There are two types of property in established case law: things in possession (usually tangible objects) and things in action (like debts or the right to sue). Digital assets do not fall neatly into either category. While the law has been flexible in practice in considering them property, this Law Commission bill aims to remove uncertainty by legally establishing a third type of property. This is intended to provide more clarity in cases involving digital assets, including settlements, divorces, or disputed ownership.
Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [HL] (317 KB , PDF)
The Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill is a Law Commission bill. The bill would implement a recommendation from the Law Commission’s project on digital assets. The government has produced explanatory notes.
The bill would establish that things can be property, even if they do not meet the traditional definitions of property established in case law. The bill is designed to clarify that assets such as crypto-tokens, crypto-currency and non-fungible tokens could be capable of attracting property rights. However, it does not establish that any particular category of thing is property.
The government has said that this will bring clarity to complex cases involving digital holdings.
Law Commission bills are subject to special procedures in the House of Lords. The bill has been committed to a second reading committee, to be followed by a special public bill committee.
Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill [HL] (317 KB , PDF)
The European Convention on Human Rights was signed by the members of the Council of Europe, including the UK, in Rome in 1950. The UK was one of the first states to ratify it in 1951 and it is now incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act 1998. The UK government has recently restated its unequivocal commitment to the convention.
The crown court backlog reached a record high of 73,105 cases in September 2024. The impact on victims, witnesses and defendants has been significant as they wait longer for their cases to be resolved. The government commissioned an independent review of criminal courts that will produce reform recommendations to address crown court pressures. Whilst stakeholders have welcomed the review, some have called for more immediate action to reduce the backlog.
Integration and community cohesion have both been identified as important factors to enable people from different communities to live and work together. Like the previous Conservative government, the current Labour government has committed to policies intended to support integration in order to improve community cohesion. This briefing summarises how integration and community cohesion are conceptualised and measured and discusses the debate on effective integration strategies.
