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R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
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Mergers The CMA confirmed the planned acquisition of Autotalks Ltd by Qualcomm Incorporated has been abandoned—see further, case page. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has extended the period for parties’ representations on whether to refer RB Investco Ltd’s anticipated purchase of Telegraph Media Group to a CMA phase 2 investigation—see further, correspondence to Red Bird IMI on the deadline extension. NOTE— For all current CMA merger cases, see further, UK mergers—ongoing cases tracker. NOTE— For an overview of live and completed mergers where the UK government has intervened on public interest grounds under the Enterprise Act, see further, Government interventions on public interest grounds—merger cases tracker. Subsidy control The Subsidy Advice Unit has accepted a request from the Welsh Government to report on its proposed Social Sector Medium and High- Rise Buildings Fire Safety Grant Fund– Large Awards...
Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust v Allen [2024] EAT 40 In a ruling released on 19 March 2024, the Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed that an earlier judge correctly found that Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust harassed Angela Allen because of her age on a single occasion, although aspects of two further discrimination claims did not fully withstand scrutiny. However, the panel determined that portions of two other discrimination complaints could not be upheld. Judge James Tayler, writing for the panel, said the employment tribunal should have clearly set out what any continuing discriminatory conduct comprised, and that it had not identified anything capable of showing a persistent discriminatory state of affairs. Allen began working for the Trust around 1997 or 1998 as a clinic manager in Worcester, overseeing roughly 19 people. Problems arose when a new contract for sexual health services...
In a submission to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, West Rock stated that the necessary merger control approvals and non-opposition decisions have been secured for the US, the UK, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Serbia and South Africa......
Since then, companies across Britain have been locked in legal wrangles with their insurers over whether business interruption policies should respond to lost revenue during that extraordinary period. Over the next few months, a number of major Court of Appeal cases are listed, with the possibility of further test claims reaching the UK Supreme Court, hinting that an end may finally be in sight for policyholders. Aaron Le Marquer, a partner at Stewarts Law LLP, said he considers we are in the final throes of the coronavirus business interruption fight, at least for direct claims, and that the appeals due this year should settle the outstanding points for policyholders whose losses remain unresolved. He hopes these rulings will bring long-awaited clarity. FCA takes guard The first lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus was announced on 23 March 2020. Soon after, business owners quickly...
Women’s state pension age communication failings The Parliamentary Ombudsman declared that the DWP did not properly notify women that their state pension age ( SPA) had been altered. It concluded that the government should put in place a compensation scheme to address these historic failings and make amends. Bringing its probe into the state pension scandal to a close, the report found that the way the changes were implemented deprived women of chances to make informed choices about their money, and undermined their personal autonomy and sense of financial control. In 2018 the government increased women’s SPA from 60 to 65, following a 1990 ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union on gender equality, aligning the retirement age with that of men. Campaigners contended that this was particularly problematic for the 3.8 million women born in the 1950s who were nearing...
Jump to: General Brexit headlines Brexit SIs and sifting updates Made Brexit SIs laid in Parliament Draft Brexit SIs laid for sifting and sifting committee recommendations Post- Brexit transition guidance Editor's picks—the practice area/sector view New and updated Brexit related content Lex Talk®Brexit: a Lexis®Nexis community Useful information General Brexit headlines This section presents the principal, overarching Brexit news items. Weekly round-up of EU- UK TCA Specialised Committees’ publications—20 March 2024. The summary sets out documents issued by the Specialised Committees created under the EU- UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ( TCA) during 13–20 March 2024. See: LNB News 20/03/2024 69. Brexit SIs and sifting updates Here you will find the most recent made and draft Brexit SIs placed before Parliament, together with notices on proposed negative SIs submitted for sifting. Made Brexit SIs laid in...
The following proposed negative SI was reviewed by both committees with no suggestion to upgrade: Draft Pressure Equipment ( Safety) ( Amendment) Regulations 2024 The following proposed negative SI was examined by the ESIC with no upgrade advised: Draft Retained EU Law ( Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 ( Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) ( Revocation) Regulations 2024 Latest ESIC recommendations Here is the most recent ESIC report: ESIC—2nd Report of Session 2023–24, 21 March 2024 Latest SLSC recommendations Here is the latest SLSC report: SLSC—18th Report of Session 2023–24, 21 March 2024 Instruments drawn to the special attention of the House The SLSC drew the following Brexit-related instruments to the special attention of the House, noting their political or legal significance and policies likely to attract interest: Draft Plant Health ( Fees) ( England) and Official Controls ( Frequency of Checks) (...
