Being able to count the number of laws present in Britain is not an easy task, as there are several laws in existence, such that if counted one after the other, it will take an enormous length of time to finish.
Most archives of the nation are packed full of generic documents that are either in boxes or on shelves.
The room which is most likely to be featured as a site to capture generic footage of old legal documents is the archive that holds each of the Act of the Parliament.
What makes this room different is in essence, the distinct way these acts were written and the way they still are written (they are handwritten on calfskin, which is known as vellum before rolled up for storage).
Although several copies of the acts printed on standard paper which allows its distribution, they are also available online on the website of the parliament where they can be easily accessed.
Victoria Tower archives of the Houses of Parliament holds several legal scrolls that date back as far as 1497.
Distress Act of 1267
The oldest legally written law that still exists in Britain was in 1267, and it is known as the “Distress Act of 1267.”
The Distress act makes it illegal to seek ‘distress’ or compensation for damages caused to person or property through means different from filing a lawsuit in a court of law. This law effectively outlawed private feuds.
Regularly new laws are added to the existing rules, which makes the number of laws in Britain too much to count.
Some of the laws of the nation include Common law, Civil law, etc. and examples of what they are against include:
Alcohol is classified under drugs in Britain, and specific laws prohibit the sale of this drug to people below a particular age.
Alcohol drink is illegal to children below the age of five, except it is under the supervision of medical personnel in an emergency.
Laws prohibit Alcohol purchase to anyone below the age of 18 in a pub, off-licence, in a supermarket or other outlets.
Several people carry and use knives because of their work which is fine.
However, it regarded as against the law to carry a knife with a blade, or a sharply pointed knife, which includes a pocket knife that has a cutting edge of more than three inches.
A hate crime refers to a criminal offence against a person or property due to the hatred of the gender, race, ethnicity, colour, sexual orientation or disability of the person.
These actions are prohibited by the law of Britain such that individuals who are found guilty of these acts can be removed from their homes, be put in prison, fined or subject to anti-social behaviour orders.