Commission sets out nine areas of law ripe for reform

Reform of partnership and housing law, together with a codification of criminal law were this week put high on the Law Commission's agenda.In its new law reform programme, the commission has identified nine areas it intends to work on over the next two years.A paper on reforming partnership law was published in September 2000; consultation finished in January.

'We hope to finalise a report and draft Bill in the first half of 2002,' the commission said.Housing law reform will focus on simplifying the multiplicity of forms of housing tenancy.

Codifying criminal law, it said, will 'make it available to the public in a simple, intelligible and up-to-date form'.The other areas of reforms are: unfair terms in contracts; compulsory purchase and compensation; trust law; property rights of those who share homes; termination of tenancies; and aspects of e-commerce.LINKS: www.lawcom.gov.uk