Mergers Vodafone/ CK Hutchison JV meets the test for reference to phase 2 The CMA has published its decision, finding that the anticipated joint venture between Vodafone Group Plc ( Vodafone) and CK Hutchison Holdings Limited ( CK Hutchison), relating to Vodafone Limited ( VUK) and Hutchison 3G UK Limited (3UK), satisfies the threshold for a phase 2 reference. VUK is owned by Vodafone. 3UK is owned by CK Hutchison. VUK and 3UK are both leading suppliers of mobile telecommunications services in the UK. At phase 1, the CMA determined that the deal creates a realistic prospect of an SLC in the provision of both retail mobile services and wholesale mobile services in the UK......
HM Revenue and Customs confirmed that Insurance Premium Tax receipts for February 2024 alone reached £1.5bn, lifting the running total for the last 11 months to £8.1bn, an increase on the £7.3bn recorded in 2022–23. The Office for Budget Responsibility expects IPT income to keep rising over the coming years, with more than £370m of extra revenue forecast between the 2023–24 and 2028–29 financial years. “ The bumper tax take highlights both the significance of this duty to the Exchequer and the strain that higher insurance premiums are placing on household finances,” said Cara Spinks, head of insurance consulting at OAC. Price comparison website Confused.com reported that the cost of comprehensive motor insurance climbed by 58% during 2023... Customers ......
Mergers The Commission authorised: the establishment of a joint venture by DWS Group Gmb H & Co. KGa A, Galaxy Digital Labs LLC and Flow Traders Holding LLC ( M.11439) following a phase I investigation — see further in Midday Express the acquisition of joint control of Argal Alimentación S. A. by Smithfield Foods Holding Limited and Manusian Family, S. L., Guembox Inversiones, S. L., Mr. ......
The latest measures further widen the already broad reach of sanctions on Russia. Importantly, certain additions pursue Europe-based individuals and entities suspected of sanctions evasion. This sits against a backdrop of Western governments closely scrutinising the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia and declaring an intention to ramp up enforcement against evaders. This article considers the expansion of sanctions from a UK viewpoint, with reference to the US and EU, and evaluates the UK government’s current steps to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions enforcement. Russia sanctions On 22 February 2024, the UK imposed over 50 new sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine, targeting core sources of Russian revenue and tightening controls on metals, diamonds and the energy trade. The following day, the US added more than 500 further sanctions targets in response to Russia’s invasion and the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a...
Rainer Hughes Solicitors v Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd and others [2024] EWHC 585 ( KB) What are the practical implications of this case? Firstly, strict observance of CPR 32 and the requirements for documents where English is not the first language is critical at each and every procedural stage (see Correia v Williams [2022] EWHC 2824 ( KB) and Afzal v UK Insurance Ltd [2023] EWHC 1730 ( KB)). In this matter, the solicitors should have appreciated from the very start that their client was not proficient in English and, without statements carefully prepared and accurately translated, the result was plainly disastrous. Secondly, when wasted costs are pursued, consider whether the sums sought are eclipsed by the expense of dealing with the application itself, through the process as a whole. Any proportionality arguments ought to be raised at the earliest...
Colchester Institute Corporation ( No 2) v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 191 ( TC) These decisions relate to separate VAT return periods for the appellant; however, the central question in both is the VAT treatment of public monies paid to a further education provider for delivering education and vocational training. The appellant reclaimed VAT on expenditure incurred on a construction project that did not qualify for the zero rate of VAT, and initially declared output tax using the Lennartz method in respect of the project costs......
Analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research ( CEBR) indicated that at least 4.8 million pension plans were classed as ‘lost’ across the UK in 2023. Around one in ten workers thought they might have mislaid a retirement savings pot valued at over £10,000. CEBR questioned 1,957 UK adults and adjusted the results by gender, age, region, working status and social grade, drawing on Office for National Statistics data. The research was carried out for retirement savings consolidator Pension Bee. ‘ The sums that have slipped off the radar in old pensions are already staggering,’ said Becky O’ Connor, Pension Bee’s director of public affairs, warning the figure ‘is on course to become a national crisis’......
