The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced plans to amend the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, SI 2002/618 to incorporate common specifications for high-risk in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices. The changes include repealing Coronavirus Test Device Approvals (CTDA) regulations and introducing an accelerated approval process for CE-marked Coronavirus Test Devices. This decision follows strong support from consultation respondents for replacing the CTDA process with the common specifications. The changes aim to ensure that IVD devices meet high performance standards supported by clinical evidence and improve patient care and public health outcomes.

This archived Practice Note is a summary of the key legal developments that are expected to impact corporate lawyers during 2021 and beyond. It is reviewed and updated throughout the year. Coronavirus (COVID-19) will continue to be a significant issue throughout 2021. In the first instance it may be useful to refer to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)—legislation tracker [Archived] and Practice Note: Coronavirus (COVID-19)—key issues for Corporate lawyers. Other key developments to look out for during 2021 will continue to include those connected to Brexit. To track Brexit-related legislation, including statutory instruments, see the Brexit legislation tracker [Archived]. It may also be useful to refer to the Brexit collection and Brexit timeline [Archived]. To track legal and regulatory developments relating to other specific topics, see: • Corporate governance horizon scanning—2021 and beyond • National Security and Investment Bill—progress tracker • National Security and Investment regime—market practice tracker [Archived] • UK listing and prospectus regime reform—progress tracker • SPAC tracker • Dual class share structure tracker • Listing Rules tracker • Prospectus Regulation Rules tracker • UK Prospectus Regulation tracker • EU

Employment law dates for your 2022 diary This Practice Note is a summary of the key legal developments that impacted employment lawyers during the course of 2022. The tables below set out, in chronological order, dates of relevance for employment lawyers, covering cases, legislation and consultations, sorted by month during 2022. More information and links to relevant news stories can be found in: • Case tracker—Employment • Archived—2022 Case tracker—Employment • Legislation tracker—Employment • Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Legislation tracker for employment [Archived], and • Consultation tracker—Employment January 2022 Date Type of event Topic Subject 7 January 2022 (partly, and fully on 1 April 2022) Legislation in force Coronavirus (COVID-19)—vaccination The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) (No 2) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/15, amended the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, SI 2014/2936, including to make further provision in relation to the vaccination of care home staff and entry into a care home 7 January 2022 (at 4.00 am partly, on 9 January 2022 at

Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 The object of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA 2020) was to avoid insolvency and assist businesses to continue operating during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and ensuing economic uncertainty. The UK government published the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill on 20 May 2020. It went through the accelerated Parliamentary process and received the Royal Assent on 25 June 2020. The main parts of CIGA 2020 consist of the following: • a new moratorium whereby the formal insolvency process is suspended • a new restructuring plan for companies in financial difficulty whereby a company and its creditors (and/or members) can agree a plan for the purpose of reducing, preventing or mitigating its financial difficulties • a prohibition on the issue of statutory demands and winding up petitions relating to debts arising from coronavirus • suspension of

This Q&A assumes that the property is in England and the landlord is a private landlord, not a social housing provider. In normal times, the simplest way to seek possession of an assured shorthold tenancy, the fixed term of which has expired (or is about to do so), is by serving a section 21 notice (section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (HA 1988)) and the use of accelerated possession proceedings. However, under the Coronavirus Act 2020 and related regulations, from 29 August 2020, the notice required to be given in a section 21 notice is six months, so some alternative mechanisms may be more attractive (see Practice Note: Coronavirus (COVID-19)—implications for property [Archived], in particular section ‘Residential tenancies—extended notice periods’). HA 1988, Sch 2, Pt I contains the grounds

This week's edition of Insurance weekly highlights includes: Policyholders challenge coronavirus (COVID-19) furlough payouts at UK Supreme Court; UK property insurance payouts to hit record, Deloitte says; PRA grants modification by consent on reporting requirements for third-country insurance branches; European Sustainability Reporting Standards: EIOPA publishes Opinion on EFRAG technical advice; Solvency II: Regulation specifying quantitative parameters published in OJ; Solvency II: Implementing regulation for the calculation of technical provisions and basic own funds published in OJ; EIOPA publishes six IRRD instruments; EIOPA updates guidelines on supervisory review process and treatment of market and counterparty risk exposures; IAIS publishes final Application Paper on operational resilience objectives plus key cases and dates for your diary.

This Checklist is intended for in-house lawyers. It sets out the clauses you should consider to protect your organisation in both existing and new contracts in the event of a pandemic. It should be read in conjunction with Practice Note: Pandemic risk management guide. See also Practice Note: Drafting for unforeseen events—commercial contracts Clause Existing contract New contract Force majeure See Q&As:—Can my force majeure clause protect me against the economic impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)?—Is a force majeure clause enforceable in a business-to-consumer contract because of coronavirus (COVID-19)?—Does coronavirus (COVID-19) qualify as a biological contamination for the purposes of a definition of force majeure? Force majeure is defined as a list of event and does not have any broader wording such as ‘without limitation’ or similar?—Where a force majeure event is defined as something beyond a party's reasonable control 'including but not limited to' a list of specified events, would a court consider that list as indicative of the type of event that would constitute a force majeure event?See also Precedent: Force majeure

Background Statutory declarations are a necessary part of insolvency proceedings, most commonly where a company enters members’ voluntary liquidation (MVL) (see section 89 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986)) and where a company enters administration by an out-of-court appointment (see the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 (IR 2016), SI 2016/1024, r 3.17). Section 20 of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 (SDA 1835) prescribes the form of the statutory declaration to be given, as set out in the Schedule to SDA 1835. SDA 1835, s 19 states that a fee is payable and this is prescribed by the Commissioners for Oaths (Fees) Order 1993, SI 1993/2297. The fee is £5 for taking an affidavit, declaration or affirmation, and an additional £2 for each exhibit therein referred to and required to be marked or for each schedule required to be marked. Apart from the form of the statutory declaration and provision as to fees, no other prescription as to the formal requirements to be followed is provided.

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 introduces the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC (ICC Court) and the 2017 ICC Rules of Arbitration (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). The ICC Rules apply to any ICC arbitrations commenced on or after 1 March 2017, unless the parties have agreed to submit to the rules in force on the date of their arbitration agreement. The ICC Rules include: • an expedited procedure which automatically applies where the arbitration agreement is entered into after 1 March 2017 and the amount in dispute is below US$2m.

The Insolvency Service has announced 11 sham companies, part of a group that fraudulently claimed UK-taxpayer funds and transferred the money to Hong Kong, have been wound-up. The Insolvency Service noted, that between them, the 11 companies claimed £500,000 through the Bounce Back Loan (BBL) Coronavirus (COVID-19) support scheme.

The Insolvency Service has reported that the director of a data processing and equipment sourcing business, Richard Oliver, has been disqualified for the maximum period (15 years) after obtaining £145,000 in coronavirus (COVID-19) support scheme funds his business was not entitled to.

This week's edition of PI & Clinical Negligence weekly highlights includes news of the 179th and 180th Practice Direction updates and two cases relating to claims against the police. We also bring you a case analysis of a claim for damages for contracting coronavirus in the workplace. In addition, we have our usual roundup of other news, cases and New Law Journal articles of interest.