Firearms, wills and the law in Wales are among nine topics picked for the next programme of work by the Law Commission, the advisory body announced last week. They were picked from more than 250 proposals for the commission’s 12th programme.

They include:

  • Welsh law. An advisory project will examine problems ‘becoming more serious’ concerning the form and accessibility of law following devolution. ‘The process… has led to a situation in which it is difficult for both professionals and the public to access the law relating to Wales,’ the commission notes. It will report to the government at the end of next year.
  • Firearms. A scoping project will examine the possibility of creating a single statute covering all firearms offences and providing standard definitions of relevant terms. Current law has ‘failed to keep abreast with modern technology, and in particular with the availability of equipment that can be used to convert objects into active firearms’, the commission says.
  • Mental capacity. The commission will publish a draft bill in summer 2017 to reform the law concerning deprivation of liberty.
  • Wills. A project will review the law of wills, focusing on testamentary capacity, the formalities for a valid will, the rectification of wills, and mutual wills. It will consider whether the law could be reformed to encourage and facilitate ‘will-making in the 21st century’: for example, whether it should be updated to take account of developments in technology and medicine. A report and draft bill will by published in 2018.