ABSTRACT
Laws are sets of rules intended to regulate human behaviour. The term ‘construction law’ is most helpfully understood as referring not to a separate entity, but rather to a broad range of general legal topics specifically applied to the vast range of activities undertaken by the construction industry. English law is fundamentally a ‘common law’ system. Originally this simply meant it was the law that applied to all people in all parts of the country. Common law principles hold sway in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with the Irish Republic, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, India, Pakistan, South Africa and a number of other countries. Legislation comprises the written law created by or under the authority of Parliament, which has supreme authority to make and unmake laws. The term ‘legislation’ includes Acts of the UK Parliament itself as well as the various Statutory Instruments, orders, regulations and by-laws known collectively as ‘secondary legislation’.
