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
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
The Bill which is the subject of this report consolidates the legislation about the costs relating to Parliamentary proceedings on private Bills. The Bill extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A joint report with the Scottish Law Commission.
Project status: Complete
The rule against perpetuities and the rule against excessive accumulations are two distinct but related legal rules which are used mostly in relation to trusts and wills. Both rules seek to address the broad question of the extent to which one generation should be able to dictate the future use and ownership of property, and restrict … Read more >
In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of 57 obsolete Acts relating to the poor law relief arrangements that existed before the advent of the modern welfare state. Indeed most of them are relics of the parish-based system that existed before 1834. The earliest of them date back to 1697 during the reign of … Read more >
Project status: Complete
A review of partnership law conducted under the existing law of partnership, ie the Partnership Act 1890 and the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, with particular reference to: independent legal personality continuity of business irrespective of changes of ownership simplification of solvent dissolution a model partnership agreement. We published our report on Partnership Law on 18 … Read more >
Project status: Complete
Download the report Download the report summary The problem Divorce and the dissolution of civil partnership almost always have financial consequences. Many couples resolve the financial consequences of divorce or dissolution without going to court. But where this is not possible, the courts have a very broad discretion to redistribute the parties’ property and income. … Read more >
In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of some seven obsolete statutory provisions that relate to the holding of different forms of lottery. Six of the seven proposed repeals involve whole Acts which were passed in the period 1711 to 1807. These Acts were secured so that a variety of private lotteries could be … Read more >
In our consultation we have identified some 94 obsolete Acts relating to London. These Acts reflect London’s social and economic history from Tudor times through to the early 20th century. Most of the Acts were passed to raise money to pay for particular projects such as building churches or making town improvements like street-lighting. Once … Read more >
Project status: Complete
A project to review the law relating to limited partnerships and remove doubts that have caused concern to users of limited partnerships and their advisers. A limited partnership is an ordinary partnership with certain modifications made by the Limited Partnerships Act 1907. The main difference between an ordinary and a limited partnership is that in a limited … Read more >