Commission's 40th report shows busy year

Scottish Law Commission annual report reveals breadth of work

News, 8 March 2006

Debt, trusts, rape, personal injuries and property law were among the many topics to which the Scottish Law Commission devoted its attention in 2005.

The Commission's 40th annual report, published today, records the progress made on the Commission's projects during 2005 as well as details of the publications planned for 2006. It also pays tribute to the enormous contribution made by Professor Kenneth Reid, whose term of office as a Commissioner ended in December and who masterminded the major property law reforms of the last five years.

In addition to publication of the Seventh Programme of Law Reform, which outlines the law reform topics on which the Commission will be working during the next four years, 2005 saw new discussion papers on Interest on Debt and Damages; Variation and Termination of Trusts; and two papers on Land Registration.

The Commission also published a joint report with the Law Commission on Unfair Terms in Contracts.

The Commission's current projects include a major review of the law on rape and other sexual offences; property law; trusts and succession; limitation and prescription in personal injury actions; and judicial factors. In addition, the Commission is working on a new joint project with the Law Commission in London on insurance contract law.

Further topics which the Commission will be reviewing over the next few years under its Seventh Programme include projects on unincorporated associations; provocation, self-defence, coercion and necessity; and assignation of and security over intangible assets.

The report can be accessed at http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/html/publications.html .