What is the Sentencing Council?
The Sentencing Council is the independent body responsible for developing sentencing guidelines which courts in England and Wales must follow when passing a sentence. The Council consults on proposed guidelines before they come into force and makes...More
The Deputy Prime Minister has launched an urgent call for evidence in response to the challenges presented by the increasing use of a form of litigation known collectively as SLAPPs – Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.
SLAPPs can be characterised as an...More
In February 2019, the government announced a review of the means test for legal aid as part of the Legal Support Action Plan.
This review has considered the legal aid means tests in the round, including the income and capital thresholds for civil and criminal legal aid eligibility, wider...More
In December 2021 the department published Sir Christopher Bellamy QC’s independent review into criminal legal aid. This explored what is working well and what more could be done to improve criminal legal aid for providers and the public.
We want to:
Use legal aid to...More
This consultation seeks views on the government’s proposals to continue to permit outdoor civil marriages and civil partnerships on approved premises, and to permit outdoor religious marriages in the grounds of places of worship.
Since July 2021, couples have been able to have their...More
The Government has now issued an Easy Read version and an audio version of the consultation.
We will be allowing for extensions until 19 April only for those who would be assisted by an Easy Read or audio version in order to respond. This includes organisations who solely or greatly...More
This consultation seeks to understand how we can improve victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system across England and Wales.
This consultation is the first significant step towards a landmark ‘Victims’ Law’ - a Bill which will build on the foundations provided by the...More
It is a long-held legal principle that an adult must have proper legal authority to access or deal with property belonging to another adult. Where an adult has mental capacity, this legal authority can be provided by an ordinary power of attorney. Where the adult lacks mental capacity the...More
The Ministry of Justice is seeking evidence on the role and features of the online system in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), which will be used to inform the future policy on legal aid fees.
The Ministry of Justice welcomes responses from all interested...More
The Need for Further Changes to the Terrorism Guidelines
In March 2018 the Sentencing Council published the first package of terrorism sentencing guidelines. They came into force on 27 April 2018 and covered the following offences:
Preparation of Terrorist Acts...More
The Ministry of Justice is seeking the views of residents and businesses on proposed plans for two new prisons in the Braintree District.
Having reviewed a number of sites across the country, we believe that land at the Wethersfield Air Base Site in Braintree would be an...More
What is this consultation about?
The Sentencing Council has been in existence for over ten years and has built up a large body of sentencing guidelines that are in use in courts throughout England and Wales. There are inevitably issues that arise with existing guidelines over time and...More
This Call for Evidence is seeking evidence on Dispute Resolution from all interested parties, the judiciary, legal profession, mediators and other dispute resolvers, academics, the advice sector, court users. We are particularly interested in collecting evidence from individuals or...More
The lasting power of attorney (LPA) was introduced in 2007. It was designed to provide more flexibility and greater protections than its predecessor, the enduring power of attorney (EPA). However, the world is changing and people increasingly want to access services digitally. Digital...More
The Ministry of Justice is seeking the views of residents and businesses on proposed plans for a new prison near Market Harborough.
Having reviewed a number of sites across the country, we believe that land next to HMP Gartree, near Market Harborough would be an appropriate...More
What is the Sentencing Council?
The Sentencing Council is the independent body responsible for developing sentencing guidelines which courts in England and Wales must follow when passing a sentence. The Council consults on its proposed guidelines before they come into force and makes...More
The Ministry of Justice is seeking the views of residents and businesses on proposed plans for a new prison in Chorley.
Having reviewed a number of sites across the country, we believe that land next to HMP Garth and HMP Wymott in Chorley may be an appropriate location for a new...More
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is consulting on the reserved matters of the new prison at Full Sutton.
Following outline planning permission being granted in 2019, MoJ would now like to consult on the reserved matters of the new prison build with the local community, so...More
This is a public consultation by the Law Commission for England and Wales. If you would like to respond to this consultation in Welsh, please click here .
The current legislation relating to coal tips does not provide an effective management framework for...More
What is the Sentencing Council?
The Sentencing Council is the independent body responsible for developing sentencing guidelines which courts in England and Wales must follow when passing a sentence. The Council consults on proposed guidelines before they come into force and makes...More
This is a public consultation by the Law Commission for England and Wales.
This project concerns the criminal liability of legal persons, such as companies and limited liability partnerships. At present such legal persons usually may only be convicted of a criminal offence...More
Ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus gan Gomisiwn y Gyfraith ar gyfer Cymru a Lloegr yw hon. Os ydych eisiau ymateb i'r ymgynghoriad yn Saesneg, pwyswch yma .
Nid yw’r ddeddfwriaeth bresennol sy’n ymwneud a thomenni glo yn darparu fframwaith effeithlon ar gyfer rheoli tomenni glo anweithredol yn yr...More
Why these amendments to the sexual offences guidelines?
The current definitive sexual offences guidelines were published in 2013 and came into force in 2014. This consultation seeks views on a number of proposed amendments to existing sexual offences guidelines to provide greater...More
This is a public call for evidence by the Law Commission for England and Wales.
The topic of this call for evidence is digital assets. We are seeking views about, and evidence of, the ways in which digital assets are being used , treated and dealt with by market participants. It also...More
This is a public consultation by the Law Commission for England and Wales.
We are conducting a public consultation on provisional proposals to allow for electronic trade documents, such as electronic bills of lading and bills of exchange, to have the same effect in law as...More
This consultation has been extended to 28th May 2021.
The Independent Review is focussed on the long-term sustainability of Criminal Legal Aid in England & Wales. The Review will consider the Criminal Legal Aid System in its entirety, specifically it seeks to ensure that it:
...More
Dear consultee,
Thank you for your interest in the Law Commission and our 14 th Programme of Law Reform. Your contribution will help to shape law reform priorities for the next three to four years.
The Law Commission carries out law reform projects with the aim of making the law fair,...More
Annwyl ymgynghorai,
Diolch am eich diddordeb yng Nghomisiwn y Gyfraith ac ein 14eg Rhaglen o Ddiwygio’r Gyfraith. Fe fydd eich cyfraniad yn helpu llunio ein blaenoriaethau diwygio’r gyfraith am y tair i bedair blynedd nesaf.
Mae Comisiwn y Gyfraith yn diwygio’r...More
This consultation sets out the proposal to increase selected court fees and Help with Fees income thresholds by inflation.
The aim of this proposal is to:
• ensure that there is an efficient and effective courts system
• ensure access to justice, making sure those who...More
We are implementing our Manifesto commitment to “ensure that Judicial Review is available to protect the rights of the individual against an overbearing state, while ensuring that it is not abused to conduct politics by another means or to create needless delays.” The Independent Review...More