This Order enacts non-material changes to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022, effective from December 19th, 2025, following an application for amendment.

Key revisions include adding a definition for 'Defra,' clarifying the named 'undertaker' as Norfolk Vanguard West Limited, and significantly modifying Part 3 of Schedule 17, which relates to compensation for impacts on the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton Special Area of Conservation (HHW SAC) by introducing the Marine Recovery Fund Payment as an alternative management measure to specific marine debris removal tasks.

These Regulations establish the commencement dates for various provisions within the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, primarily setting 18th February 2026 as the start date for certain compulsory purchase order reforms and several aspects of Development Corporation powers, while bringing forward regulatory powers and provisions related to Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) immediately, alongside transitional measures to govern ongoing compulsory purchase procedures.

The Secretary of State has issued The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025, which makes non-material changes to the original 2021 Development Consent Order for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm.

This Order, effective December 19th, 2025, officially incorporates a definition for Defra, updates the definition of the undertaker, corrects several precise geographical coordinates defining the authorized development, and significantly amends compensation provisions related to the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton Special Area of Conservation (HHW SAC) by introducing the Marine Recovery Fund as a potential alternative to direct marine debris removal.

These Regulations amend the 2024 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations, effective from January 1st, 2026, across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, primarily by introducing new definitions for fibre-based composite materials, refining producer responsibility during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and establishing specific rules and charges for reporting 'closed loop packaging waste' derived from food-grade plastic.

Furthermore, the amendments adjust the scope of exemptions for charities, update various financial charges outlined in Schedule 1, and empower the scheme administrator to appoint Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to assist in regulatory functions, alongside detailed transitional provisions for reporting historical data related to the new closed-loop category.

The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 enact changes to the existing 2025 amendment regulations concerning disciplinary, performance, and appeals procedures for Ministry of Defence Police officers.

The primary action taken by these Regulations is the revocation of Parts 2, 3, and 4 of the 2025 Regulations, along with specific regulations dealing with tribunal processes and transitional arrangements, effectively removing most of the amendments previously introduced by the 2025 Regulations, except for one definition and a specific amendment related to Scottish tribunal legislation.

These Regulations initiate the first partial commencement of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, bringing specified sections into force on December 27, 2025, primarily to establish key definitions necessary for the operation of investigatory powers under Part 4 of the Act and to enable the production of statutory guidance for local authorities regarding financial penalties under the Housing Act 2004.

These Regulations amend Schedule 7 of the Online Safety Act 2023 by designating specific criminal acts as 'priority offences,' which imposes specific duties on online service providers to tackle content related to these crimes.

Specifically, the Regulations introduce an offence concerning encouraging or assisting serious self-harm and update provisions regarding offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 related to sharing intimate images, having been approved by Parliament and extending across the UK. The legal instrument also revokes the previous related amendment regulations from 2024.

These Regulations, made under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, establish a mandatory open data scheme requiring motor fuel traders in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to register their petrol filling stations and report the selling price of motor fuels to an appointed third-party 'aggregator'.

Motor fuel traders must provide this price information, including any subsequent changes within 30 minutes of occurrence, for public dissemination via an Application Programming Interface (API) and other means.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for enforcement, with powers to issue compliance notices, conduct investigations, impose financial penalties up to 1% of worldwide turnover, and pursue criminal sanctions for false information or obstruction.

This Order legally enacts the recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England regarding the electoral arrangements for the borough of Middlesbrough, established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

It abolishes all existing electoral wards within Middlesbrough and replaces them with 20 new wards, detailing the specific area and the corresponding number of councillors for each new ward as listed in the attached Schedule, with full effect beginning for elections held in 2027.

This Order gives effect to the September 2025 recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England for changes to the electoral arrangements in the Borough of Sandwell, legally abolishing the existing electoral wards and establishing 24 new wards, each entitled to three councillors, effective for the 2026 local elections, while also detailing necessary provisions for the retirement cycle of the newly elected councillors.

