The Order abolished existing electoral wards in Middlesbrough and replaced them with 20 new wards, specifying the number of councillors for each.

This Order legally enacts the recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England regarding the electoral arrangements for the borough of Middlesbrough, established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

It abolishes all existing electoral wards within Middlesbrough and replaces them with 20 new wards, detailing the specific area and the corresponding number of councillors for each new ward as listed in the attached Schedule, with full effect beginning for elections held in 2027.

The Order legally abolished the existing electoral wards of Sandwell and established 24 new wards, setting the framework for the 2026 council elections and subsequent councillor retirements.

This Order gives effect to the September 2025 recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England for changes to the electoral arrangements in the Borough of Sandwell, legally abolishing the existing electoral wards and establishing 24 new wards, each entitled to three councillors, effective for the 2026 local elections, while also detailing necessary provisions for the retirement cycle of the newly elected councillors.

* The Order brought Section 246 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 into force for England on 1st April 2026, mandating recording and reporting of staff use of force on pupils.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under powers in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, specifically brings Section 246 of that Act into force across England starting on April 1st, 2026; this action inserts a new requirement into the Education and Inspections Act 2006, obligating governing bodies of schools in England to establish procedures for recording and reporting significant incidents where staff use force against pupils to the relevant parents, unless doing so would risk harm to the pupil.

The Order made consequential provisions and modifications across UK legislation to align with the establishment of Qualifications Scotland and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland under the Education (Scotland) Act 2025.

This Order establishes the necessary consequential provisions and modifications to existing legislation following the enactment of the Education (Scotland) Act 2025, providing for the operational continuity of the newly formed Qualifications Scotland and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland.

It details the commencement sequence for different parts of the Order, clarifies that Qualifications Scotland's functions can be exercised outside Scotland, ensures transitional provisions cover past actions of the former Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), confirms the Chief Inspector's status as part of the Scottish Administration, and systematically repeals or amends numerous UK-wide and devolved statutory instruments to substitute references from the SQA to Qualifications Scotland, ensuring all related legal frameworks, including those concerning welfare, student finance, and professional qualifications, accurately reflect the new institutional arrangements.

The Order cited, commenced on December 18, 2025, extended to England and Wales, designated rural primary schools based on an external list, and revoked the 2024 designation Order.

This Order, made by the Secretary of State under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, officially designates specific primary schools in England as 'rural primary schools' via a list published on the Gov.uk website. The designation triggers mandatory legal requirements for local authorities or governing bodies considering the closure of these schools, compelling them to consider the community impact and alternatives.

Furthermore, the Order revokes the previous Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2024 and comes into force on December 18th, 2025, applying to England and Wales.

* The Minister for the Cabinet Office made regulations amending the Procurement Act 2023 and associated commencement regulations to incorporate procurement provisions from UK-Kazakhstan and UK-Iraq international agreements, effective December 30th, 2025.

These Regulations amend the Procurement Act 2023 to incorporate the procurement obligations stemming from two international agreements: the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Kazakhstan and the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Iraq.

The amendments specify these treaties as 'specified international agreements' under Schedule 9 of the 2023 Act, granting treaty state suppliers reciprocal treatment under certain conditions, excluding procurements regulated by the Welsh Ministers.

Furthermore, the instrument modifies the 2024 Commencement and Saving Provisions Regulations to ensure consistency, allowing the procurement chapters of these new agreements to apply to procurements still governed by the retained 2015 and 2016 procurement legislation, with transitional rules protecting procurements already underway.

The Regulations mandated the creation of procedures for recording pupil seclusion, restraint, and immobilization incidents in schools across England and required the reporting of these incidents to parents unless safeguarding concerns existed, while also amending independent and non-maintained special school standards.

These Regulations establish comprehensive, mandatory procedures for schools in England, effective from 1st April 2026, requiring school staff to keep written records of every incident where a pupil is secluded, restrained, or immobilized, and mandating that these records (with specified safeguarding exceptions) are supplied to the pupil's parents as soon as practicable; the rules also amend the standards for independent and non-maintained special schools to enforce equivalent recording and reporting duties concerning seclusion, restraint, and use of force incidents.

The Order cited and commenced the Government of Wales Act 2006 (Devolved Welsh Authorities) (Amendment) Order 2025, removing specified bodies from and updating the list of devolved Welsh authorities in Schedule 9A.

This Order, presented to His Majesty in Council on December 10, 2025, exercises powers under the Government of Wales Act 2006 to amend Schedule 9A, which lists devolved Welsh authorities.

It officially removes the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales from the list, inserting the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru in their place, reflecting prior legislative changes concerning electoral bodies and remuneration functions in Wales, and takes effect on January 8, 2026.