LexBlog (LexBlog United Kingdom)

A new policy paper released on 2 November 2025 sets out the MHRA’s proposals on overhauling and transforming the UK regulation of rare therapies. The intention is for a “bold new rulebook for rare therapies” to be published in 2026. Rare therapies is defined as medicinal products intended to treat rare diseases, specifically, conditions with a...

Changes largely focus on streamlining administrative requirements to reduce the regulatory burden. By Rob Moulton, Gary Whitehead, and Charlotte Collins The FCA has published its long-awaited consultation on its rules and guidance under the restated UK short selling regime. Although originally billed as an area of potentially significant change under the Edinburgh Reforms, HM Treasury...

On 7 November 2025, the Payments Vision Delivery Committee (PVDC) published a policy paper setting out its strategy for the future of UK retail payments infrastructure. The PVDC comprises HM Treasury (HMT), and the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority (the Authorities). Background In November 2024, the Government published...

UK Visit Visa | 4 min Read UK Visit Visa for Parents; Your Complete Guide for 2025 – UK Visit Visa Consultant in India – Mumbai, Delhi & Bangalore In this article we have covered these important points: UK Visit Visa for Parents: Your Real-World Companion for 2025 Watching your parents reunite with their grandchildren,...

The High Court has recently provided clarity on whether liquidators, or the firms supporting them, can limit their liability when acting in a Members’ Voluntary Liquidation (MVL). The case of Pagden[1] confirms that while firms supporting liquidators may be able to limit liability in certain circumstances, liquidators themselves cannot. Background to the Case The dispute...

Following its consultation earlier this year (CP7/25), the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published a Policy Statement (PS17/25) on the Matching Adjustment Investment Accelerator (MAIA). This initiative seeks to enable UK insurers to capitalise more quickly on investment opportunities by removing the requirement for prior approval from the regulator before firms can claim Matching...

On November 4, 2025, the UK High Court handed down judgment in Getty Images v. Stability AI,[1] a case emphasized for its significance to content creators and the AI industry and “the balance to be struck between the two warring factions”.[2] Despite significant public interest in the lawsuit, the issues that remained before the court...

On 5 November 2025, HM Treasury (HMT) published the Financial Inclusion Strategy (the Strategy), setting out the government’s plan to improve the financial inclusion and wellbeing of households across the UK. The Strategy has been shaped by the Financial Inclusion Committee and various stakeholders which includes targeted interventions across three themes – economic abuse, mental...

The UK modern slavery regime has faced scrutiny in recent years for failing to keep up with requirements in other jurisdictions. A recent UK government publication offers a timely and illustrative example of how UK modern slavery laws are being reviewed. The document outlines the Government’s response to various recommendations made by the Joint Committee...

On 5 November 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published Consultation Paper 25/30: Streamlining the UK EMIR Intragroup Regime (CP25/30). Background The UK European Market Infrastructure Regulation (UK EMIR) provides exemptions from the clearing obligation and margin requirements for intragroup transactions, as long as they meet certain conditions. Should all other relevant conditions...

New guidance is the latest in a move to iron out the practical wrinkles from Part 26 and 26A of the Companies Act 2006. On 18 September 2025, the Chancellor of the High Court published a revised Practice Statement regarding Schemes of Arrangement and Restructuring Plans (the “Practice Statement”). This follows a consultation on a...

The ability to cram down dissenting creditors in a Restructuring Plan (RP) is a helpful tool to ensure that a proposed restructuring is not derailed.  But ultimately the power rests with the court in deciding whether to cram down an RP on dissenting creditors. Recently, we have seen the court cram down the RP proposed...

On 3 November 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority co-published guidelines for firms on the Berne Financial Services Agreement (the BFSA). After describing the BFSA the guidelines provide further information for Swiss investment services firms, UK insurance firms and UK investment services firms.

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has commissioned the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC) to conduct research on the impact of AI and other disruptive technologies on the UK’s financial services sector. This initiative aims to assess how these technologies will influence business practices, workforce requirements, and skills needs over the next five to ten...

