Project status: Complete
Our report makes a series of recommendations aimed at improving access to the public services ombudsmen, ensuring that they have the freedom to continue their valuable work and improving their independence and accountability. Foremost amongst our recommendations are: The appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner on the nomination of an individual by Parliament. Parliament, and the … Read more >
Project status: Complete
In this project, we considered whether changes were needed in the law relating to inquiries undertaken by local authorities. In February 2000 Sir Ronald Waterhouse published the results of the inquiry he chaired into the abuse of children in council homes in North Wales. He was concerned there might be circumstances where local authorities might feel … 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 >
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
Project status: Complete
This project was a review of the UK law relating to the regulation of health care professionals, and in England only, the regulation of social workers. The projected reviewed the remit of the project extended to the legal frameworks for the following bodies: the General Chiropractic Council, the General Dental Council, the General Medical Council, … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Project status: Complete
Nearly a third of the population of Wales – just under 400,000 households – rent their homes. The law governing their relationship with their landlords is an irrationally complicated mess. This project seeks to replace it with a modernised, understandable, and just legal structure. The project The Welsh Government announced in 2012 that it would … Read more >
Project status: Pre-project
The problem In England and Wales, properties can either be owned as freehold or as leasehold. Leasehold is a form of ownership where a person owns a property for a set number of years (typically, 99 or 125 years) on a lease from a landlord, who owns the freehold. Flats are almost always owned on … Read more >
Project status: Complete
In March 1990 the Lord Chancellor made a reference to the Commission: to examine the law relating to payments made but not lawfully due and in particular the common law rule that payments made under a mistake of law are irrecoverable, and to make recommendations. In 1991 we published a consultation paper, in which we … Read more >