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Lecture notes Constitutional and Administrative Law (LW1120)
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- University Of Leicester (LE)
Lecture notes on proportionality
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Constitutional lecture 13.02.19Abuse of discretion-Proportionality
Dissatisfaction with Wednesbury
Alternative-proportionality:
Used in EU and ECHR case law
Arguably found also in UK law
What do we mean by proportionality?
1. Is objective important enough to limit right?
2. Is measure rationally connected with objective?
3. Are means no more than necessary? (min. interference)
R v Barnsley Council=market trader whose licence (therefore livelihood) removed for
urinating in public; done this on a basis of irrationality. However, argue this is proportionality
rather than irrationality (nothing to do how he trades in market); substantial academic
support (a lot of people said this was much better than Wednesbury and gives a larger role
for courts)
R v Secretary of State for Home Dpt. ex p Brind-rejection of proportionality; wide ban on
broadcasting words spoken by supporters of ‘terrorist’ organisations in Northern Ireland;
argued that it was disproportionate. Rejected by HL (involves looking at merits; politicians
elected to make these judgments; judges not qualified to make such decisions); some argue
proportionality isn’t part of UK law.
R v Ministry of Defence ex p Smith-challenge to policy banning homosexuality in armed
forces; more substantial interference, the more scrutiny by court; however policy is not
irrational (very high test to surmount); compare ECHR=breach of Art 8 (right to privacy) and
other means of meeting policy objective
Daly-when prison officers are searching cells; prisoners shouldn’t be present (got violent).
Objection to policy of excluding ALL prisoners from search of their cell; in particular
concerned about Prison Officers reading legal correspondence; Lord Bingham-not all
prisoners are violent; can be answered by common law. Proportionality:
i. legislative objective is sufficiently important to justify limiting a fundamental right
ii. the measures designed to meet legislative objective are rationally connected to it;
and
iii. the means used to impair the right or freedom are not more than is necessary to
accomplish the objective
Lord Steyn explains why proportionality is different from Wednesbury:
Courts would look more closely at cases with proportionality (intensity of review is
greater)
Requires assessment of balance decision maker has struck (balance between
objective and validation of right)
Requires attention to relative weight accorded to interests and considerations
High scrutiny not enough for HR cases
Not merits review
Bank Mellat (No 2) courts use this test-whether its objective is sufficiently important to
justify limitation of a fundamental right
1. Where it’s rationally connected to objective
2. Whether a less intrusive measure could have been used; and
3. Whether a fair balance has been struck between the rights of the individual and the
interests of the community
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