Law Society notices

Recent information from the Law Society's library

CharitiesNew guidance notes for charities have been published by the Inland Revenue.

They reflect the changes in the rules regarding charitable giving announced in the Chancellor's Budget 2000 and set out how the tax system operates for charities following the changes.

Gift aid, payroll giving, applications for charitable status and relevant forms are all included and the guidance is available at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/charities/index.htm

CostsCollective Conditional Fee Agreements Regulations 2000 SI 2000: 2988.These regulations, which come into force on 30 November 2000, prescribe the conditions which must be satisfied in a collective conditional fee agreement.

Available at: www.hmso.gov.uk/

CourtsThe Crown Court (Amendment) (No.

2) Rules 2000.

SI 2000: 2987 (L25).

Covers applications for leave to introduce evidence or to ask questions in cross-examination regarding the complainant's sexual behaviour at a trial of a person charged with a sexual offence.

Provides for a Crown Court judge to hold a hearing of an application for leave in chambers.

Disapplies the rules concerning advance notice of expert evidence where an application for leave is made in accordance with these rules.

Comes into force on 4 December 2000.

Available at: www.hmso.gov.uk/

Criminal lawThe Criminal Law Solicitors Association has a new Web site (www.clsa.co.uk) which includes a members directory and court lists.

Members can access the CLSA database and keep track of the latest developments in criminal law.

Legal servicesVoicepath.net offers an 'immediate dictation and response service' for documents.

A dictation sent over the Internet is transcribed and returned to you as a document within a chosen house style by legal staff qualified in the language of the profession.

For more details, visit: www.voicepath.netPensionsThe Judicial Pensions Act 1981 (Amendment) Regulations 2000.

SI 2000: 2985.Also see associated new Statutory Instruments of 2000 relating to Judicial Pensions, SI No's 2000: 2983, 2984, 2986.

All four come into force on 1 December 2000.

Available at:www.hmso.gov.uk/

PlanningFisher v Wychavon District Council, The Times, 22 November 2000 (CA).Where the condition to a planning permission made it clear that the permission should be temporary, the court could not delete all references to a temporary consent so as to leave a permanent consent.

Available under 'British News' on the The Times Web site at: www.thetimes.co.uk

TaxationR v Inland Revenue Commissioners, ex parte Morgan Grenfell and Co Ltd, The Times, 22 November 2000 (QBD).The rule of legal professional privilege was excluded from the provisions of the Taxes Management Act 1970, except where it was expressly incorporated.

The report is available under 'British News' on The Times Web site at: www.thetimes.co.uk

TortsRibee v Norrie, The Times, 22 November 2000 (CA).The landlord was responsible for the fire and smoke damage caused to adjoining premises where the fire was caused by the negligence of persons who were not strangers.

The question was what power of control the landlord had.

The report is available under 'British News' on The Times Web site at: www.thetimes.co.uk

This list has been compiled by the Law Society's library.

For further information about items or other legal research enquiries please contact the library's enquiry service; tel: 0870 606 2511 or e-mail: libenq@lawsociety.org.ukCopies of most items are available via the library's charged document delivery service: telephone us for a photocopying application form or download it from the library's Web page at: www.library.lawsociety.org.uk