Public electronic communications network meaning

In this issue: New technologies Internet Data protection Media Advertising, marketing and sponsorship Reputation management Telecommunications LexTalk®TMT: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information New technologies European Commission issues guidance on AI system definition The Commission has issued guidance to help providers judge whether a software system qualifies as artificial intelligence under Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (the EU AI Act). Though not binding, the material is intended to support application of the Act’s provisions, which started on 2 February 2025. The Commission notes the guidance will be refined over time in light of real-world experience and emerging scenarios. Under the Act, AI systems are grouped by risk—prohibited, high risk, and those carrying transparency duties—and this guidance sits alongside existing advice on banned AI practices. See: LNB News 07/02/2025 36. Commission sets out 2025 Work Programme with a simplification...

In this issue Employment taxes Budgets and Finance Bills VAT International Taxes management and litigation Companies and corporation tax Anti-avoidance Devolution Pensions LexTalk®Tax: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Latest Q&A Useful information Employment taxes Royal Assent for National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Act 2025 The National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill—bringing in an uplift to 15% for the main rate of employers’ secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions from 13.8%, and cutting the secondary threshold to £5,000 per annum—was first set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and obtained Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The provisions apply from 6 April 2025. See: National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Act 2025. HMRC publishes Employment Related Securities Bulletin 59 (March 2025) Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES)—policy...

In this issue: Probate Trusts Elderly and vulnerable clients UK taxes for Private Client HMRC Manuals updates Tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance Regulatory compliance for Private Client Budgets and Finance Bills Charity and philanthropy Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland International Question of the week Additional Private Client updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts LexTalk®Private Client: a Lexis+® community New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Probate Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/237): these Regulations create a new statutory entitlement for an employee to take time off to care for a child during the first year following birth, placement for adoption, or arrival in Great Britain for an overseas adoption, where the child’s primary carer has died (bereaved partner’s paternity leave). They take effect on 6 April 2026. See: LNB News 15/01/2026 18. Trusts Representation orders...

This Practice Note explores particular matters within Ofcom’s regulatory framework concerning voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology, offering pragmatic guidance on addressing shifts in this field. VoIP now underpins widespread carriage of voice calls online. More and more, both individuals and businesses adopt it as a lower-cost substitute for traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) services. The regulatory position In an early communication on the topic, Ofcom, the UK telecommunications regulator, identified three aims it regarded as central when shaping policy for VoIP services: fostering innovation in a technology-neutral manner ensuring consumers are well informed maximising the availability of access to emergency services Providers of communications services (including VoIP providers) must comply with Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement (GCs). The GCs are updated from time to time; however, they underwent a major review and structural overhaul in 2018, with the stated purpose of updating them to reflect Ofcom’s current priorities and concerns, and making them simpler and clearer for industry...

ARCHIVED: This archived Practice Note tracks key consultations conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2023. This archived Practice Note records significant consultations undertaken by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) during 2023. Information is accurate as at 31 December 2023. The tracker is no longer updated and is provided for background only. For consultations from 1 January 2024, see Practice Note: ICO consultations tracker 2024. This Information Law consultations tracker outlines the current status and latest developments in key ICO consultations commencing on or after 1 January 2023. The ICO periodically consults on matters such as the effectiveness and clarity of draft guidance it intends to publish under legislation within its remit, including the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation, Retained Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (UK GDPR). Other legislation within the ICO’s scope includes: Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR 2003), SI 2003/2426 Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FIA 2000) Environmental Information Regulations 2004...

This Practice Note gives practical guidance on responding to a dawn raid by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It outlines what the ICO is, common grounds for a raid, its powers, and the consequences of not co‑operating. It reflects the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). All GDPR references and links are to the UK GDPR (Retained Regulation (EU) 2016/679), unless stated otherwise. What is the ICO? The ICO is an independent authority established by the UK government to uphold information rights in the public interest, promote openness in public bodies, and protect individuals’ data privacy. It is an executive non‑departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The ICO oversees and may enforce: Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) GDPR Freedom of Information Act 2000 Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Privacy of Electronic Communications Regulation 2003 Investigatory Powers Act 2016 Environmental Protection Public Sector Information Regulations 2009 Re‑use of Public Sector Information Regulations...