Overview

The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2008 removes outdated and unnecessary laws from the UK statute book. These laws, identified by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission, are deemed no longer relevant or useful in modern practice.

Description

This Act repeals numerous enactments across various areas of law. These repeals are detailed in Schedule 1 and include acts relating to:

• Armed Forces: Numerous acts concerning Royal Naval Schools, Greenwich Hospital, military lands, and general armed forces provisions.
• County Gaols: Numerous acts related to the administration and governance of county gaols (prisons) across various counties in England.
• Criminal Law: Acts concerning disorderly houses, servants' characters, unlawful drilling, and various provisions from more recent criminal justice acts.
• East India Company: Acts pertaining to the historical East India Company and its dealings in India.
• London: Acts related to London's poor relief, Westminster Courthouse, London coal duties, the Court of Chancery, markets, and various other miscellaneous London-specific provisions.
• Police: Many acts relating to the establishment and administration of various police forces across the UK.
• Rating (Local Taxation): Acts relating to local taxation and rates across numerous areas of England.
• Tax and Duties: A significant number of acts related to historical tax laws and customs duties.
• Town and Country Planning: Acts related to planning laws and regulations.
• Turnpikes: Acts concerning turnpike trusts and roads across counties such as Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk.
• Miscellaneous: A collection of various other acts covering topics such as transport, employment of children, and the Channel Tunnel.

Schedule 2 includes consequential amendments to existing legislation to ensure consistency after the repeals.

Government Spending

The Act itself does not directly affect government spending. However, the repeal of certain acts may indirectly impact spending by simplifying regulations or removing the need for related administrative tasks. No specific figures on cost savings are provided in the Act.

Groups Affected

The impact on different groups is largely indirect and depends on the specific repealed act. However, potential groups affected include:

• Researchers and Historians: Access to the repealed laws may be affected, requiring reliance on archives.
• Legal Professionals: They will need to adjust to the absence of the repealed laws when providing advice and representing clients.
• Government Agencies: Administrative procedures may be simplified in some areas.

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