UK

Employment Rights Act 1996 (Parental Order Cases) Amendment Regulations 2026

The UK Secretary of State has amended the Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Parental Order Cases) Regulations 2014. These amendments, effective March 10, 2026, introduce the definition of 'primary parental order parent' and clarify its application in relation to parental order cases.

ADR Regulations Conferring Functions on CTSI under 2024 Act

The UK Secretary of State has issued the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026. These regulations, effective April 6, 2026, confer specific functions related to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approval, accreditation, and enforcement onto the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI).

NHS Dental Regulations Amendment 2026

The National Health Service (Primary Dental Services and Dental Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 amend existing NHS dental regulations in England and Wales. Key changes include revised definitions for 'complete' and 'urgent treatment', and the introduction of new terms related to fluoride varnish treatments and contract values. These regulations come into force on April 1, 2026.

Early Removal of Prisoners (Scotland) Order 2026

The Scottish Ministers have amended the Early Removal of Prisoners from the United Kingdom Order. The period for early removal of certain prisoners before their release date has been increased from 180 to 210 days, and the minimum sentence served before removal has been reduced from one-quarter to 15%.

Scotland Hospitality and Music Rates Relief Regulations 2026

The Scottish Ministers have introduced the Non-Domestic Rates (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026, effective March 31, 2026. These regulations provide a 40% relief on business rates for eligible hospitality and music venues with a rateable value of £100,000 or less.

Derby City Council Awards Education Placements Contract

Derby City Council has awarded a contract for 751 education placements to Abbotsholme Independent School. The contract is valued at £60,000 and will run from April 2026 to August 2028.

Carmarthenshire County Council Contract for Pontoon Floats

Carmarthenshire County Council has awarded a contract valued at £87,120 (including VAT) to Solent Marine Ltd for the replacement of pontoon floats at Burry Port Harbour. The contract is for a duration of approximately three years, commencing March 16, 2026.

British Council Contract Award: Drupal Bureau Partnership

The British Council has awarded a contract valued at £34,276 (excluding VAT) to Drupal Bureau Partnership for adult and other education services. The contract is effective from March 3, 2026, to July 1, 2026.

Platform Housing Limited Data Programme Market Engagement Notice

Platform Housing Limited has issued a preliminary market engagement notice for its 'Together in Data' programme, which involves implementing a cloud-first, Microsoft Fabric-based data ecosystem. This notice seeks supplier insights to shape the procurement strategy for a partner to support the design, build, and support of the new data platform.

NEC4 Professional Service Contract Award - Bath & North East Somerset Council

Bath & North East Somerset Council has awarded a contract for architectural and lead consultant roles for the Newbridge Primary School site. The contract, valued at £33,537 (excl. VAT), was awarded to Purcell Architecture Limited under the NEC4 Professional Service Contract.