Justice Legislation

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

The Court Funds (Amendment) Rules 2025

Published: Mon 8th Dec 25

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.

Read More

The Police (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Mon 8th Dec 25

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'.

Read More

The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 5th Dec 25

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.

Read More

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 8 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025

Published: Thu 4th Dec 25

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.

Read More

The South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025

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.

Read More

The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025

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.

Read More

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (Victim Information Requests: Code of Practice) Regulations 2025

Published: Wed 3rd Dec 25

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.

Read More

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (Counselling Services) Regulations 2025

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.

Read More