The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has published survey findings indicating that many employers are failing to provide effective workplace support for neurodivergent employees. The YouGov survey of 1,000 workers in Great Britain found that 35% consider their employer ineffective at training managers to support neurodiversity, while only 32% believe their organisation effectively trains managers to make reasonable adjustments. The survey follows on from an independent research report published by Acas examining the broad trends around neurodiversity in the workplace in the UK, and how employers can best adjust to create inclusive workplaces.

FORTHCOMING CHANGES: Changes to NDAs are contained in section 6 of the Victims and Courts Act 2026 (VCA 2026) and section 24 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025). Under VCA 2026, s 6 (not yet in force), a new section 17 will be inserted into VPA 2024 that will allow a victim of criminal conduct, or a person who reasonably believes they are a victim, to make a disclosure to anyone for any purpose. With the exception of 'excepted agreements', a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) will be void in so far as it purports to preclude a victim making an allegation or disclosure relating to criminal conduct (or relating to the response of the employer or other party to the NDA to criminal conduct). ERA 2025, s 24 introduces a parallel regime by inserting a new ERA 1996, s 202A, which will make an NDA void if it seeks to prevent a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimination, or the employer's response. For more information, see Practice Notes: Legislation tracker—Employment,

FORTHCOMING CHANGES: Changes to NDAs are contained in section 6 of the Victims and Courts Act 2026 (VCA 2026) and section 24 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025). Under VCA 2026, s 6 (not yet in force), a new section 17 will be inserted into VPA 2024 that will allow a victim of criminal conduct, or a person who reasonably believes they are a victim, to make a disclosure to anyone for any purpose. With the exception of 'excepted agreements', a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) will be void in so far as it purports to preclude a victim making an allegation or disclosure relating to criminal conduct (or relating to the response of the employer or other party to the NDA to criminal conduct). ERA 2025, s 24 introduces a parallel regime by inserting a new ERA 1996, s 202A, which will make an NDA void if it seeks to prevent a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimination, or the employer's response. For more information, see Practice Notes: Legislation

This Practice Note provides practical guidance on the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) accession process. Introduction In order to join the World Trade Organization a state or customs territory must have full autonomy in the conduct of its trade policies. Once a state or customs territory has such autonomy, it would start the process of negotiating its accession to the WTO as all Member States of the WTO has to negotiate its accession as all existing WTO Member States must agree to that state or customs territory accession. This accession process if for states or customs territories which want to join the WTO after its formation. The original contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947 became original Member States of the WTO through the operation of Article XI Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (Marrakesh Agreement). Legal basis for accession Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement contains the legal basis for accession to the WTO. Article XII:1 provides that any state or separate customs territory possessing full autonomy in the conduct of

In line with the commitment made in NDA’s Strategy, the NDA’s 2011/2012 Business Plan earmarked several Magnox sites (Trawsfynydd and Bradwell) for accelerated decommissioning. Under this plan, funds are directed at swift closure of certain plants.

Proceedings governed by CPR Part 55 to recover possession of a property let on an assured shorthold tenancy where possession only is sought (ie no other claim, such as for unpaid rent is made). The proceedings are usually dealt with on paper, without the need for a hearing.

The Accelerated Settlement Taskforce (AST)’s Technical Group is consulting on draft recommendations for the UK’s transition to T+1. Responses to the draft recommendations are sought by 31 October 2024. The final version of the recommendations will be published at the end of 2024 and will finalise an implementation date and a schedule of work covering the period of transition to T+1.

The Accelerated Settlement Taskforce report that explores the potential for faster settlement of securities trades in the UK has been published. The government has accepted all the recommendations made to the government and has appointed Andrew Douglas to chair the Technical Group to take forward the next phase of the work.

Where a defined benefit pension scheme’s accrual rate is greater than (usually) one sixtieth of pensionable remuneration for each year of pensionable service.

Many countries offer a regulatory pathway that will expedite the evaluation of certain medicinal products so that they reach patients faster. In the EU, the accelerated assessment procedure reduces the timeframe for the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) to review a marketing authorisation (MA) application from 210 to 150 evaluation days. Applications may be eligible for accelerated assessment if the CHMP decides the product is of major interest for public health and therapeutic innovation. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) offers a 150-day assessment timeline for all high-quality new MA applications in an effort to accelerate the availability of new medicines for patients in the UK. The MHRA evaluates the application for a UK, Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) or Northern Ireland MA and reaches its opinion on whether to approve the licensing of new medicines within 150 days of submission of a valid application. See also: marketing authorisation (MA).

A way of placing shares with investors in a short space of time once the announcement of the proposed fundraising has been released with little or no marketing. Legally binding commitments to take up shares are received by the broker/investment banks from investors over the telephone once the announcement of the fundraising has been made and the fundraising is usually closed on the same day it was announced.

Accelerated depreciation is the set of HM Revenue & Customs rules that allow businesses to deduct from their taxable income the declining value of business-related investments ie equipment and machinery, faster than the value of those assets actually declines. The most common types of accelerated depreciation are 'sum of the years digits' and 'double declining balance'.