We use small files called ‘cookies’ on lawcom.gov.uk. Some are essential to make the site work, some help us to understand how we can improve your experience, and some are set by third parties. You can choose to turn off the non-essential cookies. Which cookies are you happy for us to use?
Choose which cookies we use
Marketing cookies
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to measure how you use the website so we can improve it based on user needs. We do not allow Google Analytics to use or share the data about how you use this site.
See our Google Analytics cookies
Google Analytics
Name
Purpose
Expires
_ga
Used to distinguish users.
2 years
_ga_5TD3Y2B6RT
Used to persist session state.
2 years
Google Analytics Events
Allows us to monitor link clicks and extended usage of the site
See our Google Analytics Events cookies
Google Analytics Events
Name
Purpose
Expires
_ga
Used to distinguish users.
2 years
Third-party cookies
Video Streaming
We have no control over cookies set by third parties. You can turn them off, but not through us.
See our Video Streaming cookies
Video Streaming
Name
Purpose
Expires
YouTube
YouTube videos play in privacy-enhanced mode. This mode may set third-party cookies on your computer when you click on the YouTube video player. These cookies will not be personally identifiable.
These cookies will always need to be on because they make our site work.
See our All users cookies
All users
Name
Purpose
Expires
wordpress_test_cookie
This is used to test whether the browser accepts cookies
When you close your browser
PHPSESSID
This is used to link your device to the information sent to the server from your browser. It is typically used to avoid you having to retype information when moving from one page to another.
When you close your browser
ccfw-banner-hidden
Lets us know you have chosen which cookies are used so we can stop the cookie banner appearing when you return to the site.
1 year
ccfw-gtm-allowed
Lets us know you have accepted certain cookies so we can stop them loading when you return to the site.
1 year
ccfw-time
This is used to store the cookie expiry dates so we know when to ask you again for consent.
1 year
info_banner_dismissed
This remembers if an information banner has been dismissed and prevents it from being displayed again.
When you close your browser
Logged in users
These cookies will always need to be on because they make our site work.
See our Logged in users cookies
Logged in users
Name
Purpose
Expires
wordpress_[hash]
This authenticates you when you log in to the admin area
When you close your browser
wordpress_logged_in
This shows the site that you’re logged in and who you are so you can access the functions you need
When you close your browser
wordpress_sec
If you are logged in as a site admin, this stores your authentication details.
When you close your browser
wp-settings-{time}-[UID]
The number on the end [UID] is your individual user ID from the users database.
Once we have submitted a final report, our project is completed. After this, our recommendations are discussed by Government before they are put before Parliament.
Our most recent completed projects are listed here but you can view all projects completed by the Law Commission between 1966 and 2024.
We published a scoping paper on decentralised autonomous organisations (“DAOs”) on 11 July 2024, which considers how DAOs can be characterised and identifies current issues around DAOs to inform any future law reform or innovations.
We published our final report, which includes our law reform recommendations to Government, on 28 June 2023. On 30 July 2024 we published a supplemental report and draft Bill on digital assets as personal property.
The Arbitration Bill, based closely on our recommendations, was introduced into Parliament on 21 November 2023. See the parliament website for further details.
The Law Commission of England and Wales has published its joint report with the Scottish Law Commission, outlining recommendations for a robust new system to govern surrogacy, which will work better for children, surrogates and intended parents. Our recommendations are accompanied by draft legislation. We have received the Government’s interim response to our recommendations.
We conducted a review of Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, also known as the post-conviction confiscation regime. We published our final report and recommendations on 9 November 2022.
The Law Commission of England and Wales has published its recommendations to reform weddings law, proposing a fairer system that gives couples more choice over where and how their wedding takes place.
The Government has accepted the Law Commission’s recommendations to reform the law in respect of intimate image offences, made in the 2022 Intimate Image Abuse report. A number of these recommendations have now been implemented in the Online Safety Act 2023.
The Law Commission has published an options paper for the Government on how it can improve the law to ensure that corporations are effectively held to account for committing serious crimes. The Government has introduced legislation informed by some of the options we set out.”
The Law Commission published a joint report with the Scottish Law Commission, outlining recommendations for legal reform around automated vehicles and how they could safely and responsibly be introduced on GB roads and public places. The Automated Vehicles Bill was laid before Parliament and the Scottish Parliament, and on May 2024 the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act received royal assent.
