Project status: Complete
Download the Electoral Law report here. Download the executive summary here. Download the plain-text summary here. Download the Welsh translation of the plain text-summary here. The problem Electoral law in the UK is spread across 17 statutes and some 30 sets of regulations. It has become increasingly complex and fragmented; it is difficult to access, … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report Download the draft bill Download the report summary The problem The law relating to unfitness to plead addresses what should happen when a defendant who faces prosecution is unable to engage with the process because of their mental or physical condition. The law aims to balance the rights of the vulnerable defendant … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report Download the summary The problem When we consulted on the content of the Law Commission’s 12th Programme of Law Reform, a number of respondents suggested that the law regulating firearms was deeply problematic and in need of reform. This was both from recreational shooters and enforcement agencies. The law regulating firearms was … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report Download the summary of the report Download the at-a-glance summary of the report Download an FAQs document Download the impact assessment This project was previously called “Marriage Law” The problem The main law which governs marriage is from 1836 and has failed to keep pace with modern life. How and where marriages … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the final report Download the first report: Wildlife Law: Control of Invasive Non-native Species. Download the report summary The problem Over the last decade, wildlife protection and the sustainable management of our natural heritage have become increasingly regarded as key policy aims for Government. However, the legal framework for wildlife management is overly complicated, … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the offences against the person report Download the offences against the person summary The problem The main law in dealing with violent offences is the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. It forms the basis of over 26,000 prosecutions every year. In addition, the offences of assault and battery generate over 100,000 prosecutions a … Read more >
Project status: Complete
In this project we: reviewed Part X of the Companies Act 1985, with a view to considering how the provisions could be simplified and modernised, and considered the case for a statutory statement of the duties owed by directors to their company under the general law, including their fiduciary duties and their duty of care. … Read more >
Project status: Complete
The adult social care project was concerned with reviewing the law relating to the provision of adult social care in England and Wales. The legislative framework for adult residential care, community care, adult protection and support for carers is inadequate, often incomprehensible and outdated. To this day, it remains a confusing patchwork of conflicting statutes … Read more >
Project status: Complete
The 20th Statute Law Repeals Report recommends the repeal of more than 200 Acts. The Bill accompanying the report covers a wide range of topics from agriculture and churches to trade and industry and taxation. The earliest repeal is from the Statute of Marlborough 1267. Passed during the reign of Henry III, the Statute is one of … Read more >
Project status: Complete
The Statute Law (Repeals) Bill, which originated in the 19th Statute Law Repeals report, became the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2013 when it received Royal Assent on 31 January 2013. The Bill was introduced into Parliament on 10 October 2012 (details below). The Notes on the Bill and the text of the report are available at the links … Read more >