For information: • on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) scheme generally, see Practice Note: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (extended version 1 July to 31 October 2020) [Archived] • on the right to paid holiday, see Practice Notes: Holiday and Holiday pay It is clear from the HMRC guidance: Check if you can claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme that an employee can take holiday while they are on furlough. If an employee is flexibly furloughed then any hours taken as holiday during the claim period should be counted as furloughed hours rather than working hours. For further information, see Practice Note: Coronavirus (COVID-19)—holiday

Local Government analysis: The court dismissed an application by the homeless person, Ms Merritt (the claimant) for an interim injunction requiring the local authority and managing agent to re-admit them to the property. The claimant had been allowed to occupy the property pending a review of the local authority’s decision that it had discharged its housing duty towards them. The court held that there was no serious issue to be tried that the local authority had let or licensed the property to the claimant ‘as a dwelling’ as they were unable to distinguish the decision of the Supreme Court in R(N) v Lewisham. The court granted a cross-application from the managing agent for an interim injunction requiring the claimant to vacate the property, but suspended its operation until the expiry of the Public Health (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction) (England) Regulations 2021 (the 2021 Regulations). Written by Matt Hutchings QC, barrister at Cornerstone Barristers.

Types of LNG sale and purchase agreements Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is commonly traded as a portfolio commodity, in which a participant may break up several long-term sales agreements into short-term transactions to optimise transport costs and balance supply obligations with market conditions. The LNG industry also maintains its own spot-trading market, in which cargoes are bought and sold through competitive tenders and brokered trades. Alternatively, swap arrangements (under which two buyers or two sellers agree to swap cargoes) is another trading model becoming more common in the LNG industry. The common types of LNG sale and purchase agreements are: • short-term sales agreements—one to five-year bilateral agreements, often with little flexibility of terms • master agreements—a popular arrangement under which seller and buyer sign an agreement that sets out the general terms under which they will buy and sell LNG, without committing the parties to an obligation to actually buy or sell specific quantities. When the parties wish to transact, they will complete a supplementary ‘confirmation notice’, deemed to include the general terms of the master

This week's edition of Competition weekly highlights includes, from a UK perspective: (1) the High Court’s judgment holding that France is the correct place to bring a damages claim arising from cartels in the supply of car air conditioning and engine cooling components to car manufacturers, (2) the Court of Appeal’s judgment dismissing an appeal concerning emergence communication services, and (3) CMA publishing blog by Doug Gurr on how the CMA can drive investment and growth. This week’s highlights also includes, from an EU perspective: (1) the Commission’s announcement that it has launched a consultation on the Transfer Technology Block Exemption, (2) the Court of Justice’s judgment in a national reference from Italy concerning whether a 90-day time limit on the Italian Competition Authority to launch investigations may breach Article 102 TFEU, and (3) the General Court’s judgment dismissing Ryanair’s action against the Commission’s readopted decision approving rescue aid to TAP SGPS in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the PPE procurement scandals during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, Spotlight on Corruption (SOC) has called for the introduction of a new 'corruption in public office' offence and permanent establishment of the domestic corruption unit within the City of London Police, supported by long-term funding commitments. These recommendations form part of a broader package of reforms aimed at preventing cronyism in public contracts and ensuring greater accountability in public procurement. The proposals come in the context of significant failures in managing conflicts of interest during the pandemic, particularly in relation to the VIP lane for PPE procurement, where suppliers were ten times more likely to secure contracts than through standard channels, despite delivering PPE that was frequently unusable and significantly more expensive.

NOTE: On 1 October 2026, a newly formed Business and Property Division replaces the Chancery Division—see News Analysis: The new Business and Property Division of the High Court. This Practice Note contains references to, and information derived from, the Chancery Guide. It is understood that a Business and Property Division Guide is being drafted and it is assumed this will replace the Chancery Guide. Existing links to the Chancery Guide will remain in content until a replacement is released. This Practice Note considers the power of the court to adjourn a hearing under CPR 3.1(2)(b) and a party’s ability to apply for such an adjournment. In particular, it sets out the five specific ‘Fitzroy Robinson’ factors the court will consider when determining an application to adjourn or bring forward a hearing, together with consideration of cases in which the Fitzroy factors have been applied. It also looks at other factors the court may take into account, including the timing of the application to adjourn, and examines the ill-health of a party or witness and what medical evidence

The General Guidance on PDF Bundles (the Guidance) from May 2020 was created by Mr Justice Mann, Lady Justice Thirlwall and Sir Andrew McFarlane to aid practitioners coming to terms with the requirements of working during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and to achieve a level of consistency in what judges were being presented with. At paragraph six of the Guidance, it states that ‘All pages in a bundle must be numbered’,

Access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will be via HMRC. The CJRS is a scheme designed for employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus to claim reimbursement for wages paid to employees who have been placed on furlough. Eligible employers will need to submit information to HMRC about their employees that have been furloughed, and their earnings, through an online portal specifically created for this purpose. For further information about which employers are eligible for the scheme, see: • Practice Note: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (original version to 30 June 2020) [Archived] • HMRC guidance: Guidance for employers: Claim for your employees' wages through the coronavirus job retention scheme The SEISS scheme applies only to those individuals who are self-employed or members of a partnership. Other relevant criteria include that they must have a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19

Law360, London: The US-Israel conflict with Iran may give rise to complex commercial disputes in England similar to those following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, according to lawyers reporting increased client demand for advice over the evolving conflict.

Law360, London: A judge ruled on 9 May 2025 that AIG does not have to pay the two owners of bars and hotels in Cornwall for losses suffered during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic because the policy did not specifically cover the COVID-19 disease.

Law360, London: A Lloyd's of London syndicate has agreed to a settlement with another syndicate in a US$90m dispute between insurers and underwriters over losses it allegedly suffered when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to trade and entertainment venues being shuttered across the world.

Law360, Expert analysis: The pandemic briefly put criminal trials on hold, but the past year had some big cases that highlighted the need for reform of outdated corporate crime laws, lowered the bar for proving criminal dishonesty and set the scope of new powers to fight the movement of dirty money.