Environmental information regulation

Access to information is a critical component of a modern democracy. Ensuring that individuals, communities, businesses and other organisations have the opportunity to request and receive public documents is essential for effective participation in public life and it helps to make government and governance more efficient, open and transparent. The right to receive and impart information subject to appropriate exceptions is found in the Article 10 right under the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950: Freedom of Expression.

The right of access to environmental information is a key international norm found for instance, in Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1992 which provides that:

‘Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level, each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, including information on hazardous materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes. States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including

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Latest Public Law News

Public Law weekly highlights—20 November 2025

This week's edition of Public Law weekly highlights includes a hand-picked summary of news analysis, legal updates and case law from the world of Public Law. These highlights include the latest updates on Brexit, constitutional and administrative law, equality and human rights, judicial review, public procurement, information law, state accountability and liability, state security and intelligence and other Public Law news. This edition features analysis of two recent Supreme Court cases, plus details of free webinars available in conjunction with the LexisNexis® University.

Supreme Court holds that statutory religious education and collective worship in Northern Ireland school breached human rights (In the matter of an application by JR87 and another for Judicial Review (Appellant))

The Supreme Court has unanimously allowed the appeal brought by a young girl, JR87, and her father, against the Department of Education (Northern Ireland). The court, sitting in London, has held that the teaching of religious education and the provision of collective worship in Northern Ireland’s controlled schools, as mandated under the existing statutory framework, breached their rights under Article 2 of Protocol 1 (A2P1) to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) read together with Article 9 ECHR. Victoria Dennis, Educational Law Solicitor, Doyle Clayton has commented on the implications of the judgment.

Supreme Court holds child element of Universal Credit is not a family benefit under EU coordination rules (Simkova v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)

The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed the appeal brought by a Slovakian national resident in England, concerning entitlement to the child element of Universal Credit in circumstances where the claimant’s child resided outside the United Kingdom. The Court held that the child element of universal credit (‘UC’) is not a ‘family benefit’ within the meaning of Article 3(1)(j) of Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems. Sarah Crowe, solicitor at Leigh Day representing the appellant, discusses the implications of the judgment, highlighting that the decision confirms that EU nationals living in the UK whose children remain in an EU Member State cannot claim the child element of Universal Credit for those children, even if they are dependent on them, and that questions about the Supreme Court’s power to refer to the CJEU under the Withdrawal Agreement will need to be resolved in a future case.

Government announces asylum and human rights reforms

The UK Government has announced significant planned reforms to its asylum and human rights system. Settlement for refugees will no longer be automatic after five years and the changes intend to impose stricter limits on asylum support and family reunion rights, modify how Article 8 impacts privacy and family life cases, and significantly reform appeals processes.