The University of Portsmouth was designated as a medical authority for dentistry examinations and licensing.

The Dentists Act 1984 (Medical Authorities) Order 2025 designates the University of Portsmouth as a medical authority, empowering it to conduct dentistry examinations and grant licenses.

This order, effective September 3rd, 2025, applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, potentially increasing the capacity for dental professionals while leveraging existing legal frameworks.

No significant impact on the public, private or voluntary sectors is anticipated.

Section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, concerning initial teacher training for further education in England, was brought into force on September 1st, 2025.

These regulations, made under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, bring into force section 17 on September 1st, 2025.

This section empowers the Secretary of State to regulate and improve the quality of initial teacher training for further education in England.

The regulations are the third set issued under the Act, following previous commencements of other sections in 2022 and 2023.

The 2025 order established new pay and conditions for school teachers in England, based on an independent review body's recommendations and in accordance with the Education Act 2002, replacing the 2024 order.

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (England) Order 2025, effective September 1st, 2025, sets the pay and working conditions for school teachers in England.

It incorporates recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), a process mandated by the Education Act 2002.

The order references a separate document detailing the specific pay and conditions and revokes the 2024 order.

The order extends to England and Wales, applying specifically to teachers in England.

The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery (No. 2) Order 2024 was varied to amend licensing eligibility criteria for cockle fishing, restricting licenses until December 2031 for individuals previously connected to specified companies.

The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery (No. 2) (Variation) Order 2025 modifies the 2024 Order, altering article 5(12) regarding licence eligibility.

Specifically, it makes individuals who were shareholders or officers of certain companies ineligible for licenses or renewals until December 2031.

The order, enacted under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, aims to improve the regulation of cockle fishing in the Thames Estuary.

The 2025 regulations amended the 2015 Childcare Payments (Eligibility) Regulations, aligning the application window for childcare top-up payments with the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme and introducing transitional provisions.

The Childcare Payments (Eligibility) (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2025 amend the 2015 regulations to synchronize the application window for childcare top-up payments with the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme.

These changes modify eligibility requirements regarding qualifying paid work, specifically adjusting the timeframe for declaring eligibility and defining the 'applicable period.' Transitional provisions are included to manage the shift between the old and new systems for applications between October 16, 2025, and January 31, 2026.

The regulations amended existing legislation to reflect the abolition of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and the transfer of its functions to the Secretary of State.

These regulations amend several existing UK statutory instruments to reflect the abolition of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and the subsequent transfer of its functions to the Secretary of State.

Specifically, the regulations replace references to the Institute with the Secretary of State in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 and amend the Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2017, removing the Institute’s power to charge fees for evaluating apprenticeship assessments.

Additionally, they remove the Institute from listings of public bodies in the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 and the Trade Union (Deduction of Union Subscriptions from Wages in the Public Sector) Regulations 2024.

The regulations came into force on July 2nd, 2025.

The 2025 Order amended the 2014 Public Interest Disclosure Order to include sanctions-related functions of the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade, Transport, and the Treasury within the scope of whistleblower protection.

This Order modifies the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014 to extend whistleblower protection to individuals disclosing information about sanctions-related activities undertaken by the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade, Transport, and the Treasury.

This expansion ensures greater accountability and transparency within the government's sanctions regime.

The 2025 regulations amended the 2017 Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations, reducing the minimum duration for apprenticeship practical periods and training from 12 to 8 months.

The Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective August 1st, 2025, amend the 2017 regulations to shorten the minimum duration of practical training periods for English apprenticeships from 12 to 8 months.

This applies to both standard and alternative apprenticeship arrangements.

The regulations were made by the Minister of State at the Department for Education and extend to England and Wales.

No significant impact on the public, private, or voluntary sectors is anticipated.