Law Commission proposes new ‘Consumer Act’ – Law Society’s Gazette

“Consumers are finding it too hard to win compensation for misleading and aggressive trading practices and the law must be reviewed, the Law Commission said today.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th April 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Adult Social Care – Final Report Page – Law Commission

“On 31 March 2011, we published the Consultation Analysis, which is an analysis of the responses received to our consultation paper.  It summarises the views of consultees in relation to the 57 provisional proposals and 25 consultation questions put forward.”

Full analysis

Law Commission, 31st March 2011

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Expert Evidence in Criminal Trials – Law Commission

“This project addressed the admissibility of expert evidence in criminal proceedings in England and Wales. In a criminal trial, a jury or magistrates’ court is required to determine disputed factual issues. Experts in a relevant field are often called as witnesses to help the fact-finding body understand and interpret evidence with which that body is unfamiliar.”

Full story

Law Commission, 22nd March 2011

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Regulation of healthcare professionals – Law Commission

“The Law Commission has accepted a referral from the Department of Health to review the regulation of health and social care professionals.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 16th February 2011

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Report on the implementation of Law Commission proposals – Law Commission

“The first annual report to be presented to Parliament on the extent to which Law Commission proposals have been implemented by the Government.”

Full report

Law Commission, 28th January 2011

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

For richer, but not necessarily for poorer – pre-nups to become law – The Independent

“Spectacular divorce battles like that which ensued after the break-up of Sir Paul McCartney and the model Heather Mills, costing the former Beatle £24.3m, are expected to be consigned to history after the Law Commission produces its long-awaited report on ‘pre nup’ agreements next week.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th January 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

OFT backs replacement of criminal penalties with civil ones – OUT-LAW.com

“Competition law and consumer watchdog the Office of Fair Trading has welcomed a legal reform proposal that would reduce its reliance on criminal law but has said that proposal should be less rigid to allow it to protect consumers.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th Novmber 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Benevolent Institutions: Repeals Consultation – Law Commission

“In our consultation we have identified some 73 obsolete Acts relating to a variety of benevolent institutions.  Many of these institutions are, or were, charitable bodies such as schools, hospitals and almshouses which were established in the 18th or 19th centuries to meet the needs of the poor, sick or elderly.”

Full consultation

Law Commission, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Prosecutor backs end to mandatory life sentence for murder – Daily Telegraph

“Keir Starmer, the Director of Public Prosecutions, has joined calls for a system of first and second degree murder charges that would end mandatory life sentences for the crime.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Public Services Ombudsmen – Law Commission

“The Law Commission is conducting a review of the law relating to the public services ombudsmen. On 2 September 2010, we published a consultation paper, which contains our detailed provisional proposals for reform.”

Full story

Law Commission, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Law Commission calls for greater use of civil penalties – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Law Commission has proposed a cut in the number of criminal offences for regulatory breaches.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Companies need protection from criminal actions of staff, says Law Commission – Daily Telegraph

“Companies should have the power to defend themselves against employees’ criminal actions by proving that they took every measure to stamp out illegal practices, the Law Commission has proposed in a radical blueprint for reform.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th August 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Call to cut number of minor offences – BBC News

“Criminal laws dealing with many petty offences should be scrapped, according to the body responsible for reviewing the law in England and Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th August 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The High Court’s jurisdiction in relation to criminal proceedings – Law Commission

“The High Court has supervisory power over the Crown Court, but it is limited. It does not include ‘matters relating to trial on indictment’. The reason for this limitation is that it is in the interests of justice for trials to proceed without being delayed by appeals and applications to the High Court.”

Full story

Law Commission, 27th July 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Reforming the law on level crossings – Law Commission

“The Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission are conducting a joint review of the law relating to level crossings.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 22nd July 2010

Source: www.lawcommission.gov.uk

Civil and Criminal Justice: Repeals Consultation – Law Commission

“In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of some 13 statutory provisions which are either obsolete or are no longer of practical utility. They relate to aspects of civil and criminal justice, although the grouping under this topic heading is fairly loose. The statutes reviewed (and on which we recommend repeal, either in whole or in part) span some 700 years of law-making, from 1267 through to 1988.”

Full story

Law Commission, 20th July 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

What price should policyholders pay for fraudulent insurance claims? – Law Commission

“The Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission are conducting a joint review of insurance contract law.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 9th July 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

11th Programme of Law Reform – Consultation – Law Commission

“We regularly consult on projects to be included in our programmes of law reform. We are now looking for suggestions for our Eleventh Programme.”