In this issue: Public procurement Social housing Education Healthcare Children's social care Governance Planning Local government finance Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Public procurement Procurement Policy Note introduces optional standard carbon reduction contract schedule The Cabinet Office has issued Procurement Policy Note 01/24: Carbon Reduction Contract Schedule ( PPN 01/24), offering contracting authorities advice on a new optional, standardised carbon reduction schedule for inclusion in government contracts. PPN 01/24 covers all central government departments, their executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies. Other public sector contracting authorities may choose to adopt the guidance as well. It takes effect straightaway. Implementation is immediate across applicable bodies. See: LNB News 19/03/2024 37. Social housing Suitability of accommodation and support animals ( AB v Westminster CC) The claimants are a couple, each living with multiple...
In this issue: Data protection Confidential information Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Data protection ICO issues fresh guidance on data protection fines The Information Commissioner’s Office ( ICO) has released new guidance on data protection fines, setting out how it imposes penalties and works out fine levels. The guidance details the legal framework that gives the ICO authority to levy fines, outlines its approach to core questions—such as identifying the broader ‘undertaking’ or economic entity of which a controller/processor forms part—and explains the methodology used to calculate penalties. See: LNB News 18/03/2024 59. Deadline for transitional arrangements allowing contracts to rely on 'old EU SCCs' for UK GDPR compliant international data transfers Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, Assimilated Regulation ( EU) 2016/679 ( UK GDPR), organisations transferring personal data outside the UK on or after 21 March 2022 can rely on two...
In this issue: EAT: Melki v Bouygues and S Contracting UK Ltd—rule 37(5) applies to all appeals; omitting Grounds of Resistance pre‑30 Sept 2023 was not a minor slip, so time could not be extended. Employment tribunals: 2024/366 revises the 2013 Rules from 6 April—new response time restarts, practice direction compliance, and rule 92A for digital case management. Court reform: HMCTS shifts programme deadline to March 2025 to bolster capacity, refine tech and stabilise platforms. Status: MEPs back the Platform Work Directive, tightening status tests and algorithmic oversight; formal approval due April. Jurisdiction: Yacht Management v Gordon— GB claims permitted as duties started/ended at home base in Aberdeen. Immigration: HC 590 implements five‑point plan measures across Skilled Worker and family routes from April– June 2024. Tax/ Pensions: PAYE set‑off for off‑payroll income; Class 2 NICs consequential tweaks; lifetime allowance replacement rules and related regulations live from 6...
In this issue: Regulatory framework for medicinal products Research and development Data protection and life sciences Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Regulatory framework for medicinal products Commission releases Communication to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing The European Commission has issued a Communication on building the future with nature, outlining the obstacles and constraints in the EU’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing arena and setting out a suite of targeted measures to invigorate biotechnology and biomanufacturing across the EU. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations ( EFPIA) welcomed the Commission’s Communication and urged the Commission to bring forward, in its next mandate, a comprehensive health and life science strategy so that European patients can access innovative new treatments and technologies. See: LNB News 20/03/2024 81. MEPs adopt proposal to improve EU pharmaceutical legislation The Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee has adopted its proposals to enhance EU...
In this issue: Customs Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Customs HMRC announces launch of CDS and migration from CHIEF HM Revenue & Customs ( HMRC) has rolled out CDS, designed to give businesses a more intuitive, streamlined system with enhanced functionality and greater usability. HMRC also confirmed that CDS is replacing CHIEF, as announced......
In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Contamination and pollution Energy efficiency and buildings Environmental assessment Environmental liabilities, due diligence and insurance Environmental taxes, reliefs and incentives ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Health and safety Key developments and materials Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Waste producer responsibility regimes Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts Trackers New and updated content Useful information Air emissions and climate change CCC releases review of the Third National Adaptation Programme The Climate Change Committee ( CCC) has issued an early review of the Third National Adaptation Programme ( NAP3), designed to ready the nation for the impacts of climate change. In that review, the CCC concludes the current adaptation policy is not working, citing three...
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
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