These Regulations officially bring the entirety of the Paternity Leave (Bereavement) Act 2024 into force on 29th December 2025, activating the amendments made to the Employment Rights Act 1996 that introduce provisions for paternity leave when a mother or a person expecting to adopt a child dies.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under powers in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, specifically brings Section 246 of that Act into force across England starting on April 1st, 2026; this action inserts a new requirement into the Education and Inspections Act 2006, obligating governing bodies of schools in England to establish procedures for recording and reporting significant incidents where staff use force against pupils to the relevant parents, unless doing so would risk harm to the pupil.

These Regulations amend Part 1A of Schedule 6B to the Enterprise Act 2002, establishing specific conditions under which a foreign power that controls or influences a newspaper owner via a state-owned investor is exempt from merger control prohibitions.

The amendments replace previous conditions by requiring state-owned investors holding directly between 5% and 15% of shares or voting rights in a newspaper owner to issue a qualifying notification to the Secretary of State and publish specified information online within 14 days of acquisition to qualify for the exception, while also limiting the total aggregate holding by state-owned investors across all foreign powers to 15%.

These Regulations, made under the Education Act 1996 and Education and Skills Act 2008, establish mandatory duties for schools in England regarding the recording and reporting of incidents where a member of staff secludes, restrains, or immobilizes a pupil outside of a disciplinary penalty; specifically, they require maintained schools to record such incidents and provide copies to parents, allowing for records to be withheld if disclosure risks the pupil's significant harm, while also amending standards for independent and non-maintained special schools to introduce equivalent requirements and simultaneously revoking a previous version of these regulations issued in error.

This Order, made by the Treasury, amends the Consumer Composite Investments (Designated Activities) Regulations 2024, establishing temporary exemptions from the financial promotion and scheme promotion restrictions for communications related to Key Information Documents (KIDs) previously governed by the PRIIPs Regulation, effective from April 6, 2026, until December 8, 2027, within the context of the transition to the new Consumer Composite Investments regime.

This Order establishes the necessary consequential provisions and modifications to existing legislation following the enactment of the Education (Scotland) Act 2025, providing for the operational continuity of the newly formed Qualifications Scotland and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland.

It details the commencement sequence for different parts of the Order, clarifies that Qualifications Scotland's functions can be exercised outside Scotland, ensures transitional provisions cover past actions of the former Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), confirms the Chief Inspector's status as part of the Scottish Administration, and systematically repeals or amends numerous UK-wide and devolved statutory instruments to substitute references from the SQA to Qualifications Scotland, ensuring all related legal frameworks, including those concerning welfare, student finance, and professional qualifications, accurately reflect the new institutional arrangements.

These Regulations establish the framework for ensuring marine equipment placed on board UK ships complies with relevant international safety and pollution prevention standards, replacing the 2016 regulations and associated EU exit amendments; they define the roles and responsibilities of manufacturers, importers, distributors, approved bodies (for UK conformity approval), and nominated bodies (for type approval), and lay out detailed conformity assessment procedures, enforcement powers including ship detention, and consequential amendments to related maritime legislation.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, officially designates specific primary schools in England as 'rural primary schools' via a list published on the Gov.uk website. The designation triggers mandatory legal requirements for local authorities or governing bodies considering the closure of these schools, compelling them to consider the community impact and alternatives.

Furthermore, the Order revokes the previous Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024 and comes into force on December 18th, 2025, applying to England and Wales.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, specify the first set of provisions from that Act that will come into force on 1st January 2026.

Specifically, they activate sections strengthening laws against tampering with vehicle equipment (including software) and fitting unsuitable parts, and they also activate sections that grant the Secretary of State power to regulate the restriction of certain terms, the collection and protection of information, and other administrative procedures, though these latter powers are currently only active for the purpose of making subsequent regulations.

These Regulations amend the Procurement Act 2023 to incorporate the procurement obligations stemming from two international agreements: the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Kazakhstan and the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Iraq.

The amendments specify these treaties as 'specified international agreements' under Schedule 9 of the 2023 Act, granting treaty state suppliers reciprocal treatment under certain conditions, excluding procurements regulated by the Welsh Ministers.

Furthermore, the instrument modifies the 2024 Commencement and Saving Provisions Regulations to ensure consistency, allowing the procurement chapters of these new agreements to apply to procurements still governed by the retained 2015 and 2016 procurement legislation, with transitional rules protecting procurements already underway.

