These are interesting, and challenging, times for human rights law in the UK. There has been a remarkable growth in awareness of human rights as offering protections to those throughout society, and on an international scale. It is an issue that is now firmly on the agenda in boardrooms, and in the media. But there are also signs of popular disillusionment, reflected in the political mood. Despite or perhaps because of its growth, the future…

The First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) (“FtT“) has published an interesting decision on the disclosure of commercially confidential information.  In John Eustace v The Information Commissioner, Southampton City Council (the “Council“) was ordered to disclose commercial information relating to the revenue stream it received from bus stop advertising, in part because other local authorities had been happy to disclose the same type of information in the past.  These previous disclosures meant that the FtT regarded it…

In Oakley v South Cambridgeshire CC [2016] EWHC 570 (Admin), the High Court held that South Cambridgeshire County Council did not have a common law duty to give reasons for its decision to grant planning permission to build a football stadium on greenbelt land, even though that decision was contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation. There was previously a statutory duty to give reasons in such situations, but a recent change to the law required…

The Court of Appeal has found that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was required to explain why he had rejected the planning inspector’s view in the case of James Joseph Horada (on behalf of the Shepherd’s Bush Market Tenant’s Association) & Others v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Others. The Court’s judgment in this case gives further clarity on the types of situation where detailed reasons…

The Independent Commission on Freedom of Information (the “Commission“) has published its report on the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA“).  After extensive written responses to a call for evidence and two days of oral evidence, the report has surprised commentators by not recommending any major changes to the existing freedom of information regime to further protect communications of ministers and civil servants.  We set out below some of the key changes considered by the…

The High Court has found that KPMG is not amenable to judicial review as a result of its role as the independent reviewer of Barclays’ redress scheme, which was set up to compensate customers who had been mis-sold interest rate hedging products (“IRHPs“) by Barclays Bank. The decision in R (on the application of Holmcroft Properties Ltd) v KPMG LLP & Ors, which was handed down on 24 February 2016, sets out the relevant…