Search

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

£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.

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.

£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.

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.

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.

Cleaning Services Framework, Washwood Heath MAT, £3m, 11th May

Cleaning Services Framework, Washwood Heath MAT, £3m, 11th May

£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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

P510 Balancing and Settlement Code Urgency Decision Rejected

Ofgem rejected urgency for Balancing and Settlement Code modification proposal P510, which would replace existing mutualised compensation arrangements with direct compensation for Virtual Trading Party actions in the Wholesale Market. The BSC Panel had voted by majority to recommend urgent progression. Ofgem considered P510 alongside related urgency requests P509 and P511 before rejecting the urgency designation.

Ofgem Approves NGT SMPS Revision, Minor Changes

Ofgem approved National Gas Transmission plc's revised System Management Principles Statement (SMPS), effective 1 April 2026. The revision, presented on 23 February 2026 with required consultation materials per Special Condition 9.19 of the Gas Transporter Licence, contains only minor changes including formatting edits, grammatical updates, and webpage name changes.

FRC ISA LCE Roundtables, 27th Apr and 5th May

The FRC has announced two virtual roundtable discussions on the International Standard for Auditing for Less Complex Entities (ISA for LCE). The roundtables, scheduled for 27 April and 5 May 2026, are part of a call for views to inform FRC's ongoing engagement with the IAASB during its maintenance project running until June 2027. Stakeholders can share views on delivering audits of less complex entities more proportionately. This call does not explore adoption of the current LCE standard in the UK.

Ports of Fleetwood and Silloth Transfer of Undertaking Harbour Revision Order 2026

The Marine Management Organisation has made the Ports of Fleetwood and Silloth (Transfer of Undertaking) Harbour Revision Order 2026 (SI 2026 No. 404), transferring harbour operations at Fleetwood from Associated British Ports to FJ Ports (Fleetwood) Ltd. and at Silloth from Associated British Ports to FJ Ports (Silloth) Ltd. The Order comes into force on 7th May 2026 and extends to England and Wales.

Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2026

HM Treasury has made S.I. 2026/418, amending the Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/393) to change its commencement date from 20th April 2026 to 25th May 2026. The amendment is made under powers in sections 30B, 32, 40 and 40B of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018. The amending instrument itself came into force on 19th April 2026.

River Tyne (Tunnels) (Revision of Tolls) Order 2026

The Secretary of State for Transport has made the River Tyne (Tunnels) (Revision of Tolls) Order 2026 (SI 2026/403), revising tolls for the Tyne Tunnel. The Order increases Class 2 tolls (vehicles ≤3.5 tonnes including cabs) from £2.50 to £2.60 and Class 3 tolls (vehicles >3.5 tonnes including vans and buses) from £5.00 to £5.20. Class 1 motorcycles remain toll-free. The Order revokes the 2025 toll revision Order and comes into force on 1 May 2026.

Cultural Development Initiative Contract Modification, £280,858

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme Limited (FSCS) issued a contract change notice for the Cultural Development Initiative under the Procurement Act 2023. The contract with Coode Associates Ltd increased from £187,400 to £280,858, representing a 49.87% increase. The modification was justified under unforeseeable circumstances and additional goods, services or works, as a new workstream aligned with FSCS's 5-year strategy was identified following completion of the initial programme with the Executive Team.

Auto Doors and Roller Shutters Maintenance Services Tender

Sheffield City Council published a tender notice for Auto Doors and Roller Shutters services valued at £996,000 including VAT. The contract covers scheduled servicing, maintenance, inspection, and responsive repairs of automatic doors, roller shutters, electric gates, and car park barriers over a 2-year initial term with two optional 12-month extensions. Tenders are due by 12 May 2026 and the opportunity is open to all suppliers, with particular suitability for SMEs and VCSEs.

School Transport Contract - Freedom Transport Solutions Ltd - £81,900

The North Yorkshire Council published a contract award notice under the Procurement Act 2023 for school transport services (ADHOC contract). Freedom Transport Solutions Ltd was awarded the contract valued at £81,900 excluding VAT (£98,280 including VAT) for 4-seat school transport from Boroughbridge to The Dales School. The contract was signed on 2 March 2026 with a term through 6 March 2026 and possible extensions to 6 March 2028.

YPO Emergency Response and Rescue Equipment DPS Amendment Notice

YPO has published an amendment notice (2026/S 000-034899) to its Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Emergency Response and Rescue Equipment. The notice modifies the original tender published 15 January 2022 (2022/S 000-007015) and includes 10 amendments covering corrections to text, dates, and additional information in section I.1 of the original notice. The DPS enables public sector organisations to procure emergency response and rescue equipment from appointed suppliers.

Award of Learner Transport Buses Contract £688,560

Ceredigion County Council has awarded a learner transport bus contract valued at £688,560 including VAT to two suppliers. Lewis Rhydlewis and Lewis Taxis Cyf will provide public road passenger transport services under the contract, which is for an initial 2-year term with possible extension up to 2 additional years. The standstill period ends 27 April 2026 with contract signing expected 30 April 2026.

Wycombe Hospital Water Treatment Construction Stage 2, £105,293

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust awarded a £105,293.17 contract for Wycombe Hospital Water Treatment Construction Stage 2 works. The contract was awarded via direct award through the NHS SBS PS-Works framework on 31 March 2026, with one tender received.