These Regulations establish comprehensive, mandatory procedures for schools in England, effective from 1st April 2026, requiring school staff to keep written records of every incident where a pupil is secluded, restrained, or immobilized, and mandating that these records (with specified safeguarding exceptions) are supplied to the pupil's parents as soon as practicable; the rules also amend the standards for independent and non-maintained special schools to enforce equivalent recording and reporting duties concerning seclusion, restraint, and use of force incidents.

This Statutory Instrument, made by the Office for Students under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, formally authorizes the Royal Northern College of Music to grant specific types of research awards for a fixed term running from January 5, 2026, until January 4, 2030, and permits the College to authorize other institutions to make these awards on its behalf.

This Order, presented to His Majesty in Council on December 10, 2025, exercises powers under the Government of Wales Act 2006 to amend Schedule 9A, which lists devolved Welsh authorities.

It officially removes the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales from the list, inserting the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru in their place, reflecting prior legislative changes concerning electoral bodies and remuneration functions in Wales, and takes effect on January 8, 2026.

This Order, made by HM Treasury under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, revises the list of designated central government bodies for the purpose of calculating supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.

Specifically, it substitutes the entire Schedule of the principal Order (The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025) with an updated list organized by government department, adding, renaming, or removing various public sector bodies.

These Regulations finalize the transition following the enactment of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 by making necessary consequential amendments across various pieces of UK legislation.

Key actions include repealing a section of the Data Protection Act 2018 concerning recordable offences while simultaneously updating regulations to ensure the new offence of making false statements in response to an interview notice becomes recordable, and revising numerous electoral and company disclosure rules to align references from the UK GDPR concerning data processing for research and archiving purposes (replacing references to Article 89 with Article 84A).

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under powers granted by the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, enact the ninth commencement order for that Act, bringing specified provisions into force across England and Wales on 31st December 2025.

These provisions include amendments allowing the Secretary of State, Lord Chancellor, and Attorney General to mandate scrutiny of victims' treatment within joint inspections conducted by various inspectorates, alongside new mechanisms requiring the Parole Board to refer certain release decisions for life and fixed-term prisoners to the High Court for final determination, with consequential provisions assigning the Secretary of State responsibility for setting and varying associated licence conditions.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State using powers under Article 3B(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, formally designate the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the market surveillance authority responsible for overseeing compliance within the UK relating to unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators under that specific retained EU framework, applying across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

These Regulations, made under the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTI Act 2022), set the commencement date of April 7, 2026, for sections 61 through 64 of the 2022 Act, which concern rent determination and compensation related to conferring code rights for electronic communications apparatus under tenancies in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The document also introduces saving and transitional provisions to ensure a smooth transition, specifying how existing tenancy continuation notices served prior to the commencement date, and interim rent calculations spanning the commencement date, are to be handled under the previous legal frameworks.

These Regulations, made by the Lord Chancellor with the agreement of the Lady Chief Justice and approved by Parliament, amend the Judicial Appointments Commission Regulations 2013 by increasing the total number of members of the Judicial Appointments Commission from 15 to 16, establishing new rules for the professional qualifications of the lawyer members, and expanding the list of offices that qualify a person to be the senior tribunal office-holder member.

The Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 update the existing 2020 sanctions framework concerning the Central African Republic to incorporate amendments mandated by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2745 (2024) and 2789 (2025).

These amendments primarily introduce new definitions for "armed group operating in the Central African Republic" and "associated individual" and subsequently amend provisions concerning the arms embargo, export of military goods, provision of technical assistance, financial services, and brokering activities to target these non-state actors directly, ensuring the UK's sanctions regime reflects its international obligations.

These Regulations, made by the Treasury using powers granted under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, introduce consequential amendments to primary and secondary UK financial legislation.

The regulations align existing laws, specifically mentioning the Banking Act 2009 and various 2014, 2019, and 2020 secondary legislation, with the broader changes stemming from the revocation of retained EU law concerning prudential regulation, taking effect on January 1st, 2026.

