Justice Legislation

Laws relating to criminal justice, court procedures, legal services, law enforcement, and judicial administration.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Investigatory Powers) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026

Published: Wed 25th Mar 26

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the powers granted by the Employment Rights Act 2025, amend the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to ensure that the Fair Work Agency, which is taking over the functions of the abolished Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), retains the necessary authority to access communications data for enforcement purposes.

The amendment specifically updates the list of relevant public authorities in Schedule 4 of the 2016 Act, substituting the GLAA's designation with that of the Fair Work Agency within the Department for Business and Trade.

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The Vaping Products (Production, Duty Stamps and Commencement) Regulations 2026

Published: Wed 25th Mar 26

These Regulations establish the comprehensive statutory framework governing vaping products under the new excise duty regime enacted by the Finance Act 2026, detailing mandatory approval requirements for production and storage, specifying procedures for volume measurement and retail packaging, setting out rules for the payment of duty, and establishing the critical framework around the use, scanning, activation, and management of mandatory duty stamps, including transitional arrangements and modifications to existing excise legislation concerning movement and drawback.

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The Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Order 2026

This Statutory Instrument amends the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 to update procedural references and introduce significant changes to how development proposals of strategic importance (PSI applications) are handled within Greater London, notably by inserting a new Category 3J covering developments involving 50 or more residential units, which triggers specific notification and potential direction powers for the Mayor of London, while also extending the Mayor's direction power to Category 3D development.

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The Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (Modification of Section 4A) Order 2026

This Statutory Instrument, made by the Treasury with the concurrence of the Department for Communities, modifies Section 4A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.

The primary purpose is to assimilate the law on social security contributions with changes made to income tax law by the Finance Act 2026, particularly regarding earnings paid to workers supplied by service companies or channeled through umbrella companies.

The Order inserts powers allowing regulations to make individuals jointly and severally liable alongside umbrella companies for contributions, define how payments received under deemed employment rules (ITEPA 2003 section 61Z1) are treated as earnings, and assign the purported umbrella company as the secondary contributor for those payments.

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The Vaping Duty Stamps (Requirements, Reviews and Appeals) Regulations 2026

These Regulations, made by HM Revenue and Customs under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 and the Finance Act 2026, mandate specific requirements for placing duty stamps on vaping products, establishing that products produced or imported before October 1, 2026, must be stamped by April 1, 2027, while those produced afterward must be stamped at or before the excise duty point.

The rules detail several exemptions, including products for personal import or export, and they also amend the Finance Act 1994 to ensure that review and appeal processes apply to decisions concerning United Kingdom representatives related to the new vaping duty structure.

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The Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2026

Published: Wed 25th Mar 26

This Statutory Instrument, the Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2026, amends earlier 2006 commencement and transitional provisions relating to the Gambling Act 2005, specifically targeting paragraph 65 of Schedule 4.

Its primary function is to clarify the gaming machine entitlements authorised by casino premises licences granted on a conversion application, ensuring that the options described are mutually exclusive, meaning an operator may only exercise one of the specified entitlements at any time.

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The Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 (Commencement) Regulations 2026

Published: Tue 24th Mar 26

These Regulations officially bring into force key provisions of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 starting April 1st, 2026.

Specifically, they activate Section 1, which creates a new offence for intentional harassment, alarm, or distress motivated by sex under the Public Order Act 1986, and Section 2, which obliges the Secretary of State to issue guidance to police forces regarding this new offence, alongside Section 3 concerning consequential legal amendments.

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The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Published: Tue 24th Mar 26

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State for Justice, amend existing commencement orders related to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, specifically extending the pilot commencement dates for provisions under Part 3 of the Act in England and Wales until 24th November 2026.

They revise the sunset clauses in the 2024 and 2025 commencement regulations, ensuring that the piloted provisions remain in force in specified areas past the previously scheduled end date of 31st March 2026.

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