The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has called for end-to-end reforms to the criminal justice system to restore its capacity to deliver justice timely for victims. Stephen warned that the system’s ability to absorb rising case volumes is deteriorating, with some trials now being listed as far ahead as 2030, contributing to delays that erode public confidence. The DPP emphasised that closer alignment between police, prosecutors and the courts is essential to improve efficiency and reduce systemic pressures. Stephen also supported proposals to increase incentives for defendants who plead guilty at an early stage, to alleviate court congestion, as well as proposals to expand magistrates’ sentencing powers to 18 months.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Stephen Parkinson, has explained the decision to discontinue the prosecution of Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash under the Official Secrets Act 1911 (OSA 1911), linking it to a Court of Appeal ruling in 2024. The DPP wrote in response to the Chairs of the Home Affairs and Justice Committees’ joint letter of 29 September 2025.

Name of one of the reactors at Winfrith.

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Hub pilot, a new informal advice service to support innovators with complex regulatory questions that cross more than one DRCF regulator’s remit. This free service aims to make it easier to get support from two or more of the regulators at once, via the DRCF website, rather than having to approach each regulator separately.

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), through its Horizon Scanning and Emerging Technology project, has released a joint overview by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on the future of Open Finance and Smart Data. Based on insights from the FCA’s March 2025 Open Finance Sprint, the report outlines how secure, consent-based data sharing, underpinned by the Data Use and Access Act, can support innovation, competition and consumer empowerment in financial services. It highlights the importance of technologies such as application programming interfaces (APIs), artificial intelligence (AI), distributed ledger technology (DLT) and digital identity verification in enabling Open Finance, while also identifying regulatory challenges including data minimisation, lawful processing, transparency and interoperability.

Direct Rail Services Limited: A subsidiary'>wholly-owned subsidiary of NDA, which provides rail transport services for nuclear materials (and other commercial rail freight operations) in the UK. DRS is the only remaining publicly owned rail freight company in the UK.

1 Rights in the domain name According to [a WHOIS search conducted on [date of Nominet WHOIS search] OR Nominet’s response to a data release request as attached as [insert details of attachment]], the domain name [insert domain name] (Domain Name) is registered to the Respondent. The results of the search are attached as [insert details of attachment] to this Complaint. The Complainant is the owner of [insert details of trade marks, domain names, brand names, contractual rights, personal names etc] (Rights). Further details of these Rights are set out below. Registered trade marks 1.1 The Complainant is the registered owner of the following trade marks in respect of the goods and services listed below: 1.1.1 [Trade mark #1], registered on [insert date of registration] in [insert territory] with registration number [insert number] in respect of [list goods/services] in classes [insert classes] (Trade mark 1); 1.1.2 [Trade mark #2], registered on [insert date of domain name registration] in [insert territory] with registration number [insert number] in respect of [list goods/services] in classes [insert classes] (Trade mark 2). Together the trade marks listed in paragraph 1.1 shall

The Disclosure Review Working Group (DRWG) has announced that it will consider simplifying the disclosure regime in the Business and Property Courts following survey feedback on Practice Direction 57AD. The survey results showed most court users did not regard the reforms as successful. Respondents cited increased costs, greater court burden and a failure to achieve improved cooperation between parties, with a majority calling for changes. However, respondents acknowledged positive aspects, including initial disclosure and the obligation to disclose known adverse documents. The DRWG will develop proposals to amend PD 57AD to address these concerns and to ensure processes better support technological developments and will consult publicly before finalising and publishing recommendations to practitioners and court users.

The Disclosure Review Working Group (DRWG) has published a summary of survey findings from legal sector stakeholders, regarding disclosure rules under Practice Direction (PD) 57AD in the Business and Property Courts. The DRWG is working on proposals to simplify the disclosure regime by reducing complexity, front-loading and litigation costs. The DRWG has confirmed that it will not recommend a return to the former disclosure regime under Part 31 of the Civil Procedure Rules and intends to consult on proposed reforms later in 2026 or early 2027.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) starts to apply on Saturday 17 February 2024 to all online intermediaries. The DSA constitutes the EU's landmark rulebook that aims to make the online environment safer, fairer and more transparent. This entry into force involves new responsibilities for platforms, including all online platforms with users within the EU, with the exception of small and micro enterprises employing fewer than fifty individuals and with an annual turnover below €10m. Platforms not designated as Very Large Online Platforms or Very Large Online Search Engines will be supervised at Member State level by an independent regulator acting as the national Digital Services Coordinator (DSC). It will be the responsibility of the DSCs to ensure that these platforms play by the rules. DSCs will supervise and enforce the DSA for the platforms established on their territory. Finally, the Digital Services Coordinators and the European Commission will form an independent advisory group, the European Board for Digital Services (the Board), which will meet for the first time on Monday 19 February 2024. The Board will aim to ensure that the DSA is applied consistently, and that users across the EU enjoy the same rights, regardless of where the online platforms are established.

Information Law analysis: This case involved an individual’s data subject access request (DSAR), submitted to CRIF GmbH (CRIF), a business consulting agency. The DSAR was made pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the EU GDPR. Article 15 of the EU GDPR provides a right for individuals to obtain ‘a copy of’ their personal data being processed by an organisation. The individual requested a copy of the documents held by CRIF that contained his personal data. CRIF provided a summary table of the personal data being processed, but no copies of the actual documents containing such. The Court of Justice held that the obligation under Article 15 is to provide the individual with a ‘faithful and intelligible reproduction’ of personal data which enables the data subject to exercise their other rights under the EU GDPR. Therefore, providing a summary table of the personal data being processed will be insufficient unless it meets those requirements. This may create additional cost and administrative burdens for businesses when complying with their obligations in relation to DSARs. Written by Rohan Massey, partner and Catherine Keeling, associate, at Ropes & Gray LLP.

The World Trade Organization (WTO)'s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) has agreed at a meeting on 25 April 2025 to a request from China for the establishment of a panel to review the EU's countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles from China. The request also concerns the underlying investigation that led to the imposition of the duties. China said it considers the EU measures inconsistent with various WTO provisions and that it was open to constructive discussions. China also affirmed that it remains committed to resolving the dispute within WTO rules. The EU said it strongly maintains that its measures are entirely justified and that it is confident it will succeed in this dispute.