Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) annual report on human rights,
which publishes just a few weeks after the FCO's new strategic framework and
mission statement. The 2007 Report shows how human rights will remain fully
integrated with their four new policy goals.
42 day detention human rights reviewed
'Counter-Terrorism
Policy and Human Rights: 42 Days’ (HL 23 / HC 156) examines the
Government's intention, as part of its counter-terrorism measures, to increase
the pre-charge detention limit from 28 to 42 days.
Children in care suffer ill health and educational
underachievement
Examining the question ‘What is the best way to care for
children unable to grow up with their birth parents?’, this Report also
reviews children’s services reforms carried out under the
Every
Child Matters programme, and puts forward numerous proposals including
creating a Centre of Excellence for Children’s and Families' Services.
Highly skilled migrants immigration rights
examined
This Report
‘Highly
Skilled Migrants: Changes to Immigration Rules’ (HL 173/HC 993) examines
the changes made to the Immigration Rules in 2006, in the light of the impact
on the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme.
Eliminating world poverty ‘our common challenge’
This White Paper, 'Eliminating World Poverty: Building Our Common Future (Cm. 7656)', deals with the challenges presented by the global recession, climate change, and fragile and failing states. It reaffirms the Government's commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the necessity of working in partnership with other countries and organisations towards that end.