Changes to Trade Sanctions Licensing Team
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has changed the team responsible for trade sanctions licensing within the Department for Business and Trade. This is an administrative change only and does not alter existing sanctions obligations or licensing requirements. Exporters should direct trade sanctions licensing enquiries to the new team once transitioned.
Future Offshore Wind Technologies: Feasibility Studies Grant
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Innovate UK have announced a £10 million grant funding opportunity for feasibility studies in offshore wind technologies. UK registered organisations, including SMEs leading collaborative projects, may apply for grant funding. The competition is open until 3 June 2026 at 11:00am UK time.
Contracts for Innovation: Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking, £20M
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, has opened a £20 million grant funding opportunity for the development of deployable prototypes of enabling components or sub-systems for commercial quantum networking. UK organisations may apply as lead applicants, either alone or with subcontractors, until the 20 May 2026 closing date at 11:00am UK time. The funding is inclusive of VAT and will be awarded to a single legal entity.
Strategic Longer and Larger sLoLa Grant Programme, £2M Minimum, Bioscience Research, Deadline 25 June 2026
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has announced the 2026-2027 Strategic Longer and Larger (sLoLa) grant funding round. Applications open 16 April 2026 and close 25 June 2026. The scheme supports large team-based curiosity-driven bioscience discovery research projects requiring a minimum full economic cost of £2 million, with BBSRC funding 80% of eligible costs. Projects may run up to five years in duration and must demonstrate potential for transformational advances in fundamental understanding of biological systems.
Clearer and Simpler Short Selling Rules for UK Firms
The FCA has finalised changes to the UK short selling regime following government legislative changes. The new rules replace the previous approach of identifying individual short sellers with aggregated net short position data published by the FCA. Firms receive a more workable reporting timetable with additional time to calculate and submit reports. Market maker notification requirements are simplified, with eligible firms now providing annual confirmation instead of multiple individual notifications.
Consumer Duty Year 2 Board Reports: Progress and What Comes Next
The FCA published a blog assessing Year 2 Consumer Duty Board reports, finding that firms have improved their governance, action plans, and use of data to monitor customer outcomes. However, the FCA identifies continued gaps: some firms lack sufficient analysis linking data to outcomes, monitoring of third-party distribution chains remains weak, and Board challenge is not always adequately documented. The FCA plans to consult on distribution chain monitoring rules and will share further good practice examples.
AA Fined £4.2m for Hidden £3 Booking Fee Under DMCCA
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposed a £4.2 million fine on Automobile Association Developments Limited (AA) for violating consumer protection law under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Between April and December 2025, the AA displayed driving lesson prices without disclosing a mandatory £3 booking fee, constituting an omission of material information. The AA received a 40% reduction for admitting the breach and settling early. The CMA also ordered a £760,000 refund to approximately 80,000 learner drivers.
Retrospective Amendments to Pension Scheme Documents
Paul Newman KC, a barrister, provides an analysis of the legal limits on the validity of retrospective amendments to pension scheme documents under UK law. The article explains the constraints on such amendments and the drafting techniques that may be used to overcome those limits. This is explanatory legal commentary rather than a regulatory action or change to the law itself.
Scotland Single-Sex Ruling Anniversary - One Year On
One year after the UK Supreme Court confirmed that the legal definition of 'woman' under the Equality Act is based on biological sex, The Guardian reports on the ruling's impact. The EHRC has updated its code of practice guidance and resubmitted it for government approval following criticism of delays. Various organisations including the Women's Institute and Girlguiding have changed their membership policies to align with the ruling.
Visas, Values, and the Case of Kanye West
This article by solicitor Buket Erdoğan analyses UK immigration law using the Kanye West case as an illustrative example. The author explains the Home Office's 'not conducive to the public good' standard for entry refusal and discusses how UK visa decisions operate within structured legal frameworks that apply equally regardless of celebrity status. The piece also offers practical guidance for Standard Visitor visa applicants on demonstrating genuine intent, credible ties to home countries, and consistent documentation.
Being Autistic in the Legal Profession: My Experience
Neurodiversity in Law published a personal testimony by Jonathan Andrews, an autistic solicitor at Reed Smith, sharing his experience navigating the legal profession. Andrews discusses his diagnosis at age nine, his journey through law firm recruitment, and how openness about neurodivergence has supported rather than hindered his career progression. The article promotes the launch of a new journal dedicated to neurodiversity in the legal profession.
Nurse Call System and Fire Alarm Maintenance - £47,232
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust has awarded a £47,232 contract for nurse call system and fire alarm maintenance services to Static Systems Group Limited. The contract runs for approximately 2 years and 11 months from April 2026 to March 2029. The procurement was conducted below the relevant threshold without competition under the Procurement Act 2023.
£540k Museum Gallery Design Build Install Tender, Deadline 22 May 2026
Rutland County Council, via Welland Procurement, has published an open tender under the Procurement Act 2023 for a supplier to design, build, and install a new permanent Stone Age to Anglo-Saxon gallery at Rutland County Museum. The contract budget is £450,000 excluding VAT (£540,000 including VAT). Submissions close 22 May 2026 at 12:00pm. The procurement is reserved for UK suppliers, SMEs, and VCSEs, and will be evaluated 60% quality, 30% price, 10% social value.
