The Cabinet Office has updated Procurement Policy Note 021: Payment Spot Checks in Public Sub-Contracts (PPN 021) with updated supporting materials. PPN 021 provides guidance and templates for in-scope authorities to conduct payment spot checks in public contract supply chains to ensure suppliers meet the payment terms set out in section 73 of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023). PPN 021 includes additional guidance on conducting spot checks to ensure the correct terms are being included and adhered to, plus model terms which support spot checks being carried out. The guidance applies for in-scope contracts (as defined in PPN 021) advertised on or after 1 October 2025.

The Cabinet Office has updated its guidance on procurement oversight under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023). The updated version contains a small but important correction in paragraph four. The updated version refers to the powers under PA 2023, Pt 10 (Procurement Oversight), relating to compliance. It refers to new powers introduced under PA 2023 to issue recommendations to a contracting authority and to require progress reports on the implementation of those recommendations. This paragraph previously referred to the supplier in error.

The Cabinet Office has published Procurement Policy Note PPN 019: Requirements to publish on Contracts Finder. This Procurement Policy Note (PPN) and its associated guidance on the transparency requirements for publishing on Contracts Finder replaces PPN 01/23, and only applies to procurements that were commenced under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015).

The Cabinet Office has updated Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 002: Taking account of social value in the award of contracts. PPN 002 was published in conjunction with the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) ahead of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023) ‘go-live’ in February 2025. PPN 002 provides guidance for contracting authorities on taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts by using the updated Social Value Model and associated Guide. PPN 002 applies to central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Other contracting authorities may wish to apply the guidance, but PPN 002 does not apply to private utilities contracts or to the Ministry of Defence in respect of defence and security contracts defined by PA 2023, s 7. The updates are said to reflect ‘small revisions’ to the Guide to using the Social Value Model.

Cabinet Office has updated the guidance on spend controls for central government organisations, specifically revising the section on National Property Control (NPC). This update effective from 20 January 2025, forms part of the Version 7 guidance for central government organisations and their sponsored bodies. The NPC requires organisations to develop a Property Event Pipeline and seek approval for property acquisitions and tenancy continuations above specified thresholds. The policy aims to improve efficiency in government property management and ensure alignment with broader strategic objectives. Legal practitioners advising on government property transactions should note the updated requirements, including the £500,000 threshold for expenditure approval and the need for ministerial approval for transactions of £1m per annum or more.

The Cabinet Office has issued Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs) 015 and 018, which provide updated guidance on how to consider suppliers' payment approaches when procuring major government contracts. These new PPNs, effective from 24 February 2025 and 1 October 2025 respectively, will supersede previous PPNs on this subject for in-scope procurements and continue the government's focus on fair payment practices in public sector procurement, with updates to reflect new terminology introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024. The guidance aims to ensure that contracting authorities can effectively evaluate and account for suppliers' payment behaviours when awarding significant contracts, promoting responsible business practices throughout the supply chain.

The Cabinet Office has issued a revised version of its guide to making legislation.

The Cabinet Office has published an update to its guide to making legislation, which sets out the procedures for preparing primary legislation and taking it through Parliament. A new version of the guide was published in February 2025. In the update, section 10.4 (on the legal status of explanatory notes) has been revised.

The Cabinet Office has published the latest version of the 'List of Cabinet Committees and their membership' guidance, current as of October 2024. Cabinet and Cabinet Committees are groups of ministers that can take collective decisions that are binding across government.

The Cabinet Office has updated its Model Services Contract, Mid-Tier Contract and Short Form Contract collections to include new guidance for buyers under the Procurement Act 2023.

The Cabinet Office has updated its collection: ‘Public Inquiries: Recommendations and the Government Response’, adding links to new dashboards relating to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2, Covid-19 Inquiry and Manchester Arena Inquiry. The webpage provides access to dashboards tracking the government’s commitments and progress in implementing recommendations from public inquiries made since 2024. Each dashboard outlines the inquiry’s recommendations, the government’s response and updates on actions taken by the relevant departments and public bodies.

The Cabinet Office has updated the terms of reference for the Interministerial Group (IMG) on UK-EU Relations and published the latest communiqués. The revisions to IMG's working arrangements account for the transfer of UK-EU relations oversight from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the Cabinet Office. Meeting notes from 6 March and 3 December 2024 detail discussions on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement, UK-EU institutional engagement, and the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.