Technology Legislation
Regulations governing digital technology, cybersecurity, data protection, and technological innovation.
The Oil and Gas Authority (Carbon Storage and Offshore Petroleum) (Specified Periods for Disclosure of Protected Material) Regulations 2025
The Oil and Gas Authority (Carbon Storage and Offshore Petroleum) (Specified Periods for Disclosure of Protected Material) Regulations 2025 specify the regulatory windows following data collection during which the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) or subsequent holders can disclose protected material, including information and samples, related to carbon capture and storage (CCS) and offshore petroleum activities.
These regulations establish different disclosure timelines based on the sensitivity and nature of the material—some information can be published immediately, while detailed technical data, well information, injection/production records, and physical samples are subject to defined confidentiality periods, often contingent on reporting deadlines, system closures, or licence determination events.
Furthermore, the instrument amends a 2018 regulation concerning offshore petroleum data to align its disclosure deadline with the "reporting deadline" specified by the OGA.
The Online Safety Act 2023 (Priority Offences) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These Regulations amend Schedule 7 of the Online Safety Act 2023 by designating specific criminal acts as 'priority offences,' which imposes specific duties on online service providers to tackle content related to these crimes.
Specifically, the Regulations introduce an offence concerning encouraging or assisting serious self-harm and update provisions regarding offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 related to sharing intimate images, having been approved by Parliament and extending across the UK. The legal instrument also revokes the previous related amendment regulations from 2024.
The Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, establish a mandatory open data scheme requiring motor fuel traders in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to register their petrol filling stations and report the selling price of motor fuels to an appointed third-party 'aggregator'.
Motor fuel traders must provide this price information, including any subsequent changes within 30 minutes of occurrence, for public dissemination via an Application Programming Interface (API) and other means.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for enforcement, with powers to issue compliance notices, conduct investigations, impose financial penalties up to 1% of worldwide turnover, and pursue criminal sanctions for false information or obstruction.
The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, specify the first set of provisions from that Act that will come into force on 1st January 2026.
Specifically, they activate sections strengthening laws against tampering with vehicle equipment (including software) and fitting unsuitable parts, and they also activate sections that grant the Secretary of State power to regulate the restriction of certain terms, the collection and protection of information, and other administrative procedures, though these latter powers are currently only active for the purpose of making subsequent regulations.
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order, made by HM Treasury under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, revises the list of designated central government bodies for the purpose of calculating supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.
Specifically, it substitutes the entire Schedule of the principal Order (The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025) with an updated list organized by government department, adding, renaming, or removing various public sector bodies.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025
These Regulations finalize the transition following the enactment of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 by making necessary consequential amendments across various pieces of UK legislation.
Key actions include repealing a section of the Data Protection Act 2018 concerning recordable offences while simultaneously updating regulations to ensure the new offence of making false statements in response to an interview notice becomes recordable, and revising numerous electoral and company disclosure rules to align references from the UK GDPR concerning data processing for research and archiving purposes (replacing references to Article 89 with Article 84A).
The Unmanned Aircraft (Market Surveillance Authority) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State using powers under Article 3B(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, formally designate the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the market surveillance authority responsible for overseeing compliance within the UK relating to unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators under that specific retained EU framework, applying across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (Commencement No. 4, Saving and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made under the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTI Act 2022), set the commencement date of April 7, 2026, for sections 61 through 64 of the 2022 Act, which concern rent determination and compensation related to conferring code rights for electronic communications apparatus under tenancies in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The document also introduces saving and transitional provisions to ensure a smooth transition, specifying how existing tenancy continuation notices served prior to the commencement date, and interim rent calculations spanning the commencement date, are to be handled under the previous legal frameworks.