Cleaning Services Framework, Washwood Heath MAT, £3m, 11th May
Cleaning Services Framework, Washwood Heath MAT, £3m, 11th May
Pioneer Park Masterplan and PMO Contract, £834,510
Energy Coast West Cumbria Ltd (BEC) awarded a £834,510 contract for master planning and Programme Management Office (PMO) services to support the development of Pioneer Park in West Cumbria. The contract was awarded to Mott MacDonald Limited following an open procedure procurement process under the Procurement Act 2023. The six-month contract runs from 10 March 2026 to 10 September 2026.
Westminster Awards £960k Income Manager Contract to HeyCentric
Westminster City Council awarded a £960,000 contract to HeyCentric for a payment and income management platform. The contract was awarded on 31 March 2026 via the compliant CCS G Cloud 14 framework (RM1557.14) following a single-tender procedure. The platform will process high-volume business-critical receipts including bank transfers, card, and cheque payments across all council directorates.
£12M Oceanographic Glider Contract Award to Teledyne Webb Research
The Ministry of Defence has awarded a 2-year contract to Teledyne Webb Research for up to 15 oceanographic gliders and supporting systems worth £10M excluding VAT (£12M including VAT). The direct award, effective 16 March 2026 through 31 March 2028, was made under Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 due to technical reasons — Teledyne is the sole manufacturer with proprietary design protocols for the Royal Navy's existing fleet of nine Teledyne Slocum Gliders. The contract includes options to increase value from £6.67M to £10M for additional equipment and support.
South Kesteven Awards £102,230.44 to Westone Housing for Disabled Property Adaptations
South Kesteven District Council has awarded a contract valued at £102,230.44 including VAT to Westone Housing Limited for disabled adaptations to a residential property at 27a Queensway, Grantham. The contract covers construction of a two-bedroom and shower room single storey extension to meet the needs of two disabled occupants. The contract runs from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2026 with a possible extension to 30 April 2027. Eleven tenders were received, all from small and medium-sized enterprises.
£27.5M Inclusive Lives Supported Living Framework Re-Opening
Southampton City Council has published a contract notice for the First Re-Opening of the Inclusive Lives Framework Part 1: Supported Living, in partnership with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Commissioning Board. The framework covers supported living and outreach services for adults with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, neurodiversity (including autism) and comparable needs in Southampton. The estimated framework value is £27.5 million per annum, with tender submission deadline of 19 May 2026 at noon.
Research on Social Media Use in People Smuggling and OSINT Disruption Methods
The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) delivered evidence-based research to the UK's Border Security Command on how organized crime groups use social media platforms to facilitate irregular migration across the Channel. Research included literature review and interviews with dozens of subject matter experts across government, industry, academia, and civil society.
Precision at Pace Enables Safer Military Air Drops
The UK Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) developed a proof of concept with Applied Data Science Partners for aerial transport load analysis, capturing G-force, oscillation, and descent patterns during military air drops. Delivered in nine weeks, the solution uses sensor integration and a web-based interface for configurable variables. The PoC enables the Ministry of Defence's Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit to reduce reliance on costly live testing and lays groundwork for future predictive modelling using machine learning.
Home Office Appoints PA Consulting and Plexal as ACE Delivery Partners
The Home Office has appointed PA Consulting and Plexal as new delivery partners for the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE), effective 1 April 2026. The partnership aims to strengthen ACE's ability to identify shared challenges across government and match them to available capability. ACE will continue supporting departments, agencies, policing and wider public services by accepting inbound requests while identifying areas where common needs can be addressed at pace.
Technology for Policing: BlueprintCo ACE Supplier Story
The UK Accelerated Capability Environment published a case study on BlueprintCo, a supplier specialising in reviewing and delivering complex policing capabilities. Since 2023, BlueprintCo has completed 12 ACE commissions examining how new technology, data, and policy intersect with live policing operations. The case study highlights work on AI deepfakes in CSAM investigations and frameworks for transparent AI communications in law enforcement.
New Simulation Capability Boosts UK Military Advantage
The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) developed two complementary simulation tools—NEMESIS and ARCUS—for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to enhance rapid tactical decision-making. NEMESIS, built by Applied Data Science Partners, is an adversarial reinforcement-learning simulation for missile defence with complex physics models. ARCUS, built by a consortium of Skyral, Frazer-Nash Consultancy and Principle One, is an agent-based simulation laboratory with visualisation and analytics for operational planning. Both tools were delivered in nine months using Agile methods with smaller innovative suppliers, compared to traditional multi-year procurement timelines.
Sterling Liabilities, Reserves, Monetary Operations Data, 15 April 2026
Bank of England published its weekly statistical report dated 15 April 2026, containing balance sheet data including Sterling liabilities (reserves balances £648,118mn, notes in circulation £97,261mn) and assets (short-term repo £99,223mn, indexed long-term repo £73,728mn, Term Funding Scheme £41,894mn). Foreign currency liabilities stood at £15,274mn with reserve assets at £15,873mn. The report is released every Thursday.
Customs Duty Repayment Changes for Northern Ireland Businesses
HMRC has published The Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, amending customs duty repayment rules for businesses bringing goods into Northern Ireland. The changes modify the Duty Reimbursement Scheme (DRS) to allow eligible businesses to switch relief amounts from the Customs Duty Waiver Scheme (CDWS) to DRS awards. The measure also permits DRS claims for goods held in common stock of interchangeable goods where individual item monitoring is impractical.