This is from the Open Knowledge Foundation Weblog in the UK:

A great day for the law and for the people
December 20th, 2006

Today the Department for Constitutional Affairs’ long awaited Statute Law Database project has launched, free at point of use for anyone. It’s super. Last week, access to consolidated versions of the law of the UK wasn’t possible without paying lots of money. Now it is free.

There are some down sides - 40 acts are not covered at all, law is only guaranteed included up until the end of 2001, and the data only has history of changes back to 1991.

It is almost inconceivable that a citizen would have to pay for the ability to read the text of the laws of their country.

- Greg Pemberton (RTKNS web admin)