A new report by think tank British Future addresses the continuing failure of the UK government to reduce small boat crossings and argues that only a scaled-up ‘routes and returns’ deal with France can combine a more controlled system with the compassion needed to sustain refugee protection. Past strategies, from Priti Patel’s pledge to halve crossings to Rishi Sunak’s ‘Stop the boats’ and the abortive Rwanda scheme, have proved ineffective or unworkable, leaving a rising backlog in asylum claims and heavy reliance on hotel accommodation. By contrast, the Starmer government’s recent treaty with France envisages a pilot of around fifty weekly returns and admissions, modest in scope but intended to prove the concept that cooperation, rather than unilateral bans, can ‘restore order’.

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is a key component of the government's UK Modern Industrial Strategy aimed at improving the international competitiveness and profitability of eligible UK businesses by reducing certain electricity policy costs recovered through electricity bills. Through exemptions from the costs associated with the Renewables Obligation (RO), Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) and Capacity Market (CM), BICS is intended to reduce electricity costs for eligible businesses operating in specified frontier and foundational industries. Although the principal beneficiaries of BICS are energy-intensive manufacturers, the scheme has wider implications across the electricity sector. It affects electricity suppliers responsible for administering the exemptions, developers and operators of energy-intensive industrial projects, manufacturers of components used in energy infrastructure, and parties negotiating electricity supply agreements, private wire arrangements and co-location projects. This Practice Note explains how BICS operates, the eligibility criteria, the level of relief available and the implementation timetable. It also considers the interaction between BICS and the Energy Intensive Industries (EII) scheme and the British Industry Supercharger, together with the key practical implications

The Interpretation Act 1978 provides that British Islands includes the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, but not the Republic of Ireland.

The British Isles includes the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and the Republic of Ireland.

Trade association representing owners and investors in commercial and residential property. The BPF publishes standard forms of contract'>building contract, appointments and warranties.

The British Red Cross has published a report on improving refugee accommodation for displaced Ukrainians. The report sets out the experiences of displaced people, identifies good practice and learning, and makes recommendations to strengthen support generally for people seeking safety in the UK. The report summarises the findings from the British Red Cross’ review of accommodation responses in the UK, EU and Canada, focus group discussions with 35 displaced Ukrainians across the UK, and interviews with 31 professional stakeholders involved in the delivery of the Ukraine visa schemes.

Loan market and developments Please provide a brief overview of the current state of the loan markets in your jurisdiction and any significant recent market developments The British Virgin Islands (BVI) does not have a commercial loan market as such and any lending into the territory that forms the subject of this guide would be provided by a non-BVI lender. Typically a BVI company acting as a borrower would borrow from any of the world's major financial centres and would also utilise its facilities outside the BVI. Currently the bulk of the lending that the jurisdiction is seeing is provided by European, Asian and North American lenders. Balance sheet lending and asset finance have historically been the largest sectors for the jurisdiction, but global market conditions have also seen a marked increase in restructurings and work-outs. Please provide a brief overview of forthcoming changes to the law or other matters that may affect the loan markets or the responses to the questions below There

Law360: The Court of Appeal on 2 December 2024 upheld the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s (EAT) decision to overturn an Employment Tribunal's ruling that a regulator discriminated against a British actuary by giving preferential treatment to Indian nationals.

Law 360: A court ruled on 12 September 2019 that Cynergy Bank Ltd does not have to pay interest on a £30m ($37m) loan it took out with Cyprus-based Lamesa Investments Ltd while US sanctions targeting the company's ultimate Russian owner remain in place.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has brought bribery charges against British businessman Zuneth Sattar following an investigation into international corruption involving senior Malawian officials. In a Westminster Magistrates Court, Sattar—born in Malawi in 1981—faces 18 charges and is accused of paying up to $US50,000 in bribes to public officials between December 2020 and September 2021 to secure public contracts worth $US56m for anti-riot gear, food ration packs, and armoured personnel carriers. Anti-corruption charity Spotlight on Corruption and Malawian NGO Youth and Society have called on the UK and the government of Malawi to enhance accountability measures by intensifying investigations and protecting anti-corruption advocates. The charge sheet lists several high-ranking Malawian figures, including the late vice president Saulos Chilima and the president’s former chief of staff, Prince Kapondamgaga, among others in public procurement, law enforcement, and anti-corruption agencies. Sattar has been released on conditional bail, subject to a travel ban and a £2m surety, with the next court hearing scheduled at Southwark Crown Court on 26 June 2025.

This Practice Note discusses the powers of the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) to deprive a person of British citizenship status or to declare the status a nullity. It also covers the procedure for deprivation of citizenship, the effects it has on the subject and their family members, appeal rights and relevant case law. Legislative framework and guidance The SSHD’s powers to deprive a person of their citizenship status are found in section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA 1981). Under section 40(1), British citizens, British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Protected Persons and British subjects are all liable to deprivation of their citizenship status where the conditions of the section are met. Under BNA 1981, s 43, the exercise of powers to deprive British Overseas Territories citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) of their nationality in a British overseas territory is delegated, with the SSHD’s prior approval, to the Governor of each territory. In the Channel

Law360: Britain has pulled out of Europe's new patent litigation system, but UK law firms have not stood on the sidelines. The country's intellectual property experts have been major players in the court, setting up shop in Dublin and teaming up with patent lawyers.