Justice Legislation

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

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

The Regulations established fixed deadlines for stamping existing vaping stock, linked ongoing stamping requirements to the excise duty point, defined explicit exemptions, and integrated new provisions for review and appeal concerning UK representatives into existing finance legislation.


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

The instrument amended earlier provisions of the Gambling Act 2005 commencement order to clarify that gaming machine entitlements under converted casino premises licences are alternative, singular options rather than cumulative choices.


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

The regulations formally commenced sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on April 1st, 2026.


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

The Regulations amended previous commencement instruments to extend the pilot operation dates for Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 in England and Wales until 24th November 2026.


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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The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Golders Green, London) (Emergency) Regulations 2026

Emergency regulations immediately restricted unmanned aircraft flight below 1,300 feet over Golders Green, London, for a temporary duration.


The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Golders Green, London) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 enact immediate, temporary restrictions on unmanned aircraft operations within a half-nautical mile radius of central Golders Green, London, prohibiting flight below 1,300 feet above mean sea level, unless authorized by the Metropolitan Police Service, due to an emergency deemed to affect the public interest.

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The Merchant Shipping (EPIRB and PLB Registration and Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Published: Tue 24th Mar 26

The 2026 Regulations updated and consolidated mandatory registration requirements for EPIRBs and PLBs on UK vessels, repealed prior legislation, and established enforcement mechanisms including ship detention.


These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State on March 18, 2026, update and consolidate the requirements for registering Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) carried on UK ships and hovercraft, coming into force on April 15, 2026.

The legislation revokes the previous EPIRB registration regulations, specifies that registration particulars must align with Merchant Shipping Notice 1924 (M+F), establishes penalties including fines and imprisonment for non-compliance by owners and masters, and grants powers to detain ships found in contravention.

Furthermore, the instrument makes consequential amendments to other regulations, including applying these new registration rules to watercraft.

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The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Application to Enforcement Officers) Regulations 2026

Published: Tue 17th Mar 26

The Regulations applied specified sections of PACE, with modifications, to enforcement officers investigating labour market offences in England and Wales, and revoked the previous 2017 rules.


These Regulations apply selected provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)—which typically govern police officers—to enforcement officers appointed under the Employment Rights Act 2025 when they investigate 'labour market offences' across England and Wales, replacing previous 2017 regulations and detailing numerous specific modifications to ensure PACE powers like stop and search, entry, seizure of evidence, and arrest procedures operate correctly within the context of these specialist investigators, including mandatory transfer of arrested persons and seized material to the police upon custody commencement.

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The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Enforcement) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026

The Regulations amended multiple statutory instruments, including those concerning employment agencies, gangmaster licensing appeals, and proceeds of crime investigations, to replace references to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with the Secretary of State, following provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025.


These Regulations, operating under the powers granted by the Employment Rights Act 2025, make necessary consequential amendments to various pieces of secondary legislation to align them with the new enforcement structure established by the 2025 Act, chiefly involving the transfer of functions previously held by the now-abolished Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) to the Secretary of State and integrating new enforcement officers into regulatory and financial investigation frameworks.

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