"Spousal support" consultation.

Closing Date December 11th 2012
lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/docs/cp208_...overview_lawyers.pdf

"Uncertainty within the current law
29 There is real uncertainty about the level of support payable and the duration for which support is to be given, whether in the form of ongoing periodical payments
or in the form of a capitalised sum. There may also be uncertainty arising from
the fact that judicial discretion is exercised inconsistently across the country.
Practitioners have told us that there are marked differences between courts and
geographical regions."

"7 The SCP therefore examines the evolution of the law relating to needs in order to
explain why it lacks any principled basis, and goes on to consider the options for
a principled approach to spousal support (we use that term to mean provision for
needs, whether capital or income). The SCP acknowledges the difficulty of
reforming this area and that principled reform will take time and further research
beyond the scope of this project; it therefore also explores short-term measures
that might make the law easier to operate, pending principled reform."

lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/consultatio...imonial_property.htm

"44 We aim to make recommendations for law reform which would introduce a clear
principled basis for meeting needs after divorce and dissolution – a principle that
would state what has to be paid and why."