English Criminal Code

The jurisdiction of England and Wales does not have a Criminal Code though such an instrument has been often recommended and attempted. , the Law Commission is again working on the Code.

History

 * 1818 - Parliament petitions the Prince Regent for a Law Commission to consolidate English statute law.
 * 1831 - Commission established to enquire into the possibility of a criminal code. The commission reports in 1835 and there are seven more reports over the next decade. A Criminal Law Code Bill is introduced, referred to a Select committee and then dropped.
 * 1879 - A Royal Commission under Colin Blackburn, Baron Blackburn recommends and drafts a code.
 * 1882 - Since 1844 there had been eight unsuccessful attempts to enact a code.
 * 1965 - The Law Commission of England and Wales is established with a remit to review the law of England and Wales:

&mdash; A Criminal Code team is set up including academic lawyer Professor Sir John Cyril Smith, the outstanding criminal lawyer of his time.
 * 1985 - Draft code published.
 * 1989 - Draft code revised and expanded.
 * 2002 - Government reiterates its intention to proceed with a code.

Arguments for a Code
Attorney-General Sir John Holker said:

Sir John Smith was, in general an opponent of legal codes but said: