The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) has announced amendments to the Code of Sport-Related Arbitration and Schedule of Costs, effective from 1 July 2025.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has responded to the Scottish government’s consultation on reviewing Scottish charity regulation which closed on 22 July 2024. ICAS has called for a comprehensive review considering the time that has passed since the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 came into effect. ICAS expressed that the review should build on the reforms of the Charities (Regulation and Administration) Act 2023 and should consider what changes are needed to ensure regulation is effective, meets the future needs of the sector and maintains public trust and confidence.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has confirmed that the interim guidance issued in September 2025 by it, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) (Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs)) on handling potential motor finance redress awards remains in force, despite the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) motor finance redress scheme rules coming into force on 31 March 2026. Although the RPBs had prepared updated guidance ahead of the scheme's expected introduction later this year, ongoing legal challenges mean the existing guidance continues to apply. While the FCA's rules require lenders to identify individuals entitled to compensation, identify those subject to insolvency procedures and ensure compensation is paid to the appropriate party under insolvency provisions, the RPBs continue to advise office holders not to investigate portfolios for potential claims, delay case closures, or instruct claims management companies or law firms to pursue claims, and to explain to debtors how any redress may be treated. Further guidance is scheduled to be issued once the outcome of the legal challenges is known.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has highlighted the main updates insolvency practitioners should note in the revised accountancy sector anti-money laundering guidance. The changes affect monetary thresholds, high-risk jurisdictions, enhanced due diligence, source of funds enquiries, beneficial ownership and identity verification, while Appendix F has yet to be updated. ICAS states that practitioners should review their policies, procedures and training to ensure they reflect the revised guidance and should continue to use Appendix F alongside it until any update is made.

The Advertising Standards Authority has announced its role as a founding sponsor of the new Global Think Tank, launched by the International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) to promote responsible advertising worldwide. This initiative brings together global stakeholders, including regulatory organisations and industry leaders, to enhance advertising practices and will initially focus on sustainability and the responsible use of AI in advertising, with plans to expand its scope in the future.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has outlined proposed reforms to Scotland’s Minimal Asset Process (MAP) bankruptcy route that would widen access to debt relief and increase protection for essential assets. Subject to the Scottish Parliament’s approval, the Bankruptcy and Attachment (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 would take effect on 1 April 2027. They would raise the maximum eligible debt from £25,000 to £50,000, the total asset limit from £2,000 to £5,000 and the single asset limit from £1,000 to £3,000. The value of a vehicle excluded from the asset limits would rise from £3,000 to £7,000, while the minimum period between MAP applications would fall from ten years to six years. The regulations would also increase the values of vehicles and tools of trade exempt from attachment, and sentimental items protected from exceptional attachment orders, allowing debtors to retain more assets needed for work, mobility and daily living. Administrative changes would update application forms and make email the default communication method unless an alternative is requested. ICAS notes that the regulations contain no transitional provisions and suggests that insolvency practitioners consider whether the revised asset protections could affect assets not yet realised in existing cases.

The International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) has published a formal statement following the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the case Royal Football Club Seraing v. FIFA et al (Case C-600/23). The CJEU confirmed that arbitral awards issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) may be subject to review by European state courts, but only insofar as they concern matters of European Union public policy.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has reported on a Sheriff Appeal Court ruling in Collinge & Hamilton as Joint Liquidators of AyMa IOT Ltd (in Liquidation) v MacMillan & Ahmad [2026] SAC (Civ) 58, in which the court upheld decree for repayment of just under £360,000 received by a former director. The liquidators alleged breach of duty and misfeasance under section 212 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986) and gratuitous alienation under IA 1986, s 242. The director accepted receiving the payments but said they represented legitimate salary and bonuses. The court found the defence insufficiently detailed because he had not explained when or how the remuneration was agreed, the basis of any bonus entitlement or why payments of that scale were reasonable given the company’s financial position. It also rejected reliance on pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) and national insurance deductions. The court confirmed that a defence may be legally relevant in principle but still fail for lack of adequate specification and refused amendment where the deficiencies had been known since October 2024. ICAS says the decision underlines the need for office-holders to plead recovery claims with sufficient factual detail and for directors to address specification issues at an early stage.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has responded to HMRC consultation on modernising the taxation of company distributions and capital repayments. ICAS supports evidence-based reform but warns that proposed changes could disrupt legitimate business restructuring without sufficient evidence of misuse. It calls for targeted anti-avoidance rules, continued access to capital reduction demergers and more flexible statutory demerger conditions. It also raises concerns that proposed share buyback restrictions could hinder succession planning and ownership changes in family businesses. ICAS supports measures to address invalid distributions and prevent double taxation but seeks clear guidance on extending loans-to-participators rules to non-UK resident companies. It urges HMRC to retain statutory advance clearances and legislative safe harbours if the Transactions in Securities regime is reformed, to preserve certainty for taxpayers and advisers.

The Independent Commission on Adult Social Care (ICASC) has published a letter by its Chair, Baroness Casey, to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, urging immediate action on adult safeguarding, dementia and Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Recommendations include: establishing a National Safeguarding Board, an urgent review of safeguarding powers, increased investment in dementia drug trials, faster progress on the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, appointing a Dementia Tsar, and introducing a fast-track ‘passport’ for MND patients. Baroness Casey reiterated these concerns in her speech at the Nuffield Trust Summit.

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ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained. CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): Many arbitral organisations have responded to the coronavirus pandemic with practical guidance and/or changes to their usual procedures and ways of working. This Practice Note considers the ICC Terms of Reference (TOR) under the 2017 International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Rules of Arbitration (2017 ICC Rules). It also refers to the guidance in the ICC Note to Parties and Arbitral Tribunals on the Conduct of the Arbitration under the ICC Rules of Arbitration (ICC Note). References in this Practice Note to articles of and appendices to the ICC Arbitration Rules are to the 2017 ICC Rules unless otherwise indicated. The 2017 ICC Rules apply to any ICC arbitrations commenced on or after 1 March 2017, unless the parties have agreed to submit to the ICC rules in force on the date of their arbitration agreement. The 2017 ICC Rules include: • an expedited procedure which automatically applies where the arbitration agreement is entered into after 1 March 2017 and the amount