UK Statutes

Repealed the European Communities Act 1972 on exit day, retained EU law as domestic law, and provides for status of CJEU case law.

Established the UK Supreme Court, reformed the Lord Chancellor's role, and codified judicial independence guarantees.

Incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Sections 3 and 4 require courts to interpret legislation compatibly with Convention rights and allow declarations of incompatibility.

Constitutes the Senior Courts of England and Wales and provides supervisory jurisdiction over inferior bodies (including statutory basis for judicial review).

Restricted the Lords' veto over Commons bills and limited the maximum life of Parliament.

Implements the UK GDPR and supplements it with national derogations. Law-enforcement processing (Pt 3), intelligence-services processing (Pt 4), enforcement and offences (Pt 6).

Statutory framework for decisions on behalf of those lacking capacity. Five principles (s 1), test for capacity (ss 2-3), best-interests checklist (s 4), Lasting Powers of Attorney (Pt 1).

Took the UK into the European Communities. s 2(1) gave EU law direct effect; s 2(4) gave it supremacy. Repealed by EUWA 2018 with effect from 31 Jan 2020.

Further restricts the delaying power of the House of Lords.

Modern consolidating statute for B2C consumer contracts: goods, services, digital content, and the unfair terms regime in Part 2.

Allows third parties to enforce contractual terms made for their benefit, breaking the historic privity rule.

Implied terms in contracts for sale of goods (B2B). Sections 12-15 on title, description, satisfactory quality and fitness for purpose.

Restricts the ability of B2B contracting parties to exclude or limit liability for negligence and breach.

Statutory remedies for innocent and negligent misrepresentation; section 2(1) damages and section 2(2) discretion to award damages in lieu of rescission.

Adjusts the consequences of frustration: recovery of money paid, allowance for benefits conferred under the contract.

Reformed defamation law: serious harm threshold, single publication rule, public interest defence in section 4.

Duty owed by occupiers to non-visitors (including trespassers) regarding dangers known or foreseeable on premises.

Common duty of care owed by occupiers to lawful visitors.

Replaces the all-or-nothing common law rule with apportionment of damages where the claimant is partly responsible.

Section 3 on the standard of care and "deterrent effect" of liability — relevant to the desirability of activity.

Strict liability for damage caused by dangerous-species animals (s 2(1)) and non-dangerous animals with abnormal characteristics (s 2(2)); cattle trespass (s 4).

Consolidates UK discrimination law: protected characteristics, direct/indirect discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and the public sector equality duty.

Core employment statute: written particulars, unfair dismissal regime in Part X, redundancy, deductions from wages.

Consolidates trade union law: industrial action immunity, recognition, collective bargaining.

Replaced provocation with loss of self-control as partial defence to murder; reformed diminished responsibility.

Replaces the deception offences. Three forms of fraud: by false representation, by failing to disclose information, by abuse of position.

Codifies sexual offences in England and Wales including rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and child sex offences.

Major reform: bad character (sections 98-113), hearsay (sections 114-136), sentencing.

Principal statute governing police powers: stop and search, arrest, detention, interview and admissibility of evidence (sections 76, 78).

Supplementary to the Theft Act 1968: deals with obtaining services dishonestly and making off without payment.

Defines theft and related dishonesty offences in England and Wales. Section 1 sets out the actus reus and mens rea elements; sections 2 to 6 elaborate on dishonesty, appropriation, property, belonging to another and intention permanently to deprive.

Reformed the law of murder including the partial defences of diminished responsibility and provocation (provocation later replaced by loss of self-control under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009).

Foundational statute for non-fatal offences against the person. Sections 18, 20, 47 set the gradation from common assault through GBH.

Consolidated slavery and human trafficking offences (ss 1-2). Slavery and trafficking reparation orders (s 8); transparency in supply chains (s 54).

Modernised UK anti-corruption law. Active and passive bribery (ss 1-2), bribery of foreign public officials (s 6), corporate failure to prevent bribery (s 7) with adequate-procedures defence.

Cyber-crime statute. Unauthorised access (s 1), unauthorised access with intent (s 2), unauthorised modification / impairing operation (s 3), making/supplying tools (s 3A).

Principal motoring offences including dangerous and careless driving, drink driving and unfit through drugs.

Procedural statute for the magistrates' courts.

Statutory presumption in favour of bail (s 4). Sch 1 sets out exceptions (failure to surrender, further offences, witness interference).

Controls and classification of drugs offences in the UK.

Appeals from the Crown Court to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

Principal UK companies statute: directors' duties (sections 170-177), members' rights, derivative claims, accounting.

Creates the LLP as a body corporate with members rather than partners; tax-transparent vehicle.

Modernised arbitration framework: party autonomy, limited court intervention, sections 67-69 challenges.

Corporate and personal insolvency: administration, liquidation, bankruptcy.

Defines partnership, partners' duties and authority, dissolution.

Modern statute for registered land: priority of registered dispositions and the categories of overriding interest under Schedule 3.

Replaced the doctrine of conversion. Sections 14 and 15 give the court power to resolve disputes between trustees and beneficiaries.

Foundational statute of modern English land law: section 1 on legal estates and interests, section 52 on conveyances by deed, section 53 on formalities for trusts of land.

Modernised trustees' powers of investment, delegation, and the statutory duty of care under section 1.

Consolidates the law of charities including charitable purposes and the public benefit test.

Modernised trustees' powers and duties. Statutory duty of care (s 1), general power of investment (s 3), delegation (Pt IV), remuneration of professional trustees (s 28).

Court power to approve variation of trusts on behalf of those unable to consent (minors, unborn).

Welfare paramountcy principle (section 1), parental responsibility, care orders and section 8 orders.

Divorce, financial provision and property adjustment between spouses (section 25 factors).

Permitted same-sex marriage in England and Wales. Provided for conversion of civil partnerships and protected religious bodies that opt out.

Created the civil partnership status; subsequently extended to opposite-sex couples.

Domestic abuse remedies. Non-molestation orders (s 42) and occupation orders (ss 33-38). Pt II divorce reforms never brought into force.

Statutory instrument governing civil litigation. Overriding objective (Pt 1), case management (Pt 3), disclosure (Pt 31), summary judgment (Pt 24), appeals (Pt 52).

Admissibility of hearsay in civil proceedings; weighting factors in section 4.

Time limits for bringing civil claims: contract, tort, trust, recovery of land.