Culture and Sport Legislation
Legislative framework governing cultural institutions, media broadcasting, sports regulation, arts funding, and heritage protection.
The Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Enterprise Act 2002 to create exceptions within the merger control regime for newspaper enterprises involving foreign powers.
They introduce specific circumstances under which a foreign power's holding of shares or voting rights in a newspaper owner does not constitute control or influence, primarily focusing on situations involving state-owned investors with limited holdings and associated persons with minimal ownership stakes.
The changes aim to streamline the merger review process while addressing concerns around foreign influence.
The Football (Offences) (Designation of Football Matches) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Football (Offences) (Designation of Football Matches) (Amendment) Order 2025, effective September 5th, 2025, updates the Football (Offences) (Designation of Football Matches) Order 2004.
It replaces outdated league names—Football Conference with National League, Football Association Women’s Super League with Women’s Super League, Football Association Women’s Championship with Women’s Super League 2, and Welsh Premier League with Cymru Premier—to ensure accurate designation of football matches under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 for the purposes of preventing disorderly conduct.
The Football Spectators (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Football Spectators (Prescription) (Amendment) Order 2025, effective September 5th, 2025, updates the 2022 Order which prescribes football matches and organizations under the Football Spectators Act 1989.
It corrects names of competitions (National League, Women’s Super League, Women’s Super League 2, Cymru Premier) and organizations, including the addition of Women’s Super League Football Limited.
This ensures that regulations remain current and accurately reflect the current football landscape in England and Wales.
The Football Spectators (Seating) (Amendment) (England) Order 2025
The Football Spectators (Seating) (Amendment) (England) Order 2025 updates the Football Spectators (Seating) Order 2022 to reflect Everton Football Club's relocation to a new stadium, the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The amendment changes the address listed in Schedule 2 of the 2022 Order to the new stadium's location.
The Order ensures accurate licensing information and maintains regulatory compliance.
The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Safety of Sports Grounds (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2025 updates the list of designated sports grounds in England and Wales.
It reflects changes caused by club promotions and relegations within football leagues, stadium renamings, and changes in stadium occupancy.
The order amends the 2015 Order to accurately reflect these changes to ensure the ongoing efficacy of safety regulations at these venues.
The Licensing Act 2003 (UEFA Women’s European Football Championship Licensing Hours) Order 2025
This Order extends licensing hours for pubs and clubs in England and Wales during the 2025 UEFA Women's European Football Championship.
The extension applies to the semi-final and final matches if a team representing England or Wales participates, allowing licensed premises to remain open for an extra two hours beyond their usual closing time (until 1 a.m.) The extension excludes off-premises alcohol sales, and it only applies to premises open shortly before or after the specified time.
The Gambling Act 2005 (Premises Licences and Provisional Statements) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Gambling Act 2005 (Premises Licences and Provisional Statements) Regulations 2007 to require updated premises plans for converted casino licences in England and Wales.
The amendments mandate that plans for licence variations include details about table gaming areas, ensuring compliance with conditions set by the 2025 Order, which introduces new gambling entitlements for converted casinos.
The changes aim to provide clearer instructions for applications and improve regulatory oversight of casinos' operations.
The Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order amends the 2006 Order, which implements parts of the 2005 Gambling Act, specifically concerning regulations for converted casino premises licenses in England and Wales.
It allows for up to 80 gaming machines in such casinos under certain conditions (minimum gambling area, machine categories, and ratios to gaming tables), with connected premises also subject to overall machine limits.
The Secretary of State will periodically review the regulatory provisions and publish reports.
The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025
These regulations, effective July 22, 2025, amend the Gambling Act 2005 and related regulations governing casinos in England, Wales, and Scotland.
Key changes include altering the calculation of permissible gaming machines per table, reducing the minimum size requirement of the casino's table gaming area, and introducing new mandatory conditions for converted casino premises licenses based on the size of their gaming and non-gaming spaces and the number of gaming machines.
