useful
links & search
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Scottish Parliament - find out what's happening in the Scottish Parliament. A comprehensive resource, with access to the 'Official Report' of proceedings and parliamentary Bills. Scottish Executive - access to press releases, reports and policy documents from the governing body in Scotland - the 'Scottish Executive'. Private rented housing - Scottish Executive website for private sector tenants & landlords; useful information and advice. Glasgow City Council - website of Scotland's largest local authority; find out what's going on in Glasgow. UK Statute Law Database - access any UK primary legislation as amended & up-to-date; a fantastic free legal resource for the public (introduced on 20 December 2006). HMSO (Scots law legislation only) - full text of Acts of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish SIs and the Scotland Act 1998. HMSO (UK legislation generally) - full text of Acts of the UK 'Westminster' Parliament and Statutory Instruments. Scottish Courts Service (Scottish case law) - full text of many judgments of the Court of Session since 1998; and judgments of the Sheriff Court where a point of public importance or interest arises. The Courts Service (English case law) - the judgments of the Court of Appeal and many English courts; also decisions of the Social Security Commissioners and various UK tribunals. House of Lords - judgments from the House of Lords since 14 November 1996. Employment Appeal Tribunal - judgments of the UK Employment Appeal Tribunal. Social Security Commissioners - commissioners' decisions by subject category. House of Commons (Hansard) - the official reporting service for the first chamber of the UK Parliament, including Commons debates from 1988. House of Lords (Hansard) - the offical reporting service for the socnd chamber of the UK Parliament. European Parliament - in the words of the 1957 Treaty of Rome, representing 'the peoples of the States brought together in the European Community'. European Parliament (UK office) - the UK information office of the European Parliament on-line. European Commission - the European Union's 'Executive body and guardian of the treaties'. Scottish Federation of Housing Associations - Scottish housing news, and the on-line RSL magazine, Federation Focus. |
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Scottish 'legal portals'
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not just an excellent and comprehensive Scottish legal portal, but a useful resource for legal articles and up-to-date legal news. Without doubt, the best collection of Scots law links around - but you'd expect nothing less from Govan Law Centre's Iain Nisbet! |
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a legal portal for the Scottish Law community offering links to relevant courts, legislation, organisations, professional bodies, societies, universities, company information, resources and more. |
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pages from Glasgow University - not updated since 1998, however still useful. Contains listings for law centes in Scotland (albiet dated!). |
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a Scottish legal portal offering links to relevant courts, legislation, organisations, professional bodies, societies, universities, company information resources and more. |
Legal research tools
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part of Butterworth's LawDirect facility - currently free; type in the statute, section or statutory instrument and find out if it's been repealed, amended or is still in force. A nifty tool which deals with UK legislation going back to 1975. |
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a free LawDirect facility which contains a digest of SIs in the UK since 1995; details of the enabling legislation and explanation of effect. |
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a free LawDirect case law digest of decision of the House of Lords, European Court of Justice, European Court of Human Rights, and the English higher courts - all since 1995. |
Welfare & legal rights, anti-poverty, information and access to justice groups
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Journal of the Law Society of Scotland
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daily legal news in Scotland, legal articles, opinions and professional legal briefings - all available for free online for members of the public from the Law Society of Scotland. |
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the Scottish Child Law Centre is an independent charitable organisation, based in Edinburgh, which provides services across Scotland. The aim of the Centre is to promote knowledge and use of Scots law and children's rights for the benefit of children and young people in Scotland. |
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Debt on our Doorstep is a national campaigning organisation made up of local activists and public organisations. It aims to end extortionate lending and ensure universal access to affordable credit and other financial services. |
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Homeless Information Pages (Glasgow) |
this website wants to: arm you with your rights; offer you some advice; answer some of your questions; point you in the right direction; show you what help and support is out there. |
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still under development, but a promising site indeed from Jonathan Mitchell Q.C. This is the first legal site from a member of the Scottish bar. Significantly, the author has posted his excellent (out of print) book, 'Eviction and rent arrears' as a free download. A site worth watching. |
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a partnership between the National Children's Bureau, Child Care Northern Ireland, Children in Scotland and Children in Wales. A one-stop source of free, 24 hour-a-day information on UK policy developments relating to children and young people (including news, consultations, legislation etc., all of which is searchable; free e-mail bulletin service). |
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the aim of ScoLAG is to promote equal access to justice in Scotland. The Group publishes 'SCOLAG' a monthly magazine with a wide range of articles, comment and case notes on social welfare law issues. |
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campaigns, publications, training, and selected features on-line from 'Welfare Rights Bulletin'. |
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up-to-date information on debt and poverty within Scotland, social welfare developments and useful links section. |
