GLC gets Scribd

GLC has published a selection of our past social policy and law reform reports and documents on Scribd. Scribd is a nifty free website which allows you to view any shape or form of document without Adobe or a word processor - so you can access GLC documents via any internet connection or your mobile phone. GLC will use Scribd to publish documents which we think might be of interest to social welfare law practitioners or the public generally. You can find our Scribd page here.

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Rent Deposit Scheme for Scotland

Scotland's Housing Minister, Alex Neil MSP, has confirmed that the Scottish Government will introduce a new Rent Deposit Scheme for Scotland.

In an answer to a Parliamentary Question asked by Claire Baker MSP, Mr Neil said: "At the last tenancy deposit working group on 1 September the stakeholder members, representing the full range of interests, agreed that a single, national mandatory scheme for safeguarding tenancy deposits was the best way forward. Earlier in the summer the group had defined the criteria for any solution to the issue of unfairly withheld deposits".

"The group will meet again in the next couple of months to consider the details of the scheme, the lessons to learn from schemes running in England and Wales and how best to provide for adjudicating disputes. This will allow the scheme to be defined so that the enabling secondary legislation can be prepared and come to Parliament in the Spring".

The power to introduce a Rent Deposit Scheme is already contained within the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.

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SYLA debate on trainee solicitors

The Scottish Young Lawyers Association have organised a guest speakers debate, with the support of The Scotsman, on Thursday 29 October 2009 at 7.30pm in Edinburgh. Further details from the SYLA.

The motion to be debated is 'This House believes that trainees are there to be exploited'.

The SYLA are keen to highlight the difficulties facing young lawyers and trainee solicitors in Scotland. Many trainees have had their traineeships cancelled or been made redundant - a grim prospect after five years of university study with associated debt.

GLC's Principal Solicitor will open the debate for the opposition.

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Failure to support free parking bill will fetter access to NHS in Scotland

Govan Law Centre (GLC) is deeply concerned at the lack of cross-party support for the principle of unfettered, free, public access to NHS services in Scotland.

GLC agreed to draft Paul Martin MSP's proposed NHS Parking (Scotland) Bill on behalf of UNISON Scotland because we believe in the principle of universal free health care in Scotland.

GLC's Mike Dailly said: "Patients, visitors and health workers currently cannot access three of Scotland's major hospitals unless they have the money to pay for hospital parking charges. Elsewhere in Scotland there are various forms of 'semi-free' access to hospitals, which are often rendered meaningless in practice as there are inadequate parking spaces".

"If you can't park near a hospital you can't access health care services or support a loved one. It's that simple. Universal free health care has to include universal free access to all NHS services in Scotland. At the very least the principle of unfettered public access to Scottish hospitals deserves to be discussed by the Scottish Parliament. Sadly that won't happen unless there is cross-party support on this important law reform proposal".

Link to UNISON Scotland's Bill campaign page.

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Prime Minister intervenes in bank charges dispute

Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday called on the UK's banks to resolve the unfair bank charges dispute and negotiate a solution "without further delay". Further details of this story are available in The Guardian.

The decision of the Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords)on whether the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations can apply to overdraft fees is expected within weeks. If the banks were to lose this case (and they have already lost on this preliminary issue before the High Court and the Court of Appeal) there would still need to be a lengthy evidential hearing on the merits of the case i.e. whether the charges were indeed fair or unfair.

Accordingly, GLC believes it is likely that if the banks were to lose before the Supreme Court they may prefer to negotiate a settlement with the OFT - as happened with credit card default charges back in 2006. There have been previous reports that the OFT would be prepared to consider a negotiated settlement. In 2006, the OFT set an intervention figure of over £12, and most credit card companies reduced their default charges to £12.

Could that happen with bank charges? We think so. The fact that RBS/Natwest and HBOS are already reducing their fees is a strong indication that a solution to unfair bank charges may soon be within sight. And if that happens the freeze on seeking a refund will be lifted and millions of citizens will be able to pursue a backdated claim.

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Law Awards win for Govan

Govan Law Centre picked up the Chairman's Award for its unique outstanding public service at last night's 2009 Law Awards of Scotland.

The 'Oscars' for Scotland's legal profession took place before a packed audience of lawyers and guests in Glasgow's Hilton hotel.

GLC's Principal Solicitor Mike Dailly said:

"We are very proud that this kind honour was bestowed upon us by the Rt Hon Lord MacLean as Chairman of the judging panel".

"Govan Law Centre is the only firm in Scotland to have won the Chairman's Award twice, and this is a generous acknowledgement to all of our brilliant staff and trustees".

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Breaking news: Bank of Scotland & Halifax to cut bank charges

Bank of Scotland and Halifx(HBOS) are to cut overdraft penalty charges on their current accounts by the end of 2009.

HBOS, both part of the Government-owned Lloyds Banking Group, have confirmed they will axe the current charges structure where you are hit with fees of up to £35 per transaction if you exceed your limit, which could add up to £133 a day.

HBOS customers will instead pay £5 a day for every day they are in an unauthorised overdraft no matter how many transactions are attempted or how deep into an unauthorised overdraft they go.

Further details are available on Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert site.

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