The Secretary of State is also required to regularly review and report on these changes.
The Enterprise Act 2002 (Amendment of Section 58 Considerations) Order 2025
The Enterprise Act 2002 (Amendment of Section 58 Considerations) Order 2025, effective July 24, 2025, amends the Enterprise Act 2002 to modernize its approach to media mergers.
It updates terminology, replacing 'newspapers' with 'news media' and including broadcasting, thus expanding and clarifying the public interest considerations involved in merger reviews.
These amendments also entail procedural changes in designated sections of the Act and the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013.
A savings provision protects the effects of pre-existing decisions.
The Communications Act 2003 (Restrictions on the Advertising of Less Healthy Food) (Effective Date) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Communications Act 2003, delaying the implementation of restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink.
The effective date is pushed back from October 1, 2025, to January 5, 2026.
The changes affect several sections of the Act, specifically those outlining the objectives for such advertisements and the prohibition of paid advertising for less healthy food and drink.
An explanatory note references a full impact assessment conducted previously, explaining the lack of a new assessment for this amendment.
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (St Mawes to Cremyll) Order 2025
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (St Mawes to Cremyll) Order 2025 sets June 4th, 2025, as the end of the access preparation period for coastal land between St Mawes and Cremyll in Cornwall.
This follows the Secretary of State's approval of Natural England's plans for a long-distance coastal path, as outlined in several reports submitted in 2019 and 2020.
The order references the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and clarifies the legal framework for public access to this section of the proposed path.
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Newquay to Penzance) (No. 2) Order 2025
This order establishes June 4th, 2025, as the end of the access preparation period for the coastal margin section of the England Coast Path between Newquay and Penzance.
This decision follows the Secretary of State's approval of Natural England's proposals, detailed in several reports submitted in 2019 and 2020.
The order cites the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 as its legal basis.
The Registration of Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Registration Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations, effective May 27, 2025, amend the Registration of Marriages Regulations 2015 and the Civil Partnership (Registration Provisions) Regulations 2005.
The changes mandate new forms for marriage and civil partnership registrations, incorporating requirements from the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024.
These additions require the responsible authority statement to specify whether a detained individual is serving a whole life sentence and if subject to a whole life order.
The changes apply to England and Wales, and updated Welsh language forms are also included.
The Licensing Act 2003 (Victory in Europe Day Licensing Hours) Order 2025
This Order, made under the Licensing Act 2003, extends licensing hours for on-premises alcohol sales and related activities in England and Wales from 11 pm on May 8th, 2025, to 1 am on May 9th, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
The extension applies only to premises already open during the specified times and excludes off-premises alcohol sales and regulated entertainment, unless served concurrently with on-premises alcohol sales.
Parliament approved a draft of this Order.
The Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Ivory Prohibitions (Exemptions) (Process and Procedure) Regulations 2022 to add three national museums—in Merseyside, Northern Ireland, and Wales—to the list of institutions authorized to advise the Secretary of State on applications for exemption certificates under the Ivory Act 2018.
The amendment aims to improve the expertise and geographic reach of advice provided.
The Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Tables in Casinos) (Definitions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Gambling Act 2005 by redefining "gaming table" in casinos.
The changes clarify that only apparatus designed or adapted for real games of chance and requiring staff operation count toward the ratio determining the permissible number of gaming machines.
This impacts casino licensing and affects the number of gaming machines allowed in casinos based on the number of qualifying gaming tables.
The regulations apply to England, Wales, and Scotland, coming into force on July 22, 2025.
The Relief for Creative Industries (Additional Information Requirements and Miscellaneous Amendments) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the 2024 regulations on tax relief for creative industries.
They clarify definitions, add information requirements for connected party transactions and visual effects vendors, and update the specified information in Table 1 of the Schedule.
The amendments are effective for claims made on or after April 15, 2025, and aim to improve clarity, transparency, and efficiency in processing tax relief claims.