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information on the Scottish Poverty Information Unit - which collates and carries out research on Scottish poverty indicators. The site contains downloadable resources (pdf and html). |
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press releases and details of social security consultations underway |
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the House of Commons select committee, with press releases and reports. |
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software available from Ferret Information Systems which calculate benefit entitlement. |
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website of the Appeals Service, - the body which hears social security appeals in the UK. |
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facts and figures from the Government Agency; also a section for advisors. |
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resources for WROs, including case law, regulations, guidance and circulars. |
International court opinions
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judgments from the ECJ |
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judgments from the ECHR |
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judgments
from the ICJ |
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decisions from the United States of America Supreme Court |
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decisions from American federal and state courts |
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opinions from the Canadian courts |
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opinions from the Australian courts |
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opinions from the New Zealand courts |
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decisions from the South African Constitutional Court |
Scottish voluntary sector
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the umbrella body for voluntary organisations in Scotland, with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness. |
Public health
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an independent UK-wide voluntary organisation advocating health promoting policies; supporting those working in public health either professionally or in a voluntary capacity. |
Human rights resources
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advice, research and scrutiny of Scottish legislation from a human rights perspective. |
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the charitable arm of the Scottish Human Rights Centre. |
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human rights from an Irish law perspective. |
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the 'most important human rights document of our time'. |
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current issues, news, human rights documents, links and much more. |
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the international human rights campaigning organisation, with resources, details of AI's work and comprehensive links. |
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Human Rights & Related Resources available through the Internet |
a human rights internet 'portal' |
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a human rights internet 'portal' |
GLC unfair bank charges links
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The Consumer Action Group (Bank Action Group) - the leading and best online forum for reclaiming bank charges in the UK (free registration required to access all areas)
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Money Saving Expert - Martin Lewis' excellent self-help website, which provides free advice and support for reclaiming bank charges.
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Castaneda and Others v. Clydebank Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (House of Lords) (1904) 12 S.L.T. 498; [1905] A.C. 6 (PDF file).
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Judge warns bank over charges (BBC Money Box 27 January 2007).
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Mohammad Sarwar MP set to launch UK law reform campaign on unfair bank charges - letter to Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP (PDF file, 9 September 2006).
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Daily Mail (This is Money, 8 September 2006) Banking Code change; & Abbey National plc refund bank charges after GLC county court action
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Radio 4's 'Money Box' - Bank Charges - 18 February 2006. Challenge bank charges, says lawyer
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Article on the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations, by John Carruthers, Advocate (31 October 2005) - PDF.
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OFT says default charges must reflect real loss or they will be 'unfair' - 26 July 2005
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BBC Radio Scotland's 'Sunday Live' - unfair bank charges discussion - 9 April 2006
Govan Law Centre interview;
Case studies package -
Listen to BBC Five Live debate (in real audio) on bank charges with Govan Law Centre's Mike Dailly - 5 August 2005
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Student wins claim over bank charges - The Times, 29 June 2005.
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Challenge unfair bank charges - Andrew George MP, press release on constituent's country court success on bank charges as unlawful 'penalty' charges, 14 February 2005 ; Article on this case by Richard Colbey, Barrister, The Guardian, 5 February 2005.
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Article on unlawful bank charges by Richard Colbey, Barrister, The Guardian, 25 September 2004.
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Nigel Beard MP - press release calling for transparency in bank & credit card company profits from bank charges, 28 October 2004.
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UK banks's £3bn overdraft 'sting' - BBC report, 2 September 2004 (link to BBC news)
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Scottish Law Commission (PDF) - Report on Penalty Clauses - 18 May 1999.
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Unfair fees (PDF) - a report into penalty fees charged by Australian banks, Consumer Law Centre Victoria, December 2004.
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Bank charges may be illegal: study (pdf), 21 December 2004 - Business press article on a report from the Consumer Law Centre Victoria (Australian banks charge 64 to 92 times more for debit dishonour than the cost to process).
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English & Scottish Law Commissions (PDF) - Report on Unfair Terms in Contract - February 2005.