Criminal Law Legislation Update
| Author | Laura McGowan |
| DOI | 10.1350/jcla.2011.75.2.686 |
| Published date | 01 April 2011 |
| Date | 01 April 2011 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Criminal Law
Legislation Update*
Laura McGowan†
Primary Legislation
The Identity Documents Act 2010 received Royal Assent on 21 De-
cember 2010. It provides for the repeal of the Identity Cards Act 2006.
However ss 25 and 26 of the Identity Cards Act 2006, possession of false
identity documents, and s. 38 of the 2006 Act, verifying information
provided with passport applications, are re-enacted by the Identity
Documents Act 2010.
Section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010 provides that it is an
offence to be in possession of false documents with improper intention;
s. 5 provides that it is an offence to have apparatus designed or adapted
for the making of false identity documents; and s. 6 provides that it is an
offence to be in possession of false identity documents without reason-
able excuse.
Consultation Papers
The Ministry of Justice issued a Consultation Paper on sentencing
reform, Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Senten-
cing of Offenders, on 7 December 2010, available at http://www.justice.gov.
uk/consultations/consultations.htm. The paper is in six parts: Punishment
and payback; Rehabilitating offenders to reduce crime; Payment by
results; Sentencing reform; Youth justice; Working with communities to
reduce crime, followed by the consultation. Responses are requested by
4 March 2011.
Bills before Parliament
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill 2010 was introduced to
the House of Commons on 30 November 2010. It is at the committee
stage of the House of Commons.
The Bill covers five distinct policy areas: police accountability and
governance; alcohol licensing; the regulation of protests around Parlia-
ment Square; misuse of drugs; and the issue of arrest warrants in respect
of private prosecutions for universal jurisdiction offences. The Bill seeks
to replace police authorities with directly elected Police and Crime
Commissioners; to amend and supplement the Licensing Act 2003; and
to set out a new framework for regulating protests around Parliament
* As at 17 January 2011.
† Barrister, Carmelite Chambers; e-mail: laurajmcgowan@gmail.com.
92 The Journal of Criminal Law (2011) 75 JCL 92–93
doi:10.1350/jcla.2011.75.2.686
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