In law, consolidation is a process which enables several legislative acts to be combined into a single expression of the law, either by the formation of a single act which replaces those which are incorporated into it, or as a means of presenting legal information in a single document for convenience, but without replacing the substantive legal acts themselves.
European Union
Where a European Union (EU) Directive or Regulation has been extended by several amendments, which amend or add to an established Directive or Regulation which remains in force, the European Commission often publishes a "consolidated version" of the act which enables all of its components to be seen in one place, for example there is a consolidated text covering Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation along with various further acts which apply in the same field. This type of consolidated document "is meant purely as a documentation tool and has no legal effect".[1]
The parliamentary practice of legislating only for small portions of a subject at a time can create undue complexity in statute law. Acts relating to a particular subject often end up scattered over many years, and through the operation of clauses partially repealing or amending former acts, the specific meaning of the law regarding the subject becomes enveloped in intricate or contradictory expressions. For clarity, the law as expressed across many statutes is sometimes recast in a single statute, called a consolidation bill.[4]
These observations apply to the public general acts of the legislature. On the other hand, in settling local acts, such as those relating to railway and canal enterprise, the legislature always inserted certain clauses founded on reasons of public policy applicable to the business in question. To avoid the necessity of constantly re-enacting the same principles in local acts, their common clauses were embodied in separate statutes, and their provisions are ordered to be incorporated in any local act of the description mentioned therein. Such are the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. 18),the Companies Clauses Act 1863 and the Railways Clauses Act 1863.[4]
Procedure
Consolidation bills are introduced in the House of Lords which, by convention, has primacy in these matters. The Lords has the only substantive discussion on the bill, at its second reading, before the bill is sent to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills, which may propose amendments to it. Subject to this, the Lords' third reading and all readings in the House of Commons are usually formalities and pass without debate.[2]
Most consolidation bills are proposed in the first instance by a law reform body[5][6]—either the Law Commission (in England and Wales), the Scottish Law Commission or the Northern Ireland Law Commission—and it is this prior consideration that gives rise to the expedited process afforded to these bills.[6][7] Every consolidation bill proposed by the Law Commission has been passed by Parliament.[8]
^Teasdale, Jonathan (2009). "Statute Law Revision: Repeal, Consolidation or Something More". European Journal of Law Reform. 11: 157–212 – via HeinOnline.
^ abThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1998. The Stationery Office Limited. 1999. ISBN0 11 840373 7. Part IV (tables and indexes). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1997. The Stationery Office Limited. 1998. ISBN0 11 840369 9. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1996. The Stationery Office Limited. 1998. ISBN0 11 840360 5. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998, section 1(2)(c), amending section 48 of 1996 c. 17.
^ abcdefThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1995. The Stationery Office Limited. 1997. ISBN0 11 840356 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1994. HMSO. London. 1995. ISBN0 11 840337 0. Part IV (tables and index). Pages g and i.
^ abcdefghiThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1993. HMSO. London. 1994. ISBN0 11 840330 3. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghijThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1992. HMSO. London. 1993. Part V (tables and index). ISBN0 11 840323 0. Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1991. HMSO. London. 1993. ISBN0 11 840314 1. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1990. HMSO. London. 1991. ISBN0 11 840302 8. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i and i.
^ abcThe Public General Acts 1989. HMSO. London. 1990. ISBN0 11 840292 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1988. HMSO. London. 1990. ISBN0 11 840290 0. Part V (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1987. HMSO. London. 1988. ISBN0 11 840275 7. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1986. HMSO. London. 1987. ISBN0 11 840272 2. Part V (tables and index). Pages k, l and i.
^ abcdefghijkThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures Act 1985. HMSO. London. 1986. ISBN0 11 840256 0. Part V (tables and index). Pages k, l and i.
^ abcdefghijkThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1984. HMSO. London. 1985. ISBN0 11 840244 7. Part IV (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1983. HMSO. London. 1984. ISBN0 11 840234 X. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1983. HMSO. London. 1984. ISBN0 11 840234 X. Page i.
^ abcdefgThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1982. HMSO. London. 1983. ISBN0 11 840225 0. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghijklThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1981. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840214 5. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghijklmThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1980. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840200 5. Part IV. Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghijklmnopThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1979. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840194 7. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghiThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1978. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840185 8. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdeThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1977. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840179 3. Part III (tables and index). Pages i, j and i.
^ abcdefghijkThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1976. HMSO. London. ISBN0 11 840159 9. Part III (tables and index). Pages j, k and i.
^ abcdefghijklmnopThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1975. HMSO. London. 1976. Part I. Pages j to l.
^ abcdefThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1974. HMSO. London. 1975. ISBN0 11 840139 4. Part I. Pages i and j.
^ abcdThe Public General Acts 1973. HMSO. London. 1974. ISBN0 11 840124 6. Part I. Pages i and j.
^ abcdefghThe Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1972. HMSO. London. 1973. SBN 11 840114 9. Part I. Pages k and l.
^ abcdefghijThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1971. HMSO. London. 1972. Part I. Pages k and l.
^ abcThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1970. HMSO. London. 1971. Part I. Pages k and l.
^ abcThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1969. HMSO. London. 1970. Part I. Pages k and l.
^ abcdefghijThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1968. HMSO. London. 1969. Part I. Pages j and k.
^ abcdefghijklmThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1967. HMSO. London. 1968. Part I. Pages j to l. (The footnotes to the acts from c. 32 onwards read "Consolidated Act", but this looks like a typo).
^ abcThe Public General Acts 1966. HMSO. London. 1966. Pages i and j.
^ abcdefghijklmnThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1965. HMSO. London. 1966. Part I. Pages j to l.
^ abThe Public General Acts and Church Assembly Measures 1964. HMSO. London. 1965. Volume I. Page j.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 2008. TSO. 2009. ISBN9780118404693. Part V (tables and index). Page 3211.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 2004. TSO. ISBN0 11 840423 7. Part IV (tables and index). Table V. Page i.
^The Public General Acts and General Synod Measures 1999. The Stationery Office Limited. 2000. ISBN0 11 840381 8. Part III (tables and indexes). Page h.