Full story

Law Commission, 1st June 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Administrative Redress: Public Bodies and the Citizen – Law Commission

“On 26 May 2010, we published our report Administrative Redress: Public Bodies and the Citizen. This sets out an overview of the responses to our consultation paper and brings to a close the state liability aspects of the Administrative Redress project. The report is accompanied by a short summary. A press release is also available.”

Full story

Law Commission, 26th My 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Law Commissions consult on creating new consumer right – OUT-LAW.com

“The Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission are reviewing whether or not consumers should be able to take direct action against retailers who treat them unfairly. It has asked consumers and businesses if the action would be too severe.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Simplifying the Criminal Law – Law Commission

“We have published a consultation paper proposing changes to the law relating to the offences of public nuisance and outraging public decency.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 31st March 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Protocol between Lord Chancellor and Law Commission – Ministry of Justice

“The Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission for England and Wales have agreed a statutory protocol governing how Government departments and the Law Commission should work together on law reform projects.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 29th March 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Government accepts our recommendations on modernising trust law – Law Commission

“We welcome the Government’s acceptance of our recommendations to change the law governing capital and income in trusts.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 23rd March 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

English law on late payment of insurance claims is unfair, say Law Commissions – OUT-LAW.com

“Insurers who delay paying valid claims should be liable to policyholders for any foreseeable losses they cause, a new Law Commission paper suggested this week.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th March 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Insurance Contract Law – Law Commission

“The Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission are conducting a joint review of insurance contract law.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 24th March 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Reforming the illegality defence – Law Commission

“We have published a report and draft Bill, recommending statutory reform of the illegality defence as it applies to trusts law.”

Full press release

Law Commission, 17th March 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Adult Social Care: Consultation Phase – Law Commission

“On 24 February 2010 we published a consultation paper on adult social care, which contains our detailed proposals for law reform.”

Full consultation paper

Law Commission, 24th February 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Social care law needs simplifying, says Law Commission – BBC News

“The law and duties covering social care provided by councils in England and Wales need simplifying, experts say. The Law Commission, which advises the government on law reform, said the current system, incorporating 39 different acts, was confusing.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th February 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

APIL attacks government over eligibility for bereavement damages – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has criticised the government for ignoring Law Commission recommendations to increase general damages in personal injury cases.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th February 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lotteries: Repeals Consultation – Law Commission

“In our consultation paper we propose the repeal of some seven obsolete statutory provisions which relate to the holding of different forms of lottery.”

Full story

Law Commission, 12th January 2010

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Poor Relief: Repeals Consultation – Law Commission

“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 William III and made provision for the poor in areas such as Colchester, Exeter, Hereford and Shaftesbury.”

Full story

Law Commission, 23rd July 2009

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

The Law Commission publishes its Annual Report for 2008-09 – Law Commission

“The Law Commission’s Annual Report for 2008-09”

Full report

Law Commission, 8th July 2009

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Creating law: from a blank sheet of paper to justice from the bench – The Times

“Should people who have been seriously wronged by the State — whether the police or a care home — be able to obtain redress in the shape of compensation? The Law Commission, the Government’s law reform watchdog, thinks so. Last year it put forward a series of reforms to improve justice and the quality of public services. But the Government has different ideas: it has privately just told the commission in a draft response that it has ‘significant concerns’ over the reforms as they stand and fears that they will help to create a compensation culture.”

Full story

The Times, 25th June 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Social care law change in prospect – The Guardian

“The Law Commission today holds out the prospect of the first comprehensive reform of social care law for more than half a century. Announcing a formal review of what it calls ‘a confusing patchwork of conflicting statutes’, the commission says it aims to recommend a more coherent structure – preferably in the form of a single act of parliament.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th June 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A New Programme of Law Reform 2008 – Law Commission

Tenth Programme of Law Reform (PDF)

Law Commission, 10th June 2008

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Law Commission welcomes new Commissioner – Law Commission

“The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, today announced the appointment of Professor Elizabeth Cooke to the post of Law Commissioner.”

Press release (PDF)

Law Commission, 19th May 2008

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Strengthened constitutional role of the Law Commission – Law Commission

“ The Lord Chancellor has announced his intention to strengthen the role of the Law Commission. Law Commission Chairman Sir Terence Etherton responds.”

Full story

Law Commission, 25th March 2008

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk