The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) has published guidance outlining how gateway assurance reviews should be planned, conducted and reported for infrastructure projects. The guidance comprises eight documents, including workbooks for five sequential gate reviews covering: business justification (Gate 1); delivery strategy (Gate 2); investment decision (Gate 3); Gate 4 and operations review and benefits realisation (Gate 5). It also includes report criteria for small projects and a review template. This process is designed to ensure that infrastructure business cases meet the standards required by international lenders and is applicable to countries at central, local, or regional government levels. Gateway reviews may be mandatory when central government funding is used, or they may be applied voluntarily in cases involving local government or international funding.

Nuclear Liabilities Fund: A Scottish registered company holding investments with a market value of £8.85bn at 31 March 2014, for the purpose of providing funding to meet certain waste management costs of and, in due course, the decommissioning liabilities of, the eight nuclear power stations of EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Group Limited.

Nuclear Liabilities Financing Assurance Board: an independent board created by DECC to provide impartial scrutiny and advice on the suitability of the Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP), submitted by operators of new nuclear power stations. The Board will advise the Secretary of State on the financial arrangements that operators submit for approval, and on the regular review and on-going scrutiny of funding. NLFAB has robust powers to protect the funds supporting operators’ FDPs.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has announced the Nature Towns and Cities initiative, seeking to enable at least 100 towns and cities across the UK transform access to green space in urban areas. Starting in its ‘beta phase’, the initiative aims to attract further investment and support for greener, fairer, and more climate-resilient urban neighbourhoods and communities. It will also help local authorities develop and implement Local Nature Recovery Strategies, identifying opportunities for nature recovery in urban areas. This initiative was set up by the NLHF, National Trust, and Natural England, working with NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency.

Nuclear Materials Accountancy

The News Media Association (NMA) has launched the ‘Make it Fair’ campaign to oppose proposed government changes to copyright law that could allow AI firms to use creative content without permission or payment. The campaign, coinciding with the government’s consultation closing on 25 February 2025, warns of the risks to a sector generating over £120bn annually. Industry leaders urge the public to write to Members of Parliament, calling for legal protections to ensure creators receive fair compensation.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Medical Council (GMC) have published new resources to support healthcare professionals working in maternity care, particularly within multidisciplinary teams. As part of its ‘Good teamwork means better maternity care’ campaign, the NMC has published new case studies showcasing effective teamwork from the perspectives of midwives, neonatal nurses, doctors, women and families. These highlight multidisciplinary team working, shared learning, open communication and approaches to tackling health inequalities. These resources are intended to guide professionals in delivering safe, person-centred care in accordance with the NMC’s Code and standards. To complement these resources, the GMC has launched a new maternity-focused page on its ethical hub.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has announced their endorsement of the Shared Intelligence Framework. NMC joins other health and social care regulators including, the Health & Care Professions Council, General Dental Council and General Medical Council in supporting the framework. The framework aims to ensure that health and social care regulators can identify, review and address risks at the earliest opportunity.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has announced that it will expand its Sensitive and Complex Casework Team by adding new investigators and legal experts to handle Fitness to Practise cases directly. The team manages referrals arising from public inquiries, regulatory or criminal investigations, neonatal or maternal deaths and coroner findings. This expansion aims to reduce the caseloads on other teams and minimise the need for external investigations.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has announced that Melanie Hayes, a nurse, was struck off the register after a High Court decided against the decision of the NMC’s Fitness to Practise Committee. The High Court considered her insufficient to protect the public due to the former nurse’s inappropriate and racist comments. The court approved the consent order which was agreed by all parties.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has announced its plans to consult with unions and senior Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic registrants on measures to remove ethnic and gender bias from its Fitness to Practise (FtP) process, ahead of presenting proposals on 2 December 2026. It plans to roll out finalised measures in early 2026 to meet its equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) target to eliminate ethnicity and gender disparities in FtP by 2030. The EDI targets form part of wide-ranging changes the NMC is introducing to embed EDI and anti-racism under its Culture Transformation Plan.  The NMC has also announced internal plans including updates to recruitment and retention processes and an increase in ethnic diversity among its panel members.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to its Fitness to Practise (FtP) rules to make the process faster, fairer and more compassionate. While the UK government plans to modernise outdated legislation from 2026, the NMC seeks interim reforms, subject to Privy Council and parliamentary approval. Key proposals include appointing legally qualified chairs to panels, strengthening case management powers, enabling digital information sharing, introducing flexibility in timelines, and improving support for vulnerable witnesses. These changes aim to reduce delays, improve hearing efficiency and make the process more person-centred. Wider legislative reform will also protect the title ‘nurse’ in law, and the NMC is working with the Department of Health and Social Care, the General Medical Council and other regulators to ensure a streamlined, compassionate framework. The consultation closes on 26 January 2026.