The UK government's response to the consultation on the Reform of Limited Partnerships has been published at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/762849/government-response-limited-partnerships.pdf
The consultation resulted from concerns that limited partnerships in the UK and in particular in Scotland (where partnerships have legal personality, which they do not in England and Wales or Northern Ireland) were being used to facilitate international money laundering and other illegal activities.
The government now proposes the following:
* applicants to register LPs must demonstrate that they are registered with an anti-money laundering (AML) supervisory body, and applications from overseas will be subject to equivalent standards - although the government is still considering how this might be achieved.
* LPs will need to demonstrate an ongoing link with the UK in the form of a principal place of business in the UK, a legitimate business activity in the UK, or continuing engagement with a UK AML supervisory body.
* all UK LPs will have to file an annual confirmation statement (rather than, as at present, only certain Scottish partnerships). This will include additional information not currently required to be registered, such as the date of birth and nationality of all partners.
* the Registrar will be given power to strike off LPs which have dissolved or are not carrying on business.
It is not clear whether the government intends to apply to the requirement to register Persons with Significant Control (PSC) over the partnership to all LPs (rather than, as at present, only certain Scottish partnerships).
The government has rejected the possibility of all partnerships having to file accounts (rather than, as at present, only those whose general partners are all either limited companies or unlimited companies/Scottish partnerships whose members are all limited companies).
The response states that the government will legislate "when Parliamentary time allows" - but when that will be is anyone's guess, given the ongoing Brexit shenanigans