Foreign Policy Legislation

Legislative framework for international relations, diplomatic affairs, treaties, and overseas development assistance.

The Asian Development Bank (Thirteenth Replenishment of the Asian Development Fund) Order 2025

The Asian Development Bank (Thirteenth Replenishment of the Asian Development Fund) Order 2025 authorizes a maximum £120 million UK contribution to the Asian Development Fund's thirteenth replenishment.

This payment is made in accordance with agreements between the UK government and the bank, as outlined in Resolution No. 427.

The order also allows for the redemption of non-interest-bearing notes issued by the Secretary of State related to this contribution.

The order received parliamentary approval and was made under the International Development Act 2002.

The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Suitability for Fixed Term Recall) Order 2025

This Order modifies the Criminal Justice Act 2003, changing the conditions for automatic release of recalled prisoners in England and Wales.

It introduces stricter criteria, including a new schedule of offenses that disqualify prisoners from automatic release after 28 days (or 14 days for sentences less than 12 months).

The revised criteria consider factors such as age, sentence length, offense type, terrorist-related activity, and multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) levels.

The amendments aim to improve public safety by retaining those deemed a higher risk in custody for extended periods.

The Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) Order 2025

The Inter-American Investment Corporation (Further Payments to Capital Stock) Order 2025 approves a payment of up to 106,000,000 USD to the Inter-American Investment Corporation.

This payment is to support the corporation's increased authorized capital stock, following the adoption of a new business model and capitalization plan (Resolution CII/AG-5/24).

The order also covers associated payments and ensures that the value of the initial payment is maintained.

The Secretary of State is authorized to make the payment and the Treasury approved the order.

The Driving Licences (Exchangeable Licences) Order 2025

This Order, effective July 31, 2025, designates the Republic of Moldova's driving licenses as exchangeable with UK licenses under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The order specifies that exchangeable Moldovan licenses authorize driving category B vehicles and details conditions regarding automatic transmission.

It extends to England, Wales, and Scotland, and includes a Schedule listing other countries with exchangeable licenses.

The order allows for smoother transitions for drivers and simplifies administrative processes, relying on pre-existing legal frameworks.

The Road Vehicles (Type-Approval) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025

The Road Vehicles (Type-Approval) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 amend Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/79, updating language in Article 5 to use terms such as 'must' instead of 'shall have to'.

The regulations introduce a new Annex X outlining the procedure for extending GB type-approvals for eCall in-vehicle systems operating over circuit-switched networks.

They also allow EU-approved eCall components and separate technical units to be treated similar to GB-approved parts, enabling exemptions from some tests.

The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025

This order amends the Terrorism Act 2000 by adding Palestine Action, Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC), and Russian Imperial Movement (RIM) to the list of proscribed organizations.

The order cites the Secretary of State's belief that these organizations engage in terrorism, and it was approved by both Houses of Parliament.

The order also includes an explanatory note which clarifies that the entry for Palestine Action refers specifically to the UK based organization, and declares no significant impact on public or private sectors is expected, therefore a full impact assessment was not considered necessary.

The Haiti (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Haiti (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2022 regulations to incorporate UN Security Council Resolution 2752 (2024).

This resolution expands the arms embargo on Haiti to include a broader spectrum of military goods and related items.

The amendments update definitions, clarify prohibitions on the transfer of military technology and the provision of associated financial services or technical assistance, and introduce new offenses relating to these broader sanctions.

The regulations also modify existing penalties to match the updated prohibitions.

The Multinational Top-up Tax (Pillar Two Territories, Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes and Accredited Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Multinational Top-up Tax (Pillar Two Territories, Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes and Accredited Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2025 Regulations to enable retroactive application of tax specifications related to the OECD/G20 Pillar Two model rules.

This change allows tax specifications to take effect from a date prior to their publication, aiming to improve the effectiveness of the multinational top-up tax.

The amendments are explicitly authorized by the Finance (No. 2) Act 2023.