As the public inquiry into the Horizon IT system’s failings unfolded, the most senior civil servant in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) told MPs that he “really hopes” their growing use of machine learning will not replicate the Post Office’s scandal. If the UK Government wants to prevent a widespread miscarriage of justice caused by their use of AI and automation, it will take more than hope.  Here are 5 lessons the Government should take to avoid another failure. 1. Humans must not over-rely on machines   The Horizon system was not working properly but it was still treate ..read more

The government’s new ‘Back to Work’ plan ignores the harm caused by the increase of conditionality on benefits claimants. In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor recognised the current cost of living pressures by uprating benefits in line with inflation, unfreezing the local housing allowance, and raising the minimum wage. But there is also bad news. The focus on sanctions in the Back to Work plan, also announced in the statement, reinforces a persistent and dangerous narrative: that benefit claimants shy away from work despite opportunities to enter employment. While properly designed measure ..read more

In the context of rushed bills,1 the hollowing out of treaty scrutiny,2 and the lowest ever percentage of Freedom of Information requests being fully granted in the first three months of the current Government,3 how can a ‘periscoping’ method help public law researchers and caseworkers deal with the government’s lack of transparency? In a panel debate at this year’s Society of Legal Scholars conference, Public Law Project showed how this innovative method can be a helpful tool in tackling the growing transparency gap.4  By piecing together bits of information, ‘reflections and refraction ..read more

What is legal research for, if not to make people’s lives better? Research assistant Joseph Summers reflects on PLP’s Legal Research for Impact event. PLP and the University of York’s joint ‘Legal Research for Social Impact’ event in May aimed to support legal researchers do just that by exploring ways to influence law, policy, and practice. Its speakers provided insights into how they have had impact through work in academia, campaigning organisations, and community-led groups. Recordings of the event are available on PLP’s learning portal.  During the event, it emerged that the panellis ..read more

The Illegal Migration Bill is now an act, bringing with it significant unnecessary harm. Here’s what the government could, and should, have done to protect vulnerable migrants and improve Home Office efficiency. Today, the Illegal Migration Bill is expected to receive royal assent and become law. This is one of the most damaging Bills in recent memory, putting the world’s most persecuted people at risk, undermining the UK’s commitment to international law, and damaging our human rights framework.   In the course of all this harm, this Bill does not address the fundamental problems wi ..read more

The worrying lack of transparency around the UK government’s use of AI is placing them at risk of repeating serious mistakes made by other governments – but the stakes do not need to be this high, writes Policy and Parliamentary Lead Isabelle Agerbak. This week MPs will be debating the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI). The debate comes just after the consultation on the Government AI White Paper closes. Amid the excitement and trepidation around AI in recent months, a crucial point has been missing from public discourse: the rules for State use of AI may not be ..read more

The Government’s Illegal Migration Bill threatens cherished British constitutional principles and puts the most vulnerable people at risk, argue researchers Rachel Solomon and Lee Marsons. The Illegal Migration Bill puts the safety of refugees, migrant children, and victims of modern slavery at risk and thereby raises very serious moral concerns. But the Bill also fundamentally undermines our constitution. As a recent House of Lords’ Constitution Committee report points out, the Bill undermines vital constitutional principles such as the rule of law; human rights; devolution; checks and balanc ..read more

As benefit sanctions exceed pre-COVID highs, research carried out by the Public Law Project with benefit claimants, advisers, and support workers shows that people who try to question their sanctions face a complex and unaccountable system in which legitimate challenge feels futile and fails to provide an adequate remedy.  Last month, DWP published its latest data on benefit sanctions. It made for worrying reading for anyone who had hoped for a change in approach following a period of sanction suspension during the pandemic.   The data showed that Universal Credit sanction rates ..read more

Reform of legal aid means testing is urgently needed, and, as it stands, the Ministry of Justice’s Means Test Review (MTR) does not go far enough in enacting the vital change needed to ensure access to civil justice in areas such as public law, immigration, housing, community care and family law – here are the key ways it can and must be improved. We are particularly concerned that existing issues will continue to produce injustice and impact vulnerable people in particular need of legal advice and representation. There is a lack of effective safeguards for people who cannot afford to pay priv ..read more

Following an evidence session to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) on whether Parliament should have a role in scrutinising international treaties, PLP Head of Research Arabella Lang sets out three key reforms needed to improve treaty scrutiny and why they are needed now more than ever. Treaty-making is a job for the executive, but this doesn’t mean Parliament should be shut out. Yesterday we told PACAC that prerogative treaty powers should be balanced against other important constitutional principles of parliamentary sovereignty, parliamentary accountabili ..read more