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If
what you are looking for is not shown here try the Main
Index |
|
 General
Legal
Information, Name Changes, Papers & Legislation
Laws
and Proposed UK Legislation
Laws
in force in the UK |
| The
above link to the HMSO website has a complete collection on-line
of legislation passed by Parliament since 1996. |
|
Bills
before Parliament |
| The
full text of Bills currently before the UK Parliament can be accessed
via the above link to the UK Parliament Web site. Note that these
bills are not in force and may be subject to further
revision before becoming law ... or may not, in fact be passed
at all. |
|
The
Lord Chancellors Department Tnterdepartmental Working Group on
Transsexual People |
An
Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People was
set up by the then Home Secretary in April 1999 and tasked
with considering - with special reference to birth certificates
- the need for appropriate legal measures to address the problems
experienced by transsexual people. The Working Group was particularly
asked to pay due regard to scientific and societal developments,
and measures undertaken in other countries.
The
Goodwin Judgement
The
UK Gender Recognition Act came into law on the 1st July 2004.
If you want to see what drove this action then you should
read the two main judgments of the European Court of Human
Rights in the cases of Christine
Goodwin -v- the United Kingdom and
I
-v- the United Kingdom
Gender
Recognition Act Read
the Entire Original Bill Here 
The
news that we've been waiting for is here! It's now the law.
The UK Gender Bill is now the UK Gender Recognition Act 2004
- for details of and the legal history of how we got here
...
Click
Here
GENDER
RECOGNITION APPLICATION FORMS AVAILABLE
On
4th January 2005, the Gender Recognition Panel (GRP) will
make the first application packs for fast track and overseas
gender recognition processes available at http://www.grp.gov.uk.
Fast
track applications are for people who have transitioned at
least six years ago. For the first six months, the GRP will
deal exclusively with these applications.
Application packs for the standard application process will
be available in July 2005 and the first day that these applications
will be assessed by the Panel will be on 4th October 2005.
GENDER
RECOGNITION ADVICE SITE OPEN
To help people understand the process, Press For Change has
created a guidance site at http://www.gra-info.org.uk
The
site includes answers to frequently-asked questions (FAQs),
and an interactive expert system ("Ask GRACE") --
a questionnaire which will guide you through the application
process. There is also a Roadmap which sets out all the steps
as a flowchart.
If you have an enquiry about personal matters which might
affect your application, and you can't find an answer on the
GRA-info site, we have provided on online enquiry system:
see the "Feedback" link. However, please do Ask
GRACE and read the FAQs first! We know we haven't covered
everything, but the answer may already be there.
(The
GRA-info site is still under development, so please bear with
us as we sort out some remaining presentational issues).
If you have an enquiry about the Gender Recognition Application
forms please contact the Gender Recognition Panels at :
Gender Recognition Panel
PO Box 6987
Leicester
LE1 6ZX
Phone: *This number will be available from 4th January 2005
on the GRP website at: http://www.grp.gov.uk/about/aboutus.htm
E-mail:
grpenquiries@dca.gsi.gov.uk
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|
Lynne
Jones UK Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak
|
| A
campaigner for transsexual rights in the UK, Lynne a British Member
of Parliament has her own website which catalogs landmark events
in recent debates and legislation. see also Lynne's specific page
for transsexual
law changes |
European
Courts
|
European
Court of Justice (C.V.R.I.A.
The Court of Justice of the European Communities) |
Effectively
the supreme court of The European Union, the European Court
of Justice is the ultimate arbiter on matters of European law.
It was the ECJ's 1996 ruling in the P-v-S
case
which established protection against discrimination in employment
for trans people throughout the EU.
