Justice Legislation
Laws relating to criminal justice, court procedures, legal services, law enforcement, and judicial administration.
The Power to Award Degrees etc. (College of Legal Practice Limited) (Amendment) Order 2025 extends the College of Legal Practice Limited's authorization to award degrees until April 29, 2028.
The Office for Students, after reviewing the quality of the College's programs and adhering to statutory procedures, amended the 2021 order to reflect this extension.
The amendment does not include an impact assessment as it was deemed to not affect businesses, civil society, or the public sector.
The Victim Support (Specified Roles) Regulations 2025
The Victim Support (Specified Roles) Regulations 2025, enacted under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, specify the roles of independent domestic violence advisors, independent sexual violence advisors, and independent stalking advocates.
These regulations mandate the Secretary of State to provide guidance on these roles, aiming to enhance support services for victims of crime. The regulations have a staggered implementation, with most provisions coming into force on May 9th, 2025, and one specific regulation effective February 2nd, 2026.
The legislation clarifies the responsibilities of these support roles, drawing existing legal definitions from the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2025 corrects errors in the 2025 Order regarding electoral boundaries in Maidstone, England.
The amendment ensures that the boundary changes accurately reflect recommendations from the Maidstone Borough Council, resolving a discrepancy originating from a failure to correctly implement those recommendations.
The Order specifies implementation dates for various purposes, and its scope extends to England and Wales but applies only in England.
The Companies Act 2006 (Recognition of Third Country Qualifications and Practical Training) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the Companies Act 2006 to clarify the recognition of third-country audit qualifications and relax restrictions on practical training providers.
The amendments aim to improve clarity, streamline processes, promote international standards, and increase the flexibility of the regulatory framework by aligning with current best practices and the Professional Qualifications Act 2022.
Specific changes include substituting subsections within Section 1221 and Schedule 11 to enhance the criteria for qualification recognition and practical training provisions.
The Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals (Tax Exemptions and Relief) Regulations 2025
The Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals (Tax Exemptions and Relief) Regulations 2025, effective April 28, 2025, grant tax exemptions and relief to recipients of compensation payments from the Department for Business and Trade’s independent appeals process.
The regulations exempt these payments from income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, and corporation tax.
Additionally, it exempts from income and capital gains tax relevant onward payments made by companies relating to these appeal payments.
All exemptions are rooted in the Finance Act 2020.
The Electronic Communications (Networks and Services) (Designated Vendor Directions) (Penalties) Order 2025
The Electronic Communications (Networks and Services) (Designated Vendor Directions) (Penalties) Order 2025 clarifies the calculation of penalties for non-compliance with designated vendor directions under the Communications Act 2003.
It specifies the relevant business activities to be included in turnover calculations for penalty purposes and amends the Electronic Communications (Networks and Services) (Penalties) (Rules for Calculation of Turnover) Order 2003 to replace references to "notified provider" with "person." This ensures consistency with the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 and provides a clearer framework for penalty enforcement.
The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025
The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025 bring into force several provisions of the 2024 Act.
These include amendments to the power to alter release on license criteria for specific prisoners, changes to offences relevant to public protection decisions, and the introduction of mandatory guidance for defined victim support roles.
The regulations stipulate different commencement dates for these provisions, ranging from the day after their making to May and June 2025.
The regulations apply to England and Wales, and the Explanatory Note confirms no significant impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
The Town and Country Planning (Fees and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025
The Town and Country Planning (Fees and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 amend existing legislation to reflect changes introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
The regulations update fees for certain planning applications and adjust several Acts to incorporate new provisions for planning permission on Crown land in England.
These new provisions establish two application routes: one for urgent, nationally important developments and another for nationally important developments without urgency.