Foreign Policy Legislation
Legislative framework for international relations, diplomatic affairs, treaties, and overseas development assistance.
The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2025
The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2025, effective April 9th, 2025, amends the Consular Fees Order 2012.
It increases the fees for Emergency Travel Documents and Emergency Passports from £100 and £75 respectively to £125.
The Order applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and no significant impact on the public, private or voluntary sectors is anticipated.
The Multinational Top-up Tax (Pillar Two Territories, Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes and Accredited Qualifying Domestic Top-up Taxes) Regulations 2025
The Multinational Top-up Tax Regulations 2025, effective April 21, 2025, specify territories and domestic taxes aligning with the OECD/G20 Pillar Two model rules.
These rules aim to ensure multinational corporations pay a minimum level of tax, preventing tax avoidance and promoting a fairer system.
The regulations list specific territories and taxes as ‘Pillar Two territories’ and ‘qualifying domestic top-up taxes’ effective from various dates in late 2023 and early 2024, also allowing HMRC to specify additional entities through notice publication.
The Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, effective April 21st, 2025, amend and modify EU regulations on drivers' hours and tachographs to reflect the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU, as per the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Key changes include adjusting the scope of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 and amending its definition of "special regular passenger services." Furthermore, the regulations modify Regulation (EU) No 165/2014, extending the record-keeping period to 56 days and making consequential amendments to Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/403.
The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Belarus) (Revocation) Order 2025
This Order, effective April 1st, 2025, revokes the 2018 Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement agreement between the UK and Belarus.
The revocation applies to income tax, capital gains tax, corporation tax, and comparable Belarusian taxes, impacting tax years 2025-26 onward for income tax and capital gains tax, and financial years beginning April 1st, 2025, onward for corporation tax.
The stated reason for the revocation is not detailed in the Order itself.
The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2025
The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2025, effective April 7th, 2025, updates the rates of pensions and allowances payable under the 1983 Scheme to civilians injured or killed during World War II. The amendment replaces the tables in Schedules 3 and 4 outlining these rates, adjusting them to current values.
The order applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) (Amendment) Order 2025
The Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) (Amendment) Order 2025, effective March 13, 2025, adds Trinidad and Tobago to the list of countries whose citizens require a transit visa to pass through the UK without entering.
A transitional provision exempts those who already had bookings for arrival before April 23, 2025, and arrived by that date.
The Order is supported by Sections 41 and 166(3) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
The Football Spectators (2025 FIFA Club World Cup Control Period) Order 2025
The Football Spectators (2025 FIFA Club World Cup Control Period) Order 2025 establishes a control period from June 9th to July 13th, 2025, under the Football Spectators Act 1989, for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. This enables the use of summary measures to detain and refer individuals to court for banning orders, passport surrender requirements, and specific bail conditions.
The order applies to England and Wales.
The Judicial Pensions (European Court of Human Rights) (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order amends the Judicial Pensions (European Court of Human Rights) Order 1998 to update pension provisions for judges of the European Court of Human Rights.
The amendments clarify the interaction between UK pension schemes and the Council of Europe scheme, ensuring that ECHR judges retain pension benefits under the UK's Judicial Pensions Regulations 2022, even if they opt into the Council of Europe's scheme.
It also defines 'Pensionable Earnings' for ECHR judges and ensures their UK judicial office is treated as a qualifying office under the 2022 Regulations.
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025 designates numerous central government bodies as 'designated bodies' for the financial year ending 31 March 2026.
This designation is for their inclusion in the supply estimates and resource accounts of their respective government departments.
The order covers various government departments and agencies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
It is based on powers granted by the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 and includes consultations with devolved administrations.
The Recognition of Overseas Qualifications (Charges) (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025
These regulations establish the fee structure for services related to recognizing overseas qualifications in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
They detail charges for statements of comparability, qualification reference statements, bundle services (standard and refugee-focused), and subscription packages to a qualification database.
Payment is made to the Secretary of State or a designated organization, with provisions for refunds.
These regulations replace the 2024 regulations, addressing drafting errors and incorporating feedback from devolved governments.
The Protection of Trading Interests (Authorisation) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Protection of Trading Interests (Authorisation) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 2021 Regulations by extending an existing authorization for Three Crowns (Services) LLP to comply with Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96 until March 31, 2027.
The regulations came into force on February 28, 2025, and apply across the UK. A full impact assessment was deemed unnecessary due to the lack of anticipated effects on the public or private sectors.
The Space Industry (Licence Exemption for Military Activities of Allies) Regulations 2025
The Space Industry (Licence Exemption for Military Activities of Allies) Regulations 2025 exempt authorized personnel from allied armed forces, international military organizations, and related entities from needing operator or range control licenses for sub-orbital spaceflight activities conducted for national security purposes.
These exemptions apply when activities originate from Crown land, land controlled by His Majesty's forces, or specific ships or platforms in UK territorial waters.
The regulations were created under the Space Industry Act 2018, following public consultation and parliamentary approval, and also amend the Space Industry Regulations 2021.
The Proscribed Organisations (Name Change) Order 2025
The Proscribed Organisations (Name Change) Order 2025, made under the Terrorism Act 2000, officially recognizes ‘Majeed Brigade’ as an alternative name for the proscribed organization ‘Baluchistan Liberation Army.’ This action aims to improve counter-terrorism efforts by closing legal loopholes and facilitating effective prosecution and monitoring of the group’s activities, regardless of the name used.
The order extends to the entire United Kingdom and took effect the day after parliamentary review.
The Statutory Neonatal Care Pay (Persons Abroad and Mariners) Regulations 2025
These regulations, effective April 6, 2025, extend statutory neonatal care pay eligibility under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to individuals working abroad, mariners, and those employed on the continental shelf.
The regulations specify conditions for eligibility, including employment location, employer liability for national insurance contributions, and periods of employment in the EEA. They also clarify the treatment of individuals under existing UK and EU social security legislation and establish procedures for compliance with time limits, particularly for those temporarily outside of the UK.
The Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025
The Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025 implements crucial updates to UK procurement law, including revised threshold amounts for contract values, amendments to international trade obligations, and comprehensive changes to primary and secondary legislation.
The regulations modernize procurement processes, strengthen security measures, and establish transitional provisions while ensuring alignment with international agreements.