The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) has published its report on the performance of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) from 2022–2023, renewing its call for legislative reform of the PHSO. PACAC has asked the PHSO to outline, in its response, steps to address concerns mentioned in the report, particularly concerning service provision to the elderly and those with disabilities. PACAC has also recommended for PHSO to present information on time involved in case resolution and its work with stakeholders to emphasise mediation in the Complaint Standards for the NHS and for the government.

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) has published a report examining the administration of the 2024 General Election. The Committee has identified systemic risks including complex electoral law, reduced supplier numbers and administrative pressures. The report notes that between 770,000 and 1.9m voters were affected by voter ID requirements and highlights concerns about postal voting failures in Scotland. PACAC called for automated registration systems and curriculum changes to address declining youth participation.

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) has published its second report of session 2023-24 on the UK’s constitutional arrangements for making international agreements. It follows PACAC’s inquiry, ‘The Scrutiny of International Treaties and other international agreements in the 21st century’. In the report, PACAC emphasised that scrutiny of international agreements is a ‘core constitutional function of Parliament’ and raised concerns over current arrangements falling short of a ‘constitutionally sufficient level of scrutiny’. The government has two months to respond to PACAC’s recommendations.

The UK Parliament has reported that MPs have warned against abandoning the Census before ‘long-standing barriers to the sharing of data for statistical and research purposes’ are addressed. This recommendation comes from a report published by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) titled ‘Transforming the UK’s Evidence Base’. PACAC has also recommended the establishment of a framework to help identify and prioritise demands for data. MPs have asked the government to finalise and publish plans on improving the comparability of UK-wide data.

Law360: Draft legislation aimed at reversing a Supreme Court ruling that reversed the financing of class actions has been well-received by litigation funders, but critics say the government has steamed ahead at the expense of consumers.

Codes of Practice which regulate police powers and protect public rights which are required to be published by the Home Office under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. PACE Codes of Practice cover stop and search; arrest; detention; investigation; identification and interviewing detainees.

Section 24 of PACE Act 1984 explains the circumstances in which a constable may exercise the power of arrest without issuing a warrant. If a constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed or is about to be committed, they may arrest without a warrant anyone whom they have reasonable grounds to suspect of being guilty of it. The power of arrest can only be used where the constable has reasonable grounds for believing the arrest to be necessary.

Section 18 of PACE 1984 confers on constables the power of entry and search after arrest. A constable may enter and search any premises controlled or occupied by a person under arrest for an offence where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that there is evidence on the premises relating to that offence or a related offence. A search may be carried out before the person is arrested and taken to the police station.

Professional Arbitration on Court Terms (PACT) is a joint initiative between the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Law Society as a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (LTA 1954) lease renewal disputes (see: PACT—Lease renewal disputes for a link to the joint Law Society and PACT guidance note: Surveyors And Lawyers Involved In Tenancy Renewals Under PACT). This Practice Note covers the aims of PACT, how it works, which type of PACT is most useful and whether an arbitrator or an expert should be used, along with fee considerations, advantages and disadvantages. PACT provides landlords and tenants with an alternative method of resolving outstanding issues on a lease renewal, outside the court process. For more information regarding lease renewals and proceedings, see Practice Notes: LTA 1954 business lease renewal—proceedings and LTA 1954 business lease renewal—termination. With the consent of both parties, issues relating to outstanding terms of the renewal lease are referred to an independent third party, acting as either an arbitrator or independent expert

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has published a report examining artificial intelligence applications in consumer healthcare advertising following engagement with members, regulators, industry experts and international trade associations. The report identifies current AI usage in creative development, claim generation and compliance monitoring, while highlighting concerns regarding accuracy, confidentiality, liability and the requirement for human oversight. PAGB Deputy CEO Laura Kelly stated the organisation will continue examining AI integration opportunities while assessing risks to ensure adopted tools deliver value for members. The trade association represents manufacturers of branded over-the-counter medicines, self-care medical devices and food supplements in the UK.

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has rejected a formal advertising complaint and subsequent appeal by Kenvue regarding Allevia's ‘It's a No-Brainer’ claim. The complaint, filed on 18 June 2025, alleged that the claim violated consumer code rules by implying guaranteed effects, denigrating competitor products, and making unsubstantiated superiority claims. Kenvue also raised concerns that advertising could pose safety risks by encouraging consumers to choose medicine without proper consideration.

A PAIF is an open-ended investment company (OEIC), which: • has a business portfolio comprising predominantly real property or shares in UK REITs or non-UK REIT-type entities • meets a number of other conditions as to its ownership, funding and business activities, and • has notified HMRC that it wishes to be subject to the PAIF regime Authorised investment funds in general are not restricted to OEICs, so an authorised investment fund which is not an OEIC (eg, one which is an authorised unit trust (AUT)) must first convert to an OEIC—an AUT cannot qualify as a PAIF.