The Secretary of State, exercising powers under the Government of Wales Act 2006, enacted this Order to introduce necessary consequential amendments to existing legislation following the passing of the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024.

This Order modifies the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to include infrastructure consent when considering site licences, amends the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 regarding consultation requirements related to government authorisation, and updates the Finance Act 2013 to incorporate infrastructure consent into rules governing the conversion of dwellings for non-residential use, ensuring legal alignment with the new infrastructure consenting process in Wales.

This Order formally enacts corrections to the M60/M62/M66 Simister Island Interchange Development Consent Order 2025 following a request from the applicant and statutory procedures under the Planning Act 2008.

The corrections, detailed in the Schedule, involve substituting or inserting specific text related to the authorised development works and public rights of way terminology within the original consent documentation, and the Order commences on 16th December 2025.

This Order legally establishes the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, effective January 23rd, 2026, granting it authority over a specific Mayoral development area defined by a designated map.

The Secretary of State makes the Order by exercising powers under the Localism Act 2011, as modified by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017, following notification from the Mayor regarding the area designation and the corporation's intended name.

This statutory instrument formally establishes the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation by exercising powers granted under the Localism Act 2011, as modified by related orders concerning Greater Manchester.

The Order defines the precise Mayoral development area using a specific map, names the new corporation, and sets the commencement date for its operation as January 16th, 2026.

These Regulations amend the Immigration Skills Charge Regulations 2017 by updating the list of occupations exempt from the charge to align with version 12 of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020 Index and simultaneously increase the ISC charges payable by sponsors by 32%.

The power to make these regulations is exercised by the Secretary of State with the consent of HM Treasury, and they come into force on December 16th, 2025, extending across the entire United Kingdom.

These Regulations, made by the Minister for the Cabinet Office with the consent of the Welsh Ministers, exercise powers under the Procurement Act 2023 to bring specified provisions of that Act into force across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland on set dates in 2026.

Specifically, sections concerning payments compliance notices (Section 69) and contract performance assessment (Section 71) come into force for most procurements on January 1st, 2026, while Section 69 (for Welsh-regulated procurements) and Section 70 (information about payments) commence on April 1st, 2026, with mechanisms defined to differentiate between procurements regulated by the UK government and those regulated by the Welsh Ministers.

These Regulations establish criminal offences in the UK for UAS operators and remote pilots who fail to comply with specific requirements detailed in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 concerning the operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The legislation, which comes into force in January 2026 across the whole of the UK, specifies the breaches that constitute offences, ranging from registration failures to competency issues across 'open', 'specific', and 'certified' flight categories, sets out associated summary conviction penalties, and makes consequential amendments to the Police Act 1997, the Air Navigation Order 2016, and the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 to reflect these new criminal provisions.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 bring into force on 5th January 2026 several key provisions of the parent Act, including the establishment and functions of the statutory Border Security Commander, new criminal offences related to supplying articles for immigration crime and endangering others during sea crossings, provisions for searching electronic devices, and amendments allowing stricter conditions on leave and bail for national security or public safety threats.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care made these Regulations under the powers granted by the Health and Care Act 2022 to make consequential amendments to the Down Syndrome Act 2022, which apply to England and Wales.

Specifically, the Regulations update the Schedule of the Down Syndrome Act 2022 by substituting references to the former National Health Service Commissioning Board with 'NHS England' and references to a 'clinical commissioning group' with 'an integrated care board', reflecting structural reforms enacted in the 2022 Act.

This Order formally designates two specific independent schools in England, St Thomas of Canterbury CE Primary School and Edullect Academy Independent School, recognizing them as having a religious character aligned with the Church of England and Islam, respectively, effective from December 13th, 2025.

Furthermore, the Order legally revokes the previous designations of several other independent schools listed in various prior Orders dating back to 2003 and 2004, updating the official record of schools permitted to conduct their operations and employment decisions based on religious or denominational considerations.

The Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Overseas Territories) Order 2025, enacted under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, makes widespread technical amendments across numerous extant sanctions Orders applicable to listed British overseas territories (OTs).

