As the English & Welsh Criminal Records Bureau procedures are being revised, so Northern Ireland catches up – let’s hope they can get them to being along the same lines. Continue reading NI plays catch up criminal records review
Today in LGBT History Month, we have another good news story resulting from the Liberal Democrats forming the coalition government with the Tories in Westminster. Liberal Democrat Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP has launched consultation on reforming the marriage and civil partnership laws in the United Kingdom sorry England & Wales in line with the Liberal Democrats Equal Marriage Policy voted on at Party Conference in September. Unfortunately, this will not be done across the UK as a whole which will mean that whilst Lynne is Minister for Equalities she will be putting out consultation on something that will … Continue reading Reforming the marriage law – why not on a UK basis? – Scotland and NI lag behind
For many gay men in the United Kingdom, there was light at the end of a tunnel in the Government’s Protection of Freedoms Bill.
The Rt Hon David Cameron, wrote in an exclusive for Pink News:
We will change the law so that any past convictions for consensual homosexual sexual activities, which have since become lawful, will be treated as spent, and will not be disclosed on a criminal record check when applying for a job. This is a question of justice – and it’s right that we should change the law and wipe the slate clean.
Unfortunately, it seems that once again HMG is being economical with the truth. Continue reading “did Sir Humphrey give the advice on Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill?”
The latest news from the Coalition Government in Westminster is a scheme whereby customers using bank cards could give money to charity. As a trustee of The HIV Support Centre, a local charity, this sounds like it could be a source of welcome money. But I have quite a number of questions. How would such money be distributed? How would the charity/charities be chosen? Is this to eliminate charity boxes in corner shops/bars etc.? I cannot see how this could be done in a fair way to help those charities that are reasonably small – yet are vital to local … Continue reading the big society: does it apply to Northern Ireland?
Gyronny Herald 