Press Complaints Commission (PCC): the UK’s independent self-regulatory body dealing with complaints relating to editorial content of newspapers and magazines in addition to their websites. The UK print media funds the PCC and voluntarily adheres to the Editors’ Code of Practice. With no legal powers to either impose fines or refer breaches of the Code for further action, the PCC was heavily criticised for its inaction following the phone hacking scandal and is to be replaced by a new independent regulator in the wake of the Leveson inquiry.

Law360: The Pensions Action Group (PAG) has called on members of the House of Lords to back reforms that would see arrears payments made to retirees previously denied inflation-linked pension increases.

A closed, strong-walled container housing the core of most power reactors and designed to hold gases or liquids at high pressures. It usually also contains the moderator, neutron reflector, thermal shield, and control rods.

Policy context The original version of the National Planning Policy Framework (2012 NPPF) was published on 27 March 2012, taking immediate effect. It consolidated over 1,000 pages of planning policy statements, guidance and circulars into one document. At the heart of the 2012 NPPF was the presumption in favour of sustainable development. As originally drafted, the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied to plan-making and decision-taking. For plan-making, the presumption meant that: • local planning authorities (LPAs) should positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area, and • local plans should meet objectively assessed needs, with sufficient flexibility to adapt to rapid change, unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the 2012 NPPF taken as a whole, or specific policies in the 2012 NPPF indicated development should be restricted For decision-taking, the presumption meant that: • development proposals that accorded with the development plan should be approved without delay, and

On 17 August 2026, a revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published which made significant amendments to the presumption in favour of sustainable development. This Practice Note has been archived and is no longer being maintained. For guidance on the presumption in favour of sustainable development in the current NPPF, see Practice Note: Presumption in favour of sustainable development and positive plan-making policies under the 2026 NPPF. Policy context The original version of the NPPF was published on 27 March 2012, taking immediate effect. It consolidated over 1,000 pages of planning policy statements, guidance and circulars into one document. At the heart of the 2012 NPPF was the presumption in favour of sustainable development. In July 2018, the government published a revised NPPF and that was subject to minor changes made in a February 2019 version. Further revisions were published on 20 July 2021, September 2023 and December 2023 (the 2023 NPPF). The 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 versions of the NPPF retain the presumption

An order of the court declaring a missing person to be dead.

The very general presumption that people have acted lawfully unless and until the contrary is proved.

MLex: A plan by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to publicise details of companies under investigation is justified by the regulator's role in preventing fraud and in the government's economic crime plan, the FCA's chief executive said today.

This Practice Note considers the striking off of a company from the register of companies and how to deal with this in the context of a fixed charge/ LPA receivership sale of a property owned by a company is in danger of being struck off and dissolved. Part 31 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) provides two ways for a company to be struck off the register of companies and dissolved: • voluntarily, on application by the company, and • pursuant to the powers of the Registrar of Companies (the Registrar) This Practice Note is concerned with the latter of these two alternatives—striking off by the Registrar. Striking off by the Registrar of Companies Company not in business or operation The Registrar of Companies has the power to take steps to strike off a company in accordance with the statutory procedure if the Registrar has reasonable cause to believe that a company is not carrying on business or is not in operation. The Registrar is likely to instigate this process if a company has failed

Boilerplate provisions in public sector contracts This Practice Note looks at the use of prevention of corruption and bribery clauses in public sector contracts. For more information on what contracting authorities (and other interested parties) need to know when using boilerplate provisions in public sector agreements, see Practice Note: Boilerplate provisions in public sector agreements: general considerations. Public procurement reform As of 24 February 2025, the main provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023) are in force. Procurements begun on or after this date must be carried out under PA 2023. The existing public procurement rules (including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) and Procurement Practice Notes (PPNs), Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, and Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011) and/or those governed by other statute(s) (such as health care procurements) continue to apply to procurements already commenced when the PA 2023 regime entered into force. Procurements starting after the entry into force of PA 2023 must be conducted by reference to PA

1 Prevention of fraud 1.1 For the purposes of this clause 1: 1.1.1 the expressions ‘Associated With’, ‘Fraud Offence‘ and ‘Prevention Procedures’ shall be construed in accordance with Part 5 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA 2023) and guidance published under it; 1.1.2 Corporate Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence means an offence under section 199 of ECCTA 2023[ and any other applicable United Kingdom laws, legislation, statutory instruments and regulations in relation to failure to prevent fraud] [ and any similar or equivalent laws in any other relevant jurisdiction[ including [specify]] ]; 1.1.3 Policies means the Customer’s anti-fraud policies as set out in Schedule [insert] as updated by the Customer and notified to the Supplier from time to time; 1.1.4 Supplier Associated Person means all or any of the following: (a) the Supplier’s officers, employees, agents, subcontractors, subsidiaries, and persons Associated With the Supplier (Supplier’s Associates); and (b) persons Associated With any of the Supplier’s Associates, in each case, involved in performing services for or on behalf of the Supplier, the Services, and/or this Agreement. 1.2 The Supplier shall ensure that it and Supplier Associated Persons shall not by any act

The Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 (PSHFA 2013) creates two new offences in relation to subletting tenancies for secure and assured tenants, including properties owned by registered social landlords (RSLs). The offences are those of subletting and dishonesty. (Note that the offences do not apply to tenants under a shared ownership lease). Prosecution The power to prosecute for offences under PSHFA 2013)is in section 3, and that power lies with the local authority (LA).