Religion and law round-up – 9th August

With the domestic courts adjourned for the summer, a quiet week in the UK – so what follows is mostly news from elsewhere 

Sunday trading

On 5 August, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Communities and Local Government launched their Consultation on devolving Sunday trading rules. We posted about the consultation and about the initial reactions which reflect long-held views of the bodies concerned, and would therefore not be surprised if the draft of the government’s response to the Consultation had already been written.

Safeguarding and the Goddard Inquiry

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales, chaired (after a couple of false starts) by Justice Lowell Goddard of the New Zealand High Court, is now properly under way. Maria Strauss kindly provided a guest post on the terms of reference and operation of the Inquiry and, in particular, how it is likely to impact on religious groups. And while we’re on the subject of historic sexual abuse…

… Jehovah’s Witnesses and child protection in Australia

The Australian Associated Press reports that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that they have recorded more than one child abuse allegation every month Continue reading