Escaping the courts
Via PJC Journal, the ruling of Lord Justice Sedley in the case of UMBS Online Ltd. v. the Serious Organised Crime Agency and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
In setting up the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the state has set out to create an Alsatia – a region of executive action free of judicial oversight. Although the statutory powers can intrude heavily, and sometimes ruinously, into civil rights and obligations, the supervisory role which the court would otherwise have is limited by its primary obligation to give effect to Parliament’s clearly expressed intentions.
PJC journal makes an apt comparison to the setting up of the Gestapo.
Reader Comments (3)
Both are non-ministerial executive agencies. NPIA effectively takes much of the control elements the remaining police forces outside of the judicial arena, especially in respect of the databases, DNA register and its IT.
http://www.npia.police.uk/en/5151.htm
http://www.cpni.gov.uk/About/about.aspx
far too many new departments, especially those with powers to enter, seize, spy and otherwise disrupt an individuals life report to ministers rather than parliament.
all the stuff that good dictatorships are made of.
the building blocks are in place.