A company with a class of its shares traded on AIM.

Securities of an AIM company admitted to trading on AIM.

The Alternative Investment Markets Association (AIMA) has published a report on the changes it says are neededfor a successful transition to 'T+1' in EU securities markets. The report highlights the benefits of accelerating the settlement cycle, such as reducing risk and driving liquidity. It calls for global co-ordination and a formal commitment from EU public authorities to implement T+1 and map the changes required for market participants, including buy-side firms.

Association for Investment Management and Research (obs), see CFA Institute.

The Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) has made the decision to change its name to the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN). Members of the AIEN have also voted to expand its industry mandate from 'hydrocarbons and gas fired power plants' to 'energy'. The AIEN announced that while it will remain at the forefront of the global oil and gas industry, it wishes to evolve and further its mission in line with its membership, providing more resources related to 'the greater energy industry, including the chemicals industry, low carbon solutions, and sustainable energy deployment'. It has also stated that this change was 'neither a move away from oil and gas, nor simply a name change', but a reflection of the more complex scope of work in which its members are currently engaged.

The Administrative Justice Council (AJC) has initiated a Call for Evidence, running until 17:00 pm on 10 February 2025, to gather insights on the impact of digital reforms in tribunals and address disadvantage within the administrative justice system. The initiative aims to inform two working group reports by soliciting input from representatives, advisors, and community organisations. Respondents are encouraged to share challenges faced, best practices, and improvement suggestions across two key areas: the effects of tribunal digitalisation on users and barriers to justice stemming from personal circumstances. This evidence-gathering exercise seeks to enhance access to justice and improve user experiences within the administrative justice framework.

The Administrative Justice Council (AJC) has published its final report examining digitisation and user experience within the modernised tribunal system. The report, produced by a working group chaired by Caroline Sheppard OBE, sets out 11 recommendations aimed at improving access, usability, processes and the effective use of technology. The working group assessed user experience following the HMCTS Reform Programme. Key recommendations include: (1) strengthening tribunal communications through a multidisciplinary approach; (2) establishing a digital champion within HMCTS; (3) improving the availability and quality of tribunal data and (4) developing a long-term digital platform for remote hearings, alongside the careful development of AI-enabled tools to assist with case triage, document summarisation and transcription. The report also recommends piloting commercial off-the-shelf digital systems in tribunals that have not yet undergone reform and ensuring that tribunal judiciary and staff have the necessary technology to operate effectively.

As Low As Reasonably Achievable: A term used in radiation protection, meaning to make every reasonable effort to keep exposure to ionising radiation as far below the dose limits as practical, consistent with the purpose for which the licensed activity is undertaken, taking into account the state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to benefits to the public health and safety, and other societal and socioeconomic considerations, and in relation to utilization of nuclear energy and licensed materials in the public interest. A concept from the ICRP, reflected in the Basic Safety Standards Directive 96/29/Euratom.

As Low As Reasonably Practicable (social and economic factors taken into consideration): ALARP is unique to the UK context. ALARP is the process by which radiological impacts on workers and the public are kept as low as reasonably practicable. Ensuring that risks are ALARP is a fundamental requirement of UK health and safety legislation. The fundamental steps in the ALARP process are: (a) define and characterise the problem; (b) generate the potential options to address the problem; (c) assess the options and their merits; (d) identify and justify the best option or options; and (e) implement the selected option. In the UK, nuclear regulatory bodies including the EA and ONR equate the concepts of ALARA and ALARP. Where design has an impact on safety and the environment, it may be possible to undertake one integrated assessment that includes the relevant aspects of BAT and ALARP as many of the objectives of BAT and ALARP are consistent.

The Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA) has published a speech given to the association on 13 July 2024 by Jonathan Hall KC, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism and of State Threat Legislation. The speech looks at judicial review of national security legislation in the UK and the current state of the law, including at the vexed question of when can a tribunal disagree with a national security question. Hall explains the importance of meaningful judicial oversight, noting that if politicians lose faith in judicial oversight as a safeguard, then valuable legislative measures may fail to win support, which would be detrimental to the UK’s national security. Hall adds that effective challenge leads to better future decisions, allows ministers to be viewed as having a strong position on national security, and incentivises lawyers to accept instructions, which the UK positively relies upon as part of its national security architecture.

Ambulance Liaison Officer

AM Best has suggested that a parametric insurance arrangement covering part of Morocco’s National Catastrophic Event Coverage Scheme is likely to be triggered. This could result in a maximum payout of approximately US$270m. The Solidarity Fund for Catastrophic Events, which is the part of the scheme covered by the parametric arrangement, provides coverage to the uninsured and most vulnerable part of the population.