Confiscation regime review to ensure crime doesn’t pay

Confiscation laws will be reviewed to ensure they’re effectively depriving convicted offenders of their ill-gotten gains, the Law Commission has announced today. No one doubts that crime should not pay. The confiscation regime is one means by which offenders can be deprived of any benefits they have gained through criminal conduct. However, the law on … Read more >

Government asks Law Commission to conduct a full review of weddings law

The Law Commission welcomes the Chancellor’s announcement that the Government will ask the Law Commission to review the laws around weddings in England and Wales. The project will look to propose options for a simpler and fairer system to give modern couples meaningful choice. We look forward to settling the Terms of Reference for the … Read more >

Law Commission review into hate crime announced

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 >

Government not to legislate for level crossings reform

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 >

Consultation launched into how employment law disputes are decided

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 >

A fairer deal for leaseholders of houses and flats

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 are valid say Government’s legal experts

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 >

New Welsh law reform project on tribunals announced

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 >