The primary purpose is to align OT sanctions legislation with recent UK amendments (specifically the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2024), particularly by clarifying financial regulatory authority roles (transferring responsibilities from the Treasury to the Governor) and expanding the scope of 'relevant firms' subject to reporting obligations to include entities dealing with cryptoassets, high-value goods transactions, and insolvency proceedings.

This Order, issued by the King in Council on December 10th, 2025, under the authority of the Education Act 2005, officially appoints Owen Evans as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales for a five-year term beginning on January 1st, 2027, while simultaneously revoking the Education (Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales) (No. 2) Order 2021 on the same date.

These Regulations officially bring into force the second set of provisions from the Football Governance Act 2025, appointing 12th December 2025 as the commencement date for many sections.

The commencement targets key areas including the suitability requirements for incumbent club owners and officers (Part 4), the investigatory powers granted to the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) (Part 7), the enforcement sanctions framework (Part 8), and the review and appeals processes (Part 9).

Certain aspects of these parts, particularly those relating to operating licences, are explicitly excluded from this commencement order.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, officially appoints December 17th, 2025, as the date when the coastline access preparation period ends for the coastal margin relating to the England Coast Path route between Cremyll and Kingswear.

This date signifies the conclusion of the preparatory phase following the Secretary of State’s approval of specific reports detailing the path segments, thereby establishing definitive public access rights over that coastal margin land.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under powers granted by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, officially sets December 17, 2025, as the date when the access preparation period ends for the land designated as coastal margin along the England Coast Path section between Combe Martin and Marsland Mouth, based on previously approved reports and proposals.

These Regulations, made under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, amend the list of permitted disclosures that cannot be precluded by agreement, specifically allowing victims of crime to disclose information to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation claims under relevant schemes and to courts or tribunals handling related proceedings.

Additionally, the regulations expand the definition of a 'qualified lawyer' within the Act to include registered foreign lawyers, ensuring victims can seek relevant legal advice regarding their victimization.

This Order, made by His Majesty in Council, formally brings into effect the Convention and Protocol between the United Kingdom and Romania, signed in November 2024, designed to eliminate double taxation on income and capital gains, prevent tax evasion and avoidance, and establish frameworks for mutual assistance in tax enforcement between the two countries, thereby replacing the previous 1975 Convention.

This Order in Council amends several UK laws, including the Medicines Act 1968 and the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, to expand the roles of registered pharmacy technicians by enabling pharmacists to authorize them to perform and supervise tasks related to the preparation, assembly, dispensing, and final supply of medicinal products.

The changes primarily apply to Great Britain initially and establish a framework of authorization, supervision, and professional accountability, including specific provisions for hospital aseptic facilities and controlled drug handling, while also introducing provisions for the delegation of final supply of checked and bagged medicines across the entire UK.

This Order formally brings into effect the Convention between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Principality of Andorra, signed on February 20, 2025, aimed at eliminating double taxation on income and capital, preventing tax evasion and avoidance, and facilitating international tax enforcement; the Schedule includes the full text of this Convention, along with subsequent Notes Verbales from June 2025 that formally correct a clerical error found in Article 18 concerning Government Service payments, making the corrected text legally effective upon the Order's enactment.

This Order formally enacts into UK law a new Convention and accompanying Protocol between the United Kingdom and the Portuguese Republic, signed in September 2025, designed to eliminate double taxation on income and capital gains, prevent tax evasion and avoidance, and establish mechanisms for mutual assistance in tax enforcement, thereby clarifying taxing rights and providing legal certainty for residents and enterprises of both nations concerning income tax, corporation tax, and capital gains tax.

This Order formally brings into force the Convention and accompanying Protocol between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Peru, which aims to eliminate double taxation on income and capital gains, prevent tax evasion and avoidance, and establish mutual assistance mechanisms for international tax enforcement, setting out detailed rules for the allocation of taxing rights, definitions of residency and permanent establishment, and procedures for dispute resolution.

The Secretary of State for Transport made this Order upon application from the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road & Ferry Company to revise the maximum tolls chargeable for the use of the ferry service, concluding that the revision is necessary to ensure the Company achieves adequate annual revenue to cover costs and provide a reasonable return on investment.

