Research and analysis

Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform

The Law Commission has published its Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform – 14 areas of law that it will scrutinise before making recommendations for reform.

Documents

Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform

Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform (Print file)

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Details

Under the Law Commissions Act 1965 the Law Commission is required to submit Programmes of law reform to the Lord Chancellor. Since then, every three or four years the Commission has set out the areas it intends to work on for the next few years.

In December 2017 the Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform was published. There are 14 areas of law set for reform. All have an acknowledgement from Government that there is a serious intention to reform the law in the relevant area.

The projects in the Thirteenth Programme of Law Reform are:

  • A Modern Framework for Disposing of the Dead
  • Administrative Review
  • Automated Vehicles
  • Electronic Signatures
  • Employment Law Hearing Structures
  • Intermediated Securities
  • Modernising Trust Law for a Global Britain
  • Museum Collections
  • Registered Land and Chancel Repair Liability
  • Residential Leasehold
  • Simplifying the Immigration Rules
  • Smart Contracts
  • Surrogacy
  • Unfair Terms in Residential Leasehold

The projects selected for the Thirteenth Programme are designed to address a wide range of issues. Broadly the Programme aims to:

  • boost Global Britain and help enhance the UK’s competitiveness as we leave the EU – smart contracts, electronic signatures; automated vehicles; intermediated securities; and modernising trust law.
  • improve the way in which the law works for the citizen or businesses – surrogacy; residential leasehold; unfair terms in residential leasehold; disposing of the dead; simplifying the Immigration Rules; employment law hearing structures; administrative review; museum collections; liability for chancel repair.

Updates to this page

Published 14 December 2017

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