The Court of Justice comprises
15 judges and 8 advocates general. The judges and advocates
general are appointed by common accord of the governments of
the Member States and hold office for a renewable term of six
years. They are chosen from jurists whose independence is beyond
doubt and who are of recognized competence. The judges select
one of their number to be President of the Court for a renewable
term of three years. The President directs the work of the Court
and presides at hearings and deliberations. The advocates general
assist the Court in its task. They deliver, in open court and
with complete impartiality and independence, opinions on the
cases brought before the Court. Their duties should not be confused
with those of a prosecutor or similar official - that is the
role of the Commission, as guardian of the Community's interests.
|
|
European
Court of Human Rights |
| Database
of the case-law of the supervisory organs of the European Convention
on Human Rights. Base de données sur la jurisprudence des
organes de contrôle de la Convention européenne des
Droits de l’Homme |
UK
Courts
|
Lord
Chancellor's Department |
The
government department responsible for the administration of justice
in England and Wales, and the oversight of law reform. The Lord
Chancellor's main departmental role is to secure the efficient
administration of justice in England and Wales. Broadly speaking
he is responsible for:
- The
effective management of the courts.
-
The appointment of judges, magistrates and other judicial
office holders.
- The
administration of legal aid.
- The
oversight of a wide programme of Government civil legislation
and reform in such fields as human rights, freedom of information,
data protection, data sharing, family law, property law, electoral
& referenda law, defamation and legal aid.
|
|
The
Court Service |
| The
Court Service is an executive agency of the Lord Chancellor’s
Department, providing administrative support to a number of courts
and tribunals in England and Wales, including the High Court,
the Crown Court and the county courts. Their website also includes
other sites related to the administration of justice, including: |
|
The
Scottish Court Service |
| Which
is responsible for the administration of the Supreme and Sherriff
Courts in Scotland. |
|
The
Northern Ireland Court Service |
| Northern Ireland Court Service Online |
|
The
Employment Appeal Tribunal |
| The
EAT handles appeals from the decisions of the Employment Tribunals:
its website includes the full text of EAT judgments and a schedule
of forthcoming cases. |
Analysis
and
Surveys
|
ILGA
World Legal Survey |
An
overview of the status of GLBT people around the globe, the
world legal survey is an invaluable resource. With detailed
assessments of the legal situation in nearly every nation
on the planet, this is a site to add to your browsers' bookmarks.
From its inception in 1978 ILGA has always attached great
importance to the sharing of information about LGBT rights.
This
World Survey is firmly grounded in this tradition. It is primarily
intended as a resource for those working to promote LGBT rights,
whether they be activists, lawyers, people working in the
media, or academics.
|
|
Is
He our Sister? |
| An
article subtitled "Sex, Gender, and Transsexuals Under European
Law" by Andrea C Loux, BA, JD, Lecturer-in-Public Law at Edinburgh
University, which examines equality for trans people in the light
of the landmark P v S
judgment
in the European Court of Justice and the case of M v Chief
Constable (West Midlands Police). |
Publications
Advice,
Information
and UK Terror acts
|
National
Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) |
The
Citizens Advice Bureau Service offers free, independent and
confidential advice. The CAB helps solve problems which
are central to people's lives, including debt and consumer issues,
benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, and immigration.
Advisers can help fill out forms, write letters, negotiate with
creditors and represent clients at court or tribunal.
As well as giving advice, the CAB Service uses its bank of client
evidence to find out where local and national services and policies
should change.
The NACAB website includes a directory
to
help find your local Citizens Advice Bureau. |
|
Adviceguide
|
| An
advice and information service run by NACAB. |
|
The
UK Home Office Website |
| The
British Home Office, responsibile for ensuring the successful
implenetation of The
Human Rights Act,
which incorporates the European
Convention on Human Rights into
UK law. Also included is an information section on Terrorism and
what to do in the event of a chemical or Biological attact. Just
Great! |
|
Lord
Carlile's review of Part 4 Section 28 of the Anti-Terrorism Crime
and Security Act
(File size 572 Kb) |
 |
|
Report
on the operation in 2002 of Part VII of the Terrorism Act 2002
(File size 148 Kb) |
|
|
Report
on the Operation in 2001of the Terrorism Act 2000 by Lord Carlile
of Berriew (File size 1.4 MB) |
|
|
Counter-Terrorist
Actions since September 2002 |
|
|
The
United Kingdom and the Campaign against International Terrorism
- A Progress Report
(File size 223 Kb) |
|
|
Airport
Security Report by the Rt Hon Sir John Wheeler JP DL, 2002
(File
size 38 Kb) |
|
|
Annual
Reports for 1998 of the Interception of Communications Commissioner
and the Security Service Commissioner |
|
|
Analysis
of Responses to the Government's consultation paper |
| on interception of communications
(Cm 4368) Copies
of Responses where permission
to publish was not withheld are also available. |
|
Interception
of Communications in the United Kingdom: a consultation paper
|
|
|
Responses
to the Interception of Communications consultation paper |
|
|
Report
on the Operation in 2001 of Part VII of the Terrorism Act 2001by
Lord Carlile of Berriew QC
(file size 75 Kb) |
|
|
Review
of the operation in 2000 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary
Provisions) Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions)
Act 1996
(file size 69 Kb) |
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|
Review
of the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions)
Act 1989 |
|
Site Advice and Help
Lawyers
and Legal Services in Europe and UK
|
The
Bar Council |
| The
Bar Council represents and regulates barristers, and its website
includes detailed information about the role of barristers as
well as the Bar Directory. The Bar Council's
Education and Training website. |
|
The
Law Society of England and Wales |
| The
professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. Includes
information on finding a solictor, and the standards you can expect. |
|
The
Legal Services Commission - England and Wales |
| Information
on how the legal process works, and how you can get legal aid.
The Legal Services Commission is an executive non-departmental
public body created under the Access to Justice Act 1999 to replace
the Legal Aid Board. It is responsible for the development and
administration of two schemes in England and Wales |
|
The
Community Legal Service (CLS) |
| Need
information on a legal problem? Want to know who and where your
local adviser is? Does it cost anything and can you get financial
help? To make it easier for the public to get legal help and advice,
the CLS brings together organisations offering legal and advice
services into local networks. These networks include solicitors,
Citizens' Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, local authority services
(including libraries), community centres, and a host of other
organisations. |
|
Internet
Law |
| A
wonderful collection of legal links, searchable by several categories. |
|
Harassment
Law |
| A
solicitor and a barrister have prepared this site, which offers
advice and information on harassment law in the UK. The
site aims "to provide practical information and relevant web links
for anyone who is the victim of harassment or who is has been
wrongly accused of harassment". |
Legal
campaigners and Human rights
See also Campaign
Groups listed
in Medical Section
|
| Amnesty
International is a worldwide campaigning movement that works to
promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and other international standards. Best known
for its support of prisoners of conscience, Amnesty also works
in support of people deprived of rights because of their gender
identity. |
|
Liberty
|
| Formerly
the National Council for Civil Liberties, Liberty actively
supports the rights of trans people: their 1999 submission
to
the
government's
inter-departmental
working
group
on
the
status
of
transexual
people
and
their 1997 Amicus
brief
in
the
Sheffield
&
Horsham
case
in
the
ECHR are
both on the Press
For Change website.
|
|
Rights
International |
| Rights
International isa US-based non-profitorganisation which fights
for those rights recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and other international human rights treaties. It's two
goals are: to protect the human rights of its clients, and to
advance the development of international human rights caselaw.
(See, for example, Rights International's amicus
brief in
the XYZ case). |
|
The
International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA) |
| Accredited
with observer status at both the UN and the Council of Europe,
ILGA is a powerful force in drawing the attention of international
law to the status of GLBT people. |
|
UK
Foreign Office Human Rights Website |
| Human
Rights Policy Department (HRPD) is the central point of advice
and expertise on human rights in the FCO and leads on human rights
issues. They advise on general principles and the consistency
of approach throughout the work of the FCO. |
UK
Government Departments and links
UK
Political Parties
|