This Order, which comes into force on December 30, 2025, specifies the new maximum single-use tolls, details tiered discounts for bulk purchases over several years, allows for limited annual inflationary adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index, and revokes the previous 2021 Revision of Tolls Order.

The Treasury enacted these Regulations using powers under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to amend the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Commencement No. 10 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025.

The primary goal is to modify how permissions granted by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) under provisions of the Capital Requirements Regulation are treated after their scheduled revocation takes effect on January 1st, 2026, by ensuring certain permissions continue to have effect under relevant sections of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) and preserving the PRA’s power to update related delegated technical standards.

The Offshore Installations (Safety Zones) (No. 2) Order 2025 establishes new 500-meter maritime safety zones around two specific offshore installations identified in its Schedule, exercising powers granted by the Petroleum Act 1987 following recommendations from the Health and Safety Executive. Furthermore, the Order simultaneously amends and revokes safety zones previously established by four separate Orders from 2007 and 2008 concerning certain wells or structures, notably within the Chestnut Field and Kingfisher area.

The zones prohibit unauthorized entry by vessels, installations in transit, or submersible apparatus.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Childcare Act 2016, amend the Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) (England) Regulations 2025 to correct a specific drafting error concerning free childcare provisions for working parents.

The instrument specifically modifies Regulation 5(4) of the principal Regulations, which in turn amends Regulation 44 of the 2022 Regulations, by omitting only redundant transitional sub-paragraphs from paragraph (3), rather than omitting the whole paragraph as previously intended.

They come into force on December 31, 2025, and extend to England and Wales.

These Regulations, made by the Treasury and the Secretary of State under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, introduce various amendments to UK customs regulations, primarily focused on updating the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) origin rules and linked preferential arrangements, effective January 1, 2026.

Key changes involve differentiating origin rules for Enhanced Preference (EP) and Standard Preference (SP) countries, updating the criteria for 'economically vulnerable countries,' reclassifying Vanuatu from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to an 'other eligible developing country,' and updating the version numbers of several foundational customs reference documents.

The Office for Students issues this Order under the authority granted by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 to revoke The Power to Award Degrees etc. (LTE Group Limited) Order 2025; this revocation is necessary because the original 2025 Order contained a drafting error that incorrectly named the entity, and a new, corrected Order has since been made to grant the appropriate powers.

This Order, enacted under the powers of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, amends the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014 to require nationals or citizens of Nauru to obtain a transit visa when passing through the United Kingdom while remaining airside. The legislation comes into force on December 10, 2025, and includes a transitional clause exempting those who arrived on or before January 20, 2026, provided they had a booking made before the Order’s enactment.

These Rules amend the Court Funds Rules 2011 to provide enhanced detail on how the Accountant General manages and invests sterling deposits separately from foreign currency deposits held in court.

Key changes involve specifying when interest accrues daily (for sterling) versus under foreign account terms, outlining investment procedures for foreign currency based on court schedules or directions, and simplifying payment-out procedures under the Civil Procedure Rules.

The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2025, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, provide specific derogations from Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 concerning the phase-out date for using halon 1211 in portable fire extinguishers.

The regulations extend permissions for this substance in fire suppression systems for specified Defence aircraft until June 2027 for some models and December 2040 for others, and for Loganair aircraft until December 2026, based on the justification that no technically or economically feasible alternatives currently exist for these critical aviation applications.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Police Act 1996, amend the Police Regulations 2003 concerning part-time appointments and annual leave for police officers in England and Wales.

Specifically, the changes remove the obligation for chief officers to consult local representatives when appointing part-time officers, ensure equal treatment for part-time officers regarding probation and overtime, and allow annual leave to be taken in flexible 'periods' rather than fixed 'days' or 'half days'.

These Regulations amend the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations 2023 by introducing provisions that allow manufacturers of relevant connectable products to be treated as complying with UK product security requirements and the obligation to provide a statement of compliance if they meet specific criteria linked to existing cybersecurity labelling schemes from Japan (JC-STAR STAR-1) and Singapore.

These 2025 Regulations amend the existing Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) Regulations 2020 to align the disciplinary and performance procedures for Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers and former officers with recent changes made to the equivalent procedures for territorial police forces in England and Wales.

