The Department for Business and Trade has published a new consultation addressing the new requirements set to be introduced under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) to strengthen existing tipping laws. The consultation aims to review existing guidance and legislation to determine where and how improvements to the current regime can be made. It will include an examination of the requirements introduced under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 as well as the statutory Code of Practice on the fair and transparent distribution of tips and the non-statutory guidance on distributing tips fairly. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 1 April 2026.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has launched a consultation seeking views on employment rights for unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children across Great Britain. The consultation fulfils commitments made in the Plan to Make Work Pay to review the Carer's Leave Act 2023 (CLA 2023) and, following the passage of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025), to assess support for parents of seriously ill children. It seeks evidence on whether existing employment rights remain fit for purpose and what further measures may be needed to help unpaid carers balance work with their caring responsibilities. The consultation closes on 1 September 2026.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published the outcome of its review and consultation on the operation of the UK Internal Market Act 2020. The review, which covered Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Act, sought views on what is and is not working well. It focused on the market access principles for goods and services, the recognition of professional qualifications and the role of the Office for the Internal Market. DBT received 85 responses and held six stakeholder meetings across the four nations. The outcome sets out a series of actions the UK government intend to take to improve the operation of the Act, particularly in relation to the exclusions process and intergovernmental engagement.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published the outcome of the consultation on the development of a new Industrial Strategy, issued as part of the ‘Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy’ green paper. The consultation received more than 27,000 responses across 36 questions. Responses supported the analysis identifying frontier industries and associated places, identifying key economy-wide growth barriers and opportunities and selecting policy interventions. The consultation covered several areas including investment barriers, people and skills, energy, infrastructure and international partnerships.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has released a consultation report dated 12 November 2024, detailing discussions with devolved governments regarding the implementation of the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (RPQ) provisions within the UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The report specifically addresses the process of making regulations to enact the terms of the UK-Switzerland RPQ Agreement in areas under devolved competence. This development is significant for legal practitioners involved in international trade agreements and professional qualification recognition processes between the UK and Switzerland.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published a response to its April 2026 consultation on a draft Code of Practice for the new legal framework governing trade unions’ right of access to workplaces. It has also published the revised draft Code of Practice and a final impact assessment.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published its response to the consultation on a revised Code of Practice governing access and unfair practices during trade union recognition and derecognition processes, which sought views on changes reflecting the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025). DBT has confirmed several amendments to the Code and has published an updated draft Code of Practice and explanatory memorandum. The revised Code was laid in Parliament on 6 July 2026. Subject to approval by both Houses, the Code is expected to come into effect in October 2026 alongside the legislative changes.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published its response to the technical consultation on the Competition Act 1998 (Technology Transfer Agreements Block Exemption) Order 2026. The response confirms that the new order will replace the assimilated Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TTBER), which expires on 30 April 2026, and will exempt certain technology transfer agreements from the Chapter I prohibition on anticompetitive agreements. It largely maintains the existing exemption regime, with limited changes, clarifications, and minor drafting amendments. DBT received four responses, which welcomed the TTBEO and proposed no drafting amendments. It concluded that the order meets its objectives and requires no substantive changes. The Competition Act 1998 (Technology Transfer Agreements Block Exemption) Order 2026, SI 2026/369 has now been published.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published a direction by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade pursuant to section 64(3) of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 (SCA 2022). The direction exempts the Electric Car Grants Scheme from SCA 2022, ss 52–55.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published a draft revised code of practice on picketing, which provides practical guidance on picketing in trade disputes and was updated following the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023. This draft revised code and its corresponding explanatory memorandum are laid before both Houses of Parliament for 40 days, during which time either House may resolve that the revised code not be issued. The draft code shows proposed revisions of the code following amendments made to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 by the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published two draft revised codes of practice, to be issued under section 205 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULR(C)A 1992):

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published two draft statutory guidance documents on the meaning of ‘significant influence or control’ for the purposes of the Register of People with Significant Control (PSCs) under schedule 1A to the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006)—one applying to companies and the other to limited liability partnerships (LLPs). Both draft guidance documents will lie before Parliament for 40 days, during which either House may resolve that they should not be approved.