The Supreme Court has today refused permission for PRCBC, O and A to appeal by leapfrog against the decision of the High Court that the Secretary of State’s fee-making powers permit her to charge fees for children to register their statutory rights to British citizenship that are unaffordable or set at above administrative cost.
The High Court had granted PRCBC, O and A, a certificate to apply by leapfrog direct to the Supreme Court because it considered an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal (Williams) had effectively determined the issue but without the advantage of the arguments and evidence presented by PRCBC, particularly without the benefit of the Supreme Court ruling in Unison and arguably wrongly.
The Supreme Court has today decided that the Court of Appeal should first have the opportunity to consider the issue, having regard to Unison; and has made clear that its decision is purely for this reason with no implications as to the strength of the argument.
Accordingly, PRCBC, O and A will be making an application to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Supreme court order refusing permission March 2020
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