Key amendments include clarifying that convictions for indictable-only offences constitute gross misconduct, mandating disciplinary action for misconduct findings, updating rules for serving notices electronically, simplifying the performance review system by removing the third stage, and introducing new procedural requirements for former officers regarding accelerated misconduct hearings.

These Regulations, made under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, commence specific provisions primarily related to compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.

The commencement applies to CPOs subject to confirmation by an authority other than the Welsh Ministers, or those prepared in draft by a Minister other than the Welsh Ministers.

Key changes involve bringing into force requirements for online publicity for CPOs and amending procedural rules within the 1981 Act.

A transitional provision clarifies that these amendments do not apply where necessary statutory public notices were published before the commencement date, ensuring ongoing processes are not legally disrupted.

The Secretary of State for Transport enacted this Order to amend the standing Railway Byelaws originally made in 2005.

The primary changes involve modernizing the language across multiple byelaws by replacing gendered pronouns with neutral alternatives, and specifically prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes on railway property where smoking is banned.

Furthermore, the Order revises provisions related to vehicle control, obstructions, and parking by separating the rules for England and Wales (introducing new Byelaw 14A) from those for Scotland (Byelaw 14B), while also substituting the term "penalty" with "fine" for clarity regarding criminal enforcement.

The Secretary of State issued the South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025, effective from December 3, 2025, until June 2, 2026, to address a threatened serious water supply deficiency in the Sussex region caused by an exceptional shortage of rain.

This Order temporarily modifies South East Water Limited's existing abstraction licence (No. 21/128) by reducing required compensation release volumes to the Shell Brook, altering the natural flow conditions under which water can be abstracted from the River Ouse at Barcombe, and enabling abstraction at Ardingly during the Order's duration.

The Order mandates adherence to an environmental monitoring plan and specific mitigation measures detailed in a supporting Environmental Assessment Report.

These Regulations enact the first commencement provisions for the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025, bringing Section 98 into force immediately to grant designated officers of the Secretary of State rights of audience for debt recovery proceedings, and scheduling the delayed commencement of key provisions related to eligibility verification (Sections 78, 79, and Schedule 3) for two months after the Act's passing, which establishes powers to compel financial institutions to supply data to verify benefit entitlement.

These Regulations officially bring into force on January 12th, 2026, the 'Victim Information Requests: Code of Practice,' which provides guidance for authorized persons on their statutory duties for requesting relevant victim information during crime investigations, as established by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and amended by the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, extending the framework to England and Wales generally, and incorporating service police matters across the UK.

These Regulations, enacted by the Secretary of State under powers granted by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, formally define what constitutes a 'counselling service' for the purposes of restricting when authorised persons, including police bodies, can request confidential information related to those services, specifying that these services offer psychological or emotional support to improve a service user's mental health, and setting a commencement date of January 12, 2026, primarily for England and Wales.

This Order amends the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015, granted under the Planning Act 2008, following an application for a non-material change.

The Secretary of State has made this amendment to allow the two constituent parts of the project, referred to as Project A and Project B, to be treated separately for the purpose of discharging and enforcing various conditions, particularly concerning abandonment, decay, removal, noise limits, and specific requirements placed on the distinct components of the offshore and onshore works.

These Regulations, enacted by the Secretary of State using powers under the Childcare Acts 2006 and 2016, amend four existing statutory instruments governing early years childcare in England, effective from January 1st, 2026.

The primary purpose is to update various regulations—including those concerning welfare requirements, local authorities' duty to secure free childcare, and requirements for information, advice, and training—to reflect recent changes in inspection grades implemented by Ofsted and to incorporate inspection outcomes from independent inspectorates approved under the Education and Skills Act 2008.

The changes specify which inspection grades trigger requirements for intervention, continuous improvement, or withdrawal of public funding obligations for early years providers.

These Regulations, titled the Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025, update UK domestic law to incorporate the latest amendments from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.538(107) concerning ships operating in polar waters, effectively replacing the 2021 Regulations.