Townhill Phase 2 Re-Roofing Works, 42 Properties, £420k

City & County of Swansea published a tender notice for re-roofing and associated works at 42 properties in the Townhill area of Swansea. The estimated contract value is £420,000 including VAT. The contract period runs approximately 8 months from 8 June 2026 to 26 February 2027. Tender submissions are due by 28 April 2026 at 12:00pm.

Safety Case Support Services - UKAEA, £480k

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has published a tender notice for Safety Case Engineering Support Services valued at £480,000 (including VAT). The contract will run for 3 years from June 2026 with an optional 1-year extension. Bidders must submit proposals by 12 May 2026, with the contract award decision expected on 2 June 2026. The SME-inclusive procurement covers hazard identification, consequence calculations, probabilistic safety analysis, and ALARP arguments for fusion research facilities.

Copilot Use Case Discovery and Execution - £43,783 Contract Award

Durham County Council awarded a £36,486 (excl. VAT) contract to Changing Social Ltd for Microsoft 365 Copilot use case discovery services within its Procurement function. The contract, signed 20 March 2026 and effective 1 April to 1 July 2026 (3 months), follows a successful Copilot pilot. The engagement will identify and document high-value AI use cases for delivery. The procurement was conducted below threshold without competition.

South Lakes Housing Tenants Contents Insurance Contract Award 2026-2030

South Lakes Housing has awarded a contract for Tenants Contents Insurance (2026-2030) to Ecclesiastical Insurance Office Public Limited Company under the Northern Housing Consortium's Simple Tenants Contents Insurance Scheme Framework. The contract is valued at £6,855.34 excluding VAT and runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027, with possible extension to 31 May 2030. This is a below-threshold award under the Procurement Act 2023.

Provision of Communicator Guide and Intervenor Services, Hertfordshire County Council, £2,400,000

Hertfordshire County Council published a tender notice for a £2,400,000 contract for countywide Communicator Guide and Intervenor Services. The services support adults, children, and young people with dual sensory loss and profound communication difficulties, including those with congenital, acquired, and progressive deafblindness. Bids must be submitted by 12 noon on 15 May 2026.

Maintenance of Apheresis Systems, Belfast, £492k

Belfast Health & Social Care Trust has awarded a contract for routine maintenance of Apheresis Systems to Terumo BCT Ltd. The contract is valued at £492,000 including VAT (£410,000 excluding VAT) and runs from 16 April 2026 to 31 March 2031, with a possible extension to 31 March 2036. The direct award was justified on the basis of single supplier intellectual property or exclusive rights, as Terumo is the manufacturer with exclusive rights to service and repair these systems.

Regulatory Responses for OTC Products

LCH (London Clearing House), a central counterparty clearing house, published a resource page on regulatory responses for OTC (over-the-counter) derivative products. The page provides clearing members and market participants with access to information on regulatory developments affecting OTC clearing obligations and compliance requirements. No specific new regulatory obligations, deadlines, or penalties are detailed in the available content.

Proposed Rule Changes Filed With CFTC and SEC

LCH has filed proposed rule changes with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under self-certification procedures. The filings apply to both LCH Ltd and LCH SA entities. Details of the specific rule modifications are accessible through the LCH rulebook.

LCH SA Rulebook Formalizes Clearing Member Relationship

LCH SA maintains a rulebook governing its relationship with clearing members. The rulebook, governed by French law, covers Fixed Income and Triparty Repos, OTC Credit Default Swaps, and Digital Asset Derivatives. It includes provisions on membership requirements, clearing operations, risk management, margin requirements, default fund, collateral, and default events.

LCH Ltd Rulebook - General Regulations, Default Rules, and Procedures

LCH Limited published updates to its rulebook components, including General Regulations (updated 6 March 2026), Default Rules (updated 23 March 2026), Settlement Finality Regulations (updated 21 July 2025), and Sponsored Clearing Regulations (updated 6 March 2026). Procedures were updated across multiple sections including Section 1 - Clearing Member and Dealer Status (updated 16 April 2026), SwapClear Service, ForexClear Service, and EquityClear Service (all updated 13 February 2026).

Business Rates Guidance for Wales Self-Catering Properties

The Valuation Office Agency updated guidance on business rates eligibility for self-catering properties in Wales. From 1 April 2026, properties must be available to let for 252 nights and actually let for 182 nights within the prior 12 months. The update adds provisions allowing property owners to use an average of 182 nights let across 24 or 36 months, and to include up to 14 nights per year donated to registered charity.

Apply for Business Rates for a Self-Catering Property in England

The Valuation Office Agency has published guidance for property owners in England on applying for business rates on self-catering holiday lets. To qualify, properties must have been available for commercial letting for 140 nights and actually let for 70 nights within a 12-month period. The guidance includes eligibility criteria, restrictions on which nights can be counted, application form instructions, and submission details via email or post to Durham.

Land Compensation Manual, Compulsory Purchase

The Valuation Office Agency has published its Land Compensation Manual covering compulsory purchase and compensation matters. The manual was originally published on 15 October 2018 and last updated 10 April 2026. The guidance comprises 13 sections covering topics from general compulsory purchase principles to specialised areas including agricultural interests, minerals, and loss payments.