Activated legal powers on 13 August 2026 allowing probation services to disclose offender information to victims deemed at risk of harm.

These Regulations bring specific provisions of the Victims and Courts Act 2026 into force on 13 August 2026, primarily concerning the disclosure of information to victims of crime. They empower probation service providers to share information with victims who may be at risk of physical or psychological harm, even if the standard criteria for the statutory Victim Contact Scheme are not fully met.

The regulations also apply to responsible clinicians and hospital managers in cases involving offenders under the Mental Health Act 1983, ensuring they respond to information requests related to victim safety.

Adjusted the fees payable to the General Medical Council by medical practitioners with overseas qualifications starting April 2024.

These regulations amend the fee structure for medical practitioners applying for registration with the General Medical Council.

They specifically revoke the 'fixed fee' previously applicable to certain doctors with overseas qualifications, requiring them instead to pay the standard registration fee.

These changes apply to any medical practitioner qualified outside the UK who seeks inclusion in the GMC register on or after 1 April 2024.

Corrected technical drafting errors and internal cross-references within the 2026 Infected Blood compensation regulations.

This instrument corrects typographical and structural errors in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

It ensures that specific instructions for inserting text into previous regulations are properly phrased and that cross-references within the Schedule relating to payment eligibility are accurate.

These corrections apply to the IBCA (Infected Blood Compensation Authority) and any individuals or estate representatives engaged in the compensation claim process.

Expanded infected blood compensation eligibility and increased award amounts for childhood infections, interferon treatments, and unethical research practices.

These Regulations amend the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025 to introduce new compensation categories and increase payment amounts for eligible infected and affected persons.

They establish a new severity level (2B) for Hepatitis B and C infections involving interferon treatment, create a financial loss award for potential earning capacity, and increase the autonomy award for those infected as children.

The instrument also expands the definition of unethical research practices and raises the associated award to £60,000 while updating various support scheme and winter fuel payment figures.

Authorized the Care Quality Commission to assess and rate local authorities' performance of adult social care duties.

These regulations grant the Care Quality Commission (CQC) the authority to review and assess how local authorities in England perform their adult social care duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.

By prescribing these functions as 'regulated' activities for the purposes of assessment, the document enables the CQC to apply its inspection framework to local government social services.

The provisions apply to all local authorities in England responsible for social care and the CQC as the regulatory body.

Activated legal provisions requiring NHS England to maintain registers of local pharmaceutical service performers effective October 2026.

This Order brings section 208 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 into full force on 1 October 2026.

It empowers NHS England to establish and maintain formal lists of persons who perform or assist in the provision of local pharmaceutical services.

The Order applies to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and impacts the regulatory oversight of pharmaceutical contractors and their staff under the National Health Service Act 2006.

Extending deadlines for chemical data submissions and statutory compliance checks by the Health and Safety Executive.

These Regulations extend the statutory timeframes for the submission of chemical safety data and the performance of compliance checks under the UK REACH framework.

They reduce the immediate administrative burden on businesses by pushing back deadlines for providing full registration dossiers to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and simultaneously extend the window of time for the HSE to complete its evaluation of those dossiers.

The measures apply to all manufacturers, importers, and downstream users of chemical substances in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Increased professional registration fees and modernized fitness to practise hearing procedures for nurses and midwives.

This Order approves a series of rules made by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to increase professional registration fees and amend the procedures for fitness to practise investigations.

It authorizes the Council to appoint legally qualified chairs to lead practice committees, introduces new case management direction powers, and permits the service of legal documents via online accounts.

These regulations apply to nurses, midwives, and nursing associates registered in the UK, as well as the administrative and legal panels of the NMC.