The Law Commission is to complete a wide-ranging review into hate crime to explore how to make current legislation more effective and consider if there should be additional protected characteristics such as misogyny and age. Professor David Ormerod QC, Law Commissioner said: “Our project will ensure that the criminal law provides consistent and effective protection … Read more >
The Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission have noted the UK Government’s decision not to introduce legislation to implement our 2013 joint Report on Level Crossings. Instead, administrative changes are proposed that are very much in the spirit of our recommendations. The UK Minister has acknowledged that our joint Report … Read more >
The jurisdiction of employment tribunals, and the areas where they share jurisdiction with the civil courts to hear employment and discrimination claims, are being independently reviewed in a consultation paper. The Law Commission – an independent body set up to reform the law – has today published a consultation paper which asks questions about many … Read more >
The Law Commission has proposed a series of radical reforms designed to provide a better deal for leaseholders who want to purchase the freehold or to extend the lease of their home. The proposals would: Make the process (known as “enfranchisement”) easier, cheaper and quicker Improve and enhance the rights of leaseholders to buy their … Read more >
Electronic signatures can be used to sign formal legal contracts under English law, the Law Commission has confirmed. The Government’s independent legal experts have today published early conclusions which aim to sweep away the current uncertainty in the law, allowing businesses to speed up transactions by going fully digital. The Commission has also laid out … Read more >
The Government has agreed to improve the enforcement of financial orders, in response to a Law Commission report. Courts can make these orders, which mean that one spouse or civil partner must pay money or transfer property to the other after a relationship breaks down. But in 2016 a report by the Law Commission found … Read more >
Carwyn Jones, the First Minister of Wales, has announced that the Law Commission will review the laws which govern tribunals in Wales. View this story in Welsh A tribunal is a body set up to settle disputes and to review public bodies’ decisions. But the rules and procedures for the devolved Welsh tribunals are complicated … Read more >
Property fraudsters could be stopped in their tracks by technical fixes of the law, according to the Law Commission. The independent legal body say HM Land Registry has had to fork out close to £60million in indemnity payments because of fraud over the past decade. As a result, it’s recommending measures to help prevent fraud … Read more >
Anti-money laundering laws should be streamlined and strengthened to help law enforcement agencies to focus on serious crime, say the Law Commission. Money laundering is estimated to cost every household in the UK £255 a year and allows criminals to profit from their crimes. It is widespread, with between 0.7 and 1.28% of annual European … Read more >
The Law Commission’s Annual Report 2017-18 has been published. This page is also available in Welsh It reveals another positive year for the independent law reform body with: The publication of the 13th Programme of Law Reform – 14 new areas of law from automated vehicles to residential leasehold. The 6th Annual Scarman Lecture, delivered … Read more >