The Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Business and Trade
- Made under: Subsidy Control Act 2022
The 2025 regulations amended the 2022 Subsidy Control Regulations to reduce the information requirements for public authority entries in the subsidy database relating to subsidies given under subsidy schemes.
The Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2022 regulations, lessening the information needed for public authority subsidy database entries concerning subsidies provided under existing schemes.
This change aims to reduce the administrative burden on public authorities.
The amendment exempts certain data points while maintaining overall reporting of subsidies.
Arguments For
Reduced administrative burden: The amendment reduces the paperwork and administrative burden on public authorities when submitting information to the subsidy database.
Streamlined process: Simplifying the data requirements for subsidies given under schemes makes the process of reporting more efficient and less complex.
Focus on transparency: While reducing certain data points, the core goal of transparency remains, ensuring oversight of government subsidies is maintained, albeit with a more efficient data collection method.
Reduced impact on public sector: The changes reduce the impact of the subsidy control regime on the public sector which can lead to better resource allocation for delivering public services.
Arguments Against
Reduced transparency: Removing specific data points may limit public access to detailed information about subsidies, potentially hindering scrutiny.
Potential for abuse: Less stringent information requirements might increase the risk of undisclosed or improperly used subsidies.
Inconsistency: The differentiation in information requirements between subsidies under schemes and those outside may create inconsistencies in data, making comparisons and analyses more difficult.
Limited impact assessment: The lack of a full impact assessment might overlook unforeseen consequences of the regulation changes.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and come into force on the 22nd day after the date on which these Regulations are made. (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
This section sets the title of the regulations as the "Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2025".
It specifies that they will come into effect 22 days after their creation and apply across the UK.
- Amendment of regulation 4 of the Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) Regulations 2022 In regulation 4 of the Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) Regulations 2022— (a) In the heading, after “subsidy schemes”, insert “and subsidies given under subsidy schemes”; (b) After paragraph (3), insert— (4) Paragraph (5) of this regulation applies in the case of an entry in the subsidy database made under section 33(1)(a) of the Act, in respect of a subsidy given under a subsidy scheme. (5) The entry need not include the information required under regulation 3(p), (q), (r), (s), (t), (u), (v), (w) and (x).
This section amends regulation 4 of the 2022 Subsidy Control Regulations.
It modifies the heading to include 'and subsidies given under subsidy schemes'.
It adds two new paragraphs (4 and 5) to regulation 4.
New paragraph 4 specifies that paragraph 5 applies to subsidies given under a subsidy scheme.
Crucially, new paragraph 5 states that certain information (specified in regulation 3(p) to 3(x)) is no longer required for subsidy database entries related to subsidies given under a scheme.
Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations amend the Subsidy Control (Subsidy Database Information Requirements) Regulations 2022, specifically regulation 4, so as to remove the requirement for a public authority’s entry in the subsidy database in respect of a subsidy given under a subsidy scheme to include the information required by regulation 3(p), (q), (r), (s), (t), (u), (v), (w) and (x). This information continues to be required for a public authority’s entry in the subsidy database in respect of a subsidy given other than under a subsidy scheme. A full impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no, or no significant, impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen, and it reduces the current impact of the subsidy control regime on the public sector. An Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside these Regulations.
The explanatory note clarifies that the regulations simplify reporting requirements for public authorities concerning subsidies given under pre-existing schemes.
The note explains that specific data points from regulation 3 (p-x) are no longer needed for these subsidies.
A full impact assessment wasn't deemed necessary due to the anticipated minimal effect on the private and voluntary sectors while highlighting a reduction in the burden on the public sector.
An accompanying explanatory memorandum is also mentioned.
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