Freedom of speech in Parliament is a key element of parliamentary privilege, and is enshrined in law by article 9 of the Bill of Rights of 1689.
It means MPs and Members of the House of Lords have immunity from being found in contempt of court for what they say or do during proceedings in…
The Committee on Standards in Public Life, an independent body which advises the Prime Minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct, has marked its 30th anniversary by issuing a report relating to the need for better recognition by public sector bodies of early warning signs.
‘Not another review’, you might be thinking, with…
This Government’s absolute commitment to the ‘Rule of Law’ means that some are asking this question. It would be less problematic if the Rule of Law were defined ‘thinly’ by reference to its universally accepted core principles, ie. that the law should be certain and accessible, applied equally and governed by laws administered by an…
Following on from Kingsley Napley’s event in January which discussed the recent House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee’s report, the Government has now published its eagerly-awaited response.
The Committee was set up to consider whether the Inquiries Act 2005 provides an effective framework for public inquiries. In its report of 16 September 2024, it…
1. AI battles
Hardly a day goes by without Artificial Intelligence dominating the headlines. Much ink has been spilled about the deployment of AI and algorithmic decision-making tools by the state. As programmes continue to be rolled out, it seems inevitable that some will start to be rolled back as a result of legal challenges.…
The Administrative Court handed down judgment in this case on 7 February 2025.
This case concerned the lawfulness of mandatory extra charges levied by private nurseries on parents accessing free childcare through the government’s Free Early Education Entitlement (“FEEE”) scheme. Under the scheme families can access 15 or 30 hours of free childcare from participating…
The Administrative Court handed down judgment in this case on 7 February 2025.
This case concerned the lawfulness of mandatory extra charges levied by private nurseries on parents accessing free childcare through the government’s Free Early Education Entitlement (“FEEE”) scheme. Under the scheme families can access 15 or 30 hours of free childcare from participating…
On 23rd January 2025, Kingsley Napley welcomed Joshua Rozenberg to its offices to chair an expert panel to discuss a highly topical issue: “Making Public Inquiries Work”. It was a fascinating event which underlined the need for reform, innovation, and fresh thinking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public inquiries.
The evening began with an…
In October, the Supreme Court handed down a unanimous judgment providing guidance on the approach to be taken where a regulator who is subject to judicial review proceedings contends that the claim should be dismissed due to an “alternative suitable remedy”.
The case emphasises the distinctive nature of public law claims, their importance in holding…
On 16 September 2024 the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee (“the Committee”) published its report looking into the efficacy of the law and practice relating to statutory public inquiries held under the Inquiries Act 2005. The Committee, with Lord Norton of Louth as its chair, conducted oral sessions and considered written evidence from a…
