Project status: Complete
The aim of this project was to review the law governing trustees’ powers to invest trust funds in default of the inclusion of express powers of investment in the will or trust instrument, and to consider, for England and Wales, a range of reforms, intended to facilitate more effective trust administration, including: collective delegation by trustees … Read more >
Project status: Complete
The project reviewed the legal framework relating to taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) across England and Wales with a view to making it simpler and more modern. Taxis and PHVs are an important part of local transport. They operate in highly regulated markets where safety and quality control are paramount. Licensing covers key areas … Read more >
Project status: Pre-project
In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of a series of statutory provisions relating to taxation law which span the years 1952 to 2010, and which have become obsolete or spent through the passage of time, or because of subsequent statutory intervention. In all, we recommend the repeal of portions of some 32 Acts … Read more >
Project status: Pre-project
In the 18th Statute Law Repeals report, which was published in January 2008, we made several recommendations for the repeal of laws relating to taxes or duties, including stamp and customs duties. In most cases, the Acts were obsolete because the tax or duty that they imposed was abolished without the legislation itself being wholly repealed. Several … Read more >
Project status: Complete
This project reviewed the remedies available to minority shareholders who are dissatisfied with the manner in which the company of which they are a member is run.
In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of more than 40 obsolete Acts relating to the charges levied on railway freight traffic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The railways were operated by private companies and these Acts were an attempt by Government to regulate the charges for transporting railway freight. These … Read more >
Project status: Complete
A “right to light” is an easement that gives a landowner the right to receive light through defined apertures in buildings on his or her land. The owner of land that is burdened by the right cannot substantially interfere with it – for example by erecting a building in a way that blocks the light … Read more >
In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of more than 200 obsolete Acts relating to 19th century railway projects that failed to materialise. The usual reason for their failure was lack of finance. Many railway projects collapsed in the banking crisis of 1866, a crisis partly caused by ambitious speculative investment in railway building. … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report Download the consultation The problem Public nuisance is a common law offence involving environmental danger or loss of amenity or offensive public behaviour. The related common law offence of outraging public decency involves indecent actions or displays that may cause offence to members of the public. These two common law offences were … Read more >
Project status: Complete
This project reviews the system for awarding interest before judgment, which leads to widespread confusion and mistakes. Even when the rules are applied correctly, they bear little relationship to commercial reality. In short cases, debtors often pay too much – frequently paying 8 per cent at a time when base rate is 4 per cent or less. … Read more >