The new rules come into force on 1st January 2026 and apply to United Kingdom ships and specific non-UK ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters, extending mandatory safety requirements, including detailed structural, navigational, and training provisions from the Polar Code, to additional categories of ships such as smaller cargo ships, fishing vessels, and pleasure vessels, while also amending several existing pieces of maritime legislation relating to surveys, certification, and training fees.

The Secretary of State made The Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025, obtaining consent from the Welsh and Scottish Ministers, to amend Part A of Annex 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury.

These Regulations, which extend to England, Wales, and Scotland, introduce specific amendments to phase-out dates for mercury content in various products, including certain lighting types, sensing devices, and electronic components, aligning UK law with recent decisions made by the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The Treasury enacted this Order using powers under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 to amend specific cash equivalent figures relating to the taxation of employee benefits for company cars and vans.

The Order increases the benchmark monetary amounts used to calculate the taxable benefit for car fuel, the cash equivalent of a van benefit, and the cash equivalent for van fuel.

These changes are effective from the 2026-27 tax year and subsequent tax years, affecting how private use of company vehicles is taxed as earnings.

The Secretary of State for Transport has made this Order using powers under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to amend the definition of 'relevant land' within Schedule 4 of that Act, specifically to ensure that land subject to preserved railway byelaws made under the Transport Act 2000 is included, thereby facilitating the recovery of unpaid car parking charges from keepers or hirers of vehicles parked in station car parks.

This Order, enacted in exercise of powers under the Competition Act 1998, amends the Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption) Order 2001 following a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority.

The key changes involve removing the fixed expiration date for the exemption, thereby making it permanent unless reviewed, adjusting definitions related to connecting services—specifically regarding trunk bus services—and removing the definition of a "working day" to align with the main Act.

The document confirms the amendments extend across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and sets a new mandatory review date of 1st January 2031.

These Regulations, enacted by HM Treasury, amend Part 8C of the Corporation Tax Act 2010, which imposes a 45% corporation tax rate on restitution interest paid by HMRC. The amendments primarily serve to exclude simple interest awarded at a rate equivalent to or lower than a statutory rate from this special tax charge and modify the time limit for assessing this tax, allowing assessments to be made later if payments are accounted for before a final determination has been reached.

The Public Record Office (Fees) Regulations 2025 set out the new fees chargeable by the Keeper of Public Records for providing authenticated copies, extracts, and other services related to records held at The National Archives, effective from February 2nd, 2026.

These regulations supersede the 2018 Regulations, increasing many existing fees and introducing specific new charges related to accessing 'key military service personnel documents' transferred from the Ministry of Defence, while also granting the Keeper powers to remit fees in certain circumstances, such as when no relevant records are found.

These Regulations, enacted by the Lord Chancellor, modify existing civil legal aid frameworks by updating procedural terminology and substantially amending remuneration rates for providers.

Specifically, they rename the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme to the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service within the Procedure Regulations and introduce significant uplifts to standard fees, escape fee thresholds, and hourly rates for work across housing, debt, and immigration/asylum categories under the Remuneration Regulations.

The amendments take effect on 22nd December 2025 and apply across England and Wales, with a saving provision protecting remuneration for work initiated under the old system before the commencement date.

These Regulations, enacted by the Lord Chancellor under powers granted by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, amend the existing Criminal Legal Aid (General) Regulations 2013 and (Remuneration) Regulations 2013 for England and Wales.

The primary actions involve updating remuneration rates for various criminal legal aid services, including those in the Court of Appeal, police stations, magistrates' courts, and youth courts, effective from December 22nd and December 31st, 2025.

Furthermore, they formally extend criminal legal aid status to specific High Court proceedings related to Parole Board release decisions, modify rules regarding interim payments, and introduce provisions allowing appropriate officers to adjust fees above or below prescribed rates based on case complexity and performance.

This Order, made by the Office for Students under powers granted by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, formally amends the Power to Award Degrees etc. (ESCP Europe Business School) Order 2024 by substituting Article 3 to extend the fixed term authorization for ESCP Europe Business School to award degrees.

Specifically, the Order changes the expiry date of this authorization for ESCP Europe Business School (UKPRN: 10002313) from December 2, 2027, to December 2, 2030.