Home

RICS critical of Government’s plans for estate agency shake up

House for sale signs for Expert Witness story With Government committed to reducing the regulatory burdens on business in order to help economic growth, the Red Tape Challenge process is scrutinising UK legislation to see where there may be scope for amendments or repeals to reduce regulatory burdens.

Part of this exercise has included a proposal to amend the Estate Agents Act. The RICS – which operates a comprehensive expert witness service for property disputes – was among those asked by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) for its views on the proposal to amend the legislation.

Met boss welcomes Winsor II

Your Expert Witness Bernard Hogan-Howe The Winsor proposals are a step in the right direction for policing: that is the view of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. The opinion was offered during an appearance before the Commons Home Affairs Committee, as part of a six-month review of progress.

However, as reported in the weekly newsletter of the Police Oracle, Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe accepted that colleagues might not agree with his views on the report.

He said the Winsor proposals would reward deserving officers, with promotions being based on skill rather than longevity of service.

Legal Aid Bill: Lords' third reading

Your Expert Witness gavel Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill enters third reading for final Lords scrutiny, amendments and potential votes today (Tuesday 27 March).

Members of the House have suggested a number of amendments to Schedule One which covers the provision of civil legal services for children under 18, vulnerable young people, victims of trafficking and those unlawfully taken from the UK.

What is third reading?
Third reading is the final chance for the Lords to debate and clarify the contents of the bill.

Expert witness consortium seeks feedback

The Consortium of Expert Witnesses to the Family Courts has appealed to solicitors for feedback on the effect of fee cuts, according to a report in the Law Society Gazette in January. According to the Gazette: “The group believes there are already difficulties in obtaining access to qualified experts and has objected to lower rates of pay in London compared with the rest of the country.”

Inquiry into the Provision and Uptake of Broadband Services in Scotland

A short, targeted inquiry by the Scottish Parliament’s Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee to identify the work required to significantly expand Scotland’s digital broadband infrastructure has its first session of oral evidence today.

The Committee wants to assess the coverage, availability and uptake of broadband across Scotland and to consider what work is required by the Scottish Government, infrastructure providers and others to increase the provision and uptake of broadband in Scotland.