The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Home Office has announced sanctions imposed on a cryptocurrency network, including Xinbi and operators of the ‘#8 Park’ scam compound in Cambodia, to tackle 'scam centres' in Southeast Asia. The measures target illicit crypto services used to sell stolen personal data, launder proceeds and facilitate online fraud, which often involves trafficked victims forced into scams. The action aims to protect British nationals, disrupt dirty money flows and follows earlier sanctions that led to asset freezes, arrests and the closure of scam centres ahead of the Illicit Finance Summit in June 2026.

This document summarises transactions in which the UK government has intervened on national security grounds under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act 2021). NOTE—prior to 4 January 2022, the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA 2002) allowed the UK government to intervene in merger transactions on the public interest grounds of national security. However, the ability to intervene in transactions on the grounds of national security within the EA 2002 was replaced by the NSI Act 2021 when it came into force on 4 January 2022. NOTE—the public interest provisions under the EA 2002 (ie plurality of the media, the stability of the financial system, and public health emergencies) continue to remain in force. For all ongoing and completed merger transactions in which the UK government has intervened under the remaining public interest provisions of the EA 2002, see further, Government interventions on public interest grounds—merger cases tracker. Ongoing cases We are not aware of any ongoing investigations under the NSI Act 2021 that have been publicly disclosed. Completed cases 2026

This summarises ongoing and completed merger transactions in which the UK government has intervened on public interest grounds under the Enterprise Act 2002. Ongoing cases Parties Stage Public interest ground Industry sector; product market Decision Daily Mail and General Trust plc/Telegraph Media Group Phase 1 Media plurality Communications • Public Interest Merger Reference (Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited) (Pre-emptive Action) Order 2026 published—19/02/2026• Secretary of State for Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues a PIIN—12/02/2026• Case page Completed cases 2026 Parties Stage Public interest ground Industry sector; product market Decision Paramount Skydance Corporation/Warner Bros. Discovery Phase 1 Media plurality Communications • Legally-binding commitments accepted by Secretary of State—06/08/2026• Secretary for DCMS publishes Written Ministerial Statement announcing she is ‘minded’ to issue a PIIN—30/06/2026Case page Completed cases 2025 Parties Stage Public interest ground Industry sector; product market Decision RedBird IMI/Telegraph Media Group (anticipated acquisition) Phase 1 Media plurality Communications • Second revised bid withdrawn—14/11/2025• Extension of deadline for representations from the parties on whether the Secretary of State should refer the transaction

Former senior judge Sir Brian Leveson has warned that prosecutors face 'disaster' unless artificial intelligence (AI) is used to manage the growing volume of digital material in complex criminal cases, an urgent measure in tackling the Crown Court backlog. Leveson explained to Law360, a LexisNexis® company, that the sheer scale of emails, call records, and mobile phone data in modern prosecutions renders manual review unrealistic. Leveson stressed that effective data-search mechanisms are essential for progressing cases within a reasonable timeframe. Leveson's comments come in the wake of the Justice Secretary’s announcement of funding and reform measures aimed at reducing the current Crown Court backlog, which stands at nearly 80,000 cases.

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been introduced to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking. The Bill delivers on the Prime Minister's commitment to create a smokefree generation. The Bill will ensure children aged 15 and below will not be sold tobacco and will introduce new powers to limit vape flavours and packaging that is intentionally marketed towards children. These powers will allow the government to change and restrict how vapes are displayed in shops and strengthen enforcement officers’ powers, which will allow them to issue ‘on the spot fines’ of £100. It will also be illegal to give free samples of vapes to under 18s under the Bill.

Home Office has introduced the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill to prevent British citizenship from being automatically reinstated following a successful initial appeal, even if there may be further appeals available to the Home Office. The bill addresses what the Home Office terms a legal gap following  the Supreme Court’s decision in N3(ZA) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) [2025] UKSC 6 and aims to strengthen national security by ensuring individuals considered a risk cannot regain citizenship or re-enter the UK while further legal proceedings are ongoing. The change also prevents individuals from renouncing other nationalities during this period, which could otherwise render them stateless and limit future deprivation actions. During ‘the appeal period’, a deprivation order will remain in force. The appeal period is the period during which all onward appeals are pending, including the time period within which to appeal has not yet elapsed. The provisions in the bill will have retrospective effect but will not alter existing appeal rights or expand the grounds for deprivation.

Government announced a new industrial strategy aimed at fostering long-term growth across eight key sectors, including advanced manufacturing and clean energy. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasised the strategy’s goal of providing stability for investors and boosting confidence for the next decade. Clare Barclay, CEO of Microsoft UK, will chair the new Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, which will guide the strategy's development through collaboration with businesses and stakeholders. This initiative comes ahead of the International Investment Summit, where UK leaders will discuss attracting global investment to enhance economic productivity.

The Ministry of Justice has reported that the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill has been introduced in Parliament, which aims to establish clear legal guidelines for digital holdings. If passed, the Bill would alter English and Welsh law so that digital holdings including cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens and carbon credits can be considered as personal property. Currently, digital belongings are not definitively included in the scope of English and Welsh property law. This Bill would create a third category of property in addition to 'things in possession' and 'things in action', which would allow for certain digital assets to attract personal property rights.

The government has confirmed progress on its commitment to restrict less healthy food and drink, also referred to as products high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS products), advertising on TV and online. A 9pm watershed will be introduced for TV ads, and a total ban on paid-for online ads will come into force on 1 October 2025, to address childhood obesity. This was announced in a statement made in the House of Commons and House of Lords. The government's announcement follows a consultation on the governments plans to introduce secondary legislation to address HFSS products, which was launched in December 2022. The government has also published a response to this consultation clarifying definitions of HFSS products and what businesses and services fall within the scope of the restrictions. The government has subsequently launched a four-week consultation on the proposed exemption of Ofcom-regulated internet protocol television (IPTV) services from online advertising restrictions on less healthy food and drink. The new consultation will close at 11:59pm on 10 October 2024.

Law360, London: The government rubber-stamped a deal with the UK's state-backed terrorism reinsurer on 10 February 2025 that it said will minimise the risk to the taxpayer of any future loss.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has released an update on the UK government’s contribution to the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4), where the committee’s focus was a global treaty to end plastic pollution by the end of the year. The government announced their support for the treaty, which covers the lifecycle of plastics from production and consumption to waste management. During negotiations, the government announced that the UK would champion efforts to make progress on problematic and avoidable plastic products. Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, said that ‘there remains significant work to do to secure an agreement at the final negotiations in November, and the UK is committed to securing the best outcome for our oceans, communities and wildlife’. The final INC meeting will take place in South Korea at the end of 2024.

The government has published a call for evidence inviting input, data and information from interested parties to inform the first phase of the Pensions Investment Review. This first phase aims to boost investment, increase pension pots and tackle waste in the pensions system. This call for evidence closes on 25 September 2024 at 11:59pm.