Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Work of the Law Commission

01 March 2023 · 0 other contributors

Opened by Robert Buckland Con South Swindon

Standards & Ethics

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Robert Buckland raised concerns about work of the law commission in the House of Commons. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The Law Commission works to simplify and modify laws, including the adoption of the Fraud Act 2006 and sentencing code reforms.
  • The Minister acknowledged the financial benefits of the Law Commission's projects, with a net present value exceeding 3 billion over ten years for five major projects.
  • The Minister addressed concerns about delays in implementing Law Commission recommendations, citing ministerial priorities and parliamentary time constraints.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Robert Buckland Con South Swindon

The work and impact of the Law Commission, which includes simplifying and modifying laws, codification, removing anomalies in laws, repealing obsolete enactments, consolidating legislation, economic benefits, and the importance of law reform for societal well-being. The speech highlights specific examples such as the sentencing code reforms and the adoption of the Fraud Act 2006, emphasising the need to prioritise and streamline the legislative process to implement Law Commission recommendations more effectively.

Government Response

Edward Argar

The Minister thanked the Law Commission for their work in modernizing and simplifying laws, noting its importance in various areas including economic crime. He acknowledged the financial benefits of the Law Commission’s projects, such as a net present value exceeding £3 billion over ten years for five major projects. The response also addressed concerns about delays in implementation, citing factors like ministerial priorities and parliamentary time constraints. Minister Argar outlined plans to enhance engagement between government and the Law Commission during programme planning and development phases to improve the likelihood of successful implementation.

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