The Grants to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2025
The Grants to the Churches Conservation Trust Order 2025, approved by the House of Commons, authorizes grants totaling up to £3,123,614 to the Churches Conservation Trust between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026 for the preservation of historically significant churches in England and Wales.
The Order revokes the 2022 order and specifies the funding period under the Redundant Churches and other Religious Buildings Act 1969.
The Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2025
The Legal Officers (Annual Fees) Order 2025 sets annual fees for diocesan and provincial registrars in the Church of England for 2025.
It details fees payable by diocesan boards of finance and diocesan bishops/archbishops, specifying the professional services covered in Schedule 2.
The order also revokes the 2023 order and clarifies additional remuneration possibilities, travel expenses, and Value Added Tax implications.
It takes effect the day after parliamentary approval.
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order 2025
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order 2025 grants the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Company permission to operate and maintain its railway, including a level crossing, and establishes procedures for its potential transfer.
The order specifies details regarding the railway, its maintenance, and the required safety protocols at its level crossing.
It also details processes for transferring ownership or lease of the railway.
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Humber Bridge to Easington) Order 2025
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Humber Bridge to Easington) Order 2025 sets March 26, 2025, as the end date for the access preparation period for coastal margin land between the Humber Bridge and Easington.
This follows the Secretary of State's approval of Natural England's report proposing a coastal access path in this area, based on the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
The Football Spectators (2025 FIFA Club World Cup Control Period) Order 2025
The Football Spectators (2025 FIFA Club World Cup Control Period) Order 2025 establishes a control period from June 9th to July 13th, 2025, under the Football Spectators Act 1989, for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. This enables the use of summary measures to detain and refer individuals to court for banning orders, passport surrender requirements, and specific bail conditions.
The order applies to England and Wales.
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025 designates numerous central government bodies as 'designated bodies' for the financial year ending 31 March 2026.
This designation is for their inclusion in the supply estimates and resource accounts of their respective government departments.
The order covers various government departments and agencies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
It is based on powers granted by the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 and includes consultations with devolved administrations.
The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order 2025
The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order 2025 designates numerous public and local government bodies to provide financial information to the Treasury for the 2024-2025 financial year.
This data is used to compile the Whole of Government Accounts, aiming to improve transparency and accountability in public spending.
The Order came into force on March 18, 2025, and applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Treasury consulted with Welsh Ministers where deemed appropriate.
The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 (Commencement) Regulations 2025
These regulations, enacted on February 25th, 2025, bring into force sections 4 and 5 of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.
Section 4 permits the use of languages other than English in legal proceedings, repealing the 1737 Act requiring English-only proceedings.
Section 5 mandates the Northern Ireland Department of Education to promote Ulster Scots in education.
The regulations apply only to Northern Ireland.
A full impact assessment was deemed unnecessary due to an expected lack of significant impact on the public, private, or voluntary sectors.
The Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These regulations amend the Media Act 2024 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 by revoking a saving provision related to community and small-scale radio.
This action streamlines legislation and ensures consistency with the Community Radio Order 2025, which addresses the relevant amendments made by the Media Act 2024.
The regulations come into force on April 1st, 2025.
The Community Radio Order 2025
The Community Radio Order 2025, effective April 1, 2025, consolidates and amends existing legislation governing community radio in the UK. It defines community radio services, focusing on their non-commercial, community-beneficial nature and the obligations on licensees, such as promoting social gain and accountability to the served community.
The order modifies relevant sections of the Broadcasting Act 1990 and the Communications Act 2003, revokes previous related orders, and includes transitional provisions for existing licences.
The focus is on fostering participation from community members, and ensuring that services are provided primarily for social gain.
The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 implements changes to UK television license fees effective April 1, 2025.
The regulations increase the standard color TV license fee from £169.50 to £174.50 and the black and white license fee from £57.00 to £58.50.
Various installment payment schemes are adjusted accordingly, with updates to premium, budget, easy entry, and simple payment plans.
The regulations apply across the UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, with certain provisions for specific territories.