Criminal Law Revision Committee


The Criminal Law Revision Committee of England & Wales was a standing committee of learned legal experts that was called upon by the Home Secretary to advise on legal issues and to report back recommendations for reform. While never formally abolished, it has been dormant since 1986 and superseded by the Law Commission.

Overview

The first committee was set up by Rab Butler in February 1959 ‘to examine such aspects of the criminal law...as the Home Secretary may from time to time refer to the Committee, to consider whether the law requires revision and to make recommendations’. While members worked on a voluntary basis, it subsequently published eighteen reports on numerous contentious legal issues. Although not all of the Committee's reports have been adopted by Parliament, many have had a great influence on UK legislation.

List of reports

The seventh report was implemented by the Criminal Law Act 1967 and the Criminal Law Act 1967. The eighth report was implemented by the Theft Act 1968 and the Theft Act 1969.