Search Warrants

Project status: Complete

View the full report. View the summary of the report. View a Welsh version of the summary of the report. The problem A search warrant is a written authorisation that allows an investigator to enter premises to search for material or individuals. Search warrants are usually issued by a court following an application by a … Read more >

Surrogacy

Project status: Complete

Download a summary of the report An overview of what the project is about and our key recommendations for law reform. Download the Core Report (Volume I) This version of the report aims to present our conclusions in a clear and straightforward way, using non-technical language. Download the Full Report (Volume II) This version of … Read more >

Commonhold

Project status: Complete

Download the full report on commonhold  Download the summary of the report on commonhold  Download our open letter to lenders on taking commonhold as security  Other documents relating to the project are available from the drop-down menus at the bottom of this page. We also published our reports on leasehold enfranchisement (“Leasehold home ownership: buying … Read more >

Reform of the Communications Offences

Project status: Complete

Download the report here. Download a summary of the report here. Read the interim response from DCMS here. A Welsh translation of the report will be available soon. The problem The revolution in online communications has offered extraordinary new opportunities to communicate with one another and on an unprecedented scale. However, those opportunities also present … Read more >

13th Programme of Law Reform

Project status: Complete

Under the Law Commissions Act 1965 the Law Commission is required to submit Programmes of law reform to the Lord Chancellor. Since then, every three or four years the Commission has set out the areas it intends to work on for the next few years. In July 2016 the 13th Programme of Law Reform consultation … Read more >

Planning Law in Wales

Project status: Complete

We are recommending that a new Planning Code is created for Wales, which is comprehensive but simpler. We have analysed the responses to our Consultation Paper, and produced a Final Report, submitted to the Welsh Government and laid in the UK Parliament and in the National Assembly on 03 December 2018. The Welsh government provided … Read more >

Cyfraith cynllunio yng Nghymru

Project status: Complete

Rydym yn argymell bod Cod Cynllunio newydd yn cael ei greu ar gyfer Cymru sy’n gynhwysfawr ond yn symlach. Rydym wedi dadansoddi’r ymatebion i’n Papur Ymgynghori, ac wedi cyhoeddi adroddiad terfynol, a gyflwynwyd i Lywodraeth Cymru ac a osodwyd yn Senedd y DU ac yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru ar 30 Tachwedd 2018. Cafwyd ymateb llawn … Read more >

Bills of Sale

Project status: Complete

Download the final report Download the report summary The problem Bills of sale are a way for people to use their goods as security for loans while retaining possession of those goods. They are mostly used for logbook loans – loans against cars – a high-cost form of credit regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. … Read more >

Charity Law: Technical Issues in Charity Law

Project status: Complete

The Charities Act, including Explanatory Notes, are available here. A marked-up copy of the Charities Act 2011, showing the changes that are made by the Charities Act 2022) a “Keeling Schedule”) is available here (revised version as of 24 February 2022. The project Charities are a force for good and millions regularly donate to help … Read more >

Charity Law, selected issues

Project status: Pre-project

Charities are a force for good and millions regularly donate to help them help others. This project examined selected issues relating to the legal framework within which charities operate, in order to recommend reforms with a positive impact on charity law in practice. It was split into two reports: Social Investment by Charities Technical Issues … Read more >