Legal news in brief - 24 October 2012
Posted: 24 October 2012
The government has announced that a new food labelling system will be introduced next year.
The system, which will employ colour coding and clarify what foods are high or low in fat, salt, and sugar, will be designed to be more consistent than the current system.
Public health minister Anne Soubry said that while the UK had the best record in Europe for offering nutrition guidance on its packaging, a lack of consistency across different brands made it confusing for customers.
"By having a consistent system we will all be able to see, at a glance, what is in our food,” said Soubry. “This will help us all choose healthier options and control our calorie intake.”
The system, which will be voluntary, is expected to come into effect next summer.
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The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been given the names of 1,444 police officers, some still serving, who could face investigation over the Hillsborough Disaster.
The announcement comes after the original inquest into the disaster was quashed last week, opening the door for a new investigation.
Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz revealed the number, which he had learned from the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire police. Mr Vaz added that the unexpectedly high number of officers reflected the “enormity” of the investigation ahead, but he insisted that the investigation would still be "thorough and wide-ranging".
Meanwhile, Sir Normal Bettison, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire police, is facing increasing calls to step down over his involvement in the disaster. New claims have emerged from a former civil servant, suggesting that Bettison boasted about his part in concocting a story which blamed Liverpool fans for the disaster.
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A leading barrister has claimed that preparation for the creation of an association exclusively for black footballers has already begun.
David Herbert, Chairman of the Society of Black Lawyers, told BBC Radio 5 that the society had considered the situation and already “held informal talks with a few black players”.
An association for black players was first suggested by Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand in a tweet over the weekend, after he and a number of other players boycotted the awareness drive of anti-racism charity Kick It Out, accusing the charity of not doing enough to stamp out racism in the game.
Ferdinand later backed away from suggestions that he was actively involved in trying to create such an association.
Herbert said that black footballers would benefit from the formation of “a progressive black footballers' association which can properly represent their interests and speak on their behalf whenever there is a legal issue”.
However, many, including PFA Chairman Clarke Carlisle and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, have warned that creating an association specifically for black players would divide the game further.