Monday 19 September 2011

Eviction grounds to be widened?

Further to my post on obtaining possession of properties occupied by social tenants convicted of rioting offences - it would seem that the Government do not think the power wide or draconian enough (see extract from Lords Hansard below) - it appears the current ground which requires the conviction to relate to an offence committed in, or in the locality of, the dwelling-house - might be widened to include offences committed anywhere? This would seem far to wide and possibly contrary to article 8???


Public Disorder: Eviction from Social Housing

Question

11.16 am
Asked By Lord Dubs
    To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities about the eviction from social housing of families with members involved in rioting or looting.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham): My Lords, during and since the riots, a number of discussions have taken place between Ministers and local authorities, and eviction was one of many issues discussed. The Department for Communities and Local Government is currently consulting on proposals to extend the existing discretionary ground for possession for anti-social behaviour to include tenants or family members who have been convicted of the sort of criminality witnessed during the recent riots, wherever that criminality took place.

Thursday 8 September 2011

Pulling no punches

Sir William Gage has pulled no punches re Baha Mousa - nor should he:

My judgment is that they constituted an appalling episode of serious, gratuitous violence on civilians, which resulted in the death of one man and injuries to others. They represented a very serious breach of  discipline by a number of members of 1 QLR.