Until the last year, merger control in the UK has been fairly hostile towards tech deals, with a highly interventionist competition authority taking an uncompromising line on global deals; even where those deals had only a limited nexus to the UK. The EU has generally taken a more pragmatic approach, clearing Google’s acquisition of Fitbit...

In this blog post we set out key practical steps for technology-focused deal-making, having regard to the regulatory, antitrust and foreign investment screening issues identified in our earlier blogs here and here. Key impacts of technology regulation on deal outcomes The evolving regulatory landscape is having a significant impact on deal outcomes, including (i) longer...

Technology-focused deals are driving many of the largest global M&A and strategic transactions—whether digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), digital services or gaming. The successful execution of these transactions and ultimate success of the business opportunities promised by them, depends on understanding how emerging technology, regulation and market norms are evolving....

In the High Court decision of Pagden v Ridgley [2025] EWHC 2674 (Ch), Mr Justice Foxton considered an appeal from a decision by ICC Judge Greenwood, who previously dismissed a challenge to the fees charged by an administrator for selling land subject to a fixed charge. The background to this case is set in our...

On 31 October 2025, the Bank of England (BoE) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (the authorities) published final versions of additional Q&As in relation to derivative reporting requirements under the UK European Market Infrastructure Regulation (UK EMIR) having consulted on draft Q&As in August 2025. Background The authorities explained that derivatives data reported to them...

In this English High Court judgment, the court dealt with the question whether Wetherspoon was vicariously liable for an assault on a customer carried out by what it referred quaintly to as two “door supervisors” employed by Wetherspoon’s contractor, Risk Solutions (RS).  The terms of the security service agreement between Wetherspoon and RS provided that...

Welcome to the latest installment of Arnold & Porter’s Virtual and Digital Health Digest. This digest covers key virtual and digital health regulatory and public policy developments during September and early October 2025 from the the United Kingdom, and European Union. This month, the EU and UK have been actively processing the future of AI development and regulation...

Key Takeaways The Register of Licensed Sponsors is the sole authoritative record of organisations legally permitted to assign Certificates of Sponsorship. Apply the primary filter sequence – A-rated licence, Skilled Worker route, and remuneration at or above the prevailing threshold—to eliminate non-viable entries at the outset. Disregard B-rated sponsors and Temporary Worker routes;...

The UK judiciary has issued updated guidance for judicial office holders on the use of AI, emphasising that while AI can be a valuable tool, it carries risks such as generating inaccurate or misleading information, including fictitious cases and quotes. Judicial office holders are advised to independently verify AI-generated content and avoid inputting confidential information...

Cet article est le neuvième et dernier d’une série d’articles[1] examinant les changements apportés par le « Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 » ou Loi DUA par comparaison au RGPD. La loi DUA regroupe dans un nouveau chapitre 8A du RGPD britannique les garanties pour les traitements à des fins de recherche scientifique ou historique...

On 14 October 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a Consultation Paper (CP25/28) setting out proposals to encourage the adoption of tokenisation and tokenised funds in the UK. We have now released a new briefing note on the FCA’s latest proposals and what this means for firms.

On 23 October 2025, the UK government published four consultation papers under its “Make Work Pay” agenda.  Two of the consultations are regarding proposals in the Employment Rights Bill on trade unions: seeking views on a proposed new legal duty for employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union and the...

On 8 October 2025, the Court approved a significant milestone in the long-running insolvency proceedings of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (LBIE). After 17 years in administration, the Court granted an order terminating the administrators’ appointments and paving the way for LBIE to enter a members’ voluntary liquidation (MVL). Why was an MVL the appropriate next...

On 27 October 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published information for firms looking to offer crypto exchange traded notes (cETNs). Background The FCA explained that it lifted the ban on retail access to certain cETNS on 8 October 2025, meaning that retail consumers can now access cETNS when they are listed on the FCA’s...

On 28 October 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a consultation paper (CP25/29) on new proposed rules and guidance in relation to short selling activity. Background The FCA has set out that these proposals are based on feedback to HM Treasury’s Call for Evidence on the Short Selling Regulation, which concluded that the short...

In the Aercap Ireland case discussed here (link), the war risk insurers argued that international sanctions prevented them paying out the insured claims. On the wording of the relevant sanctions clause, the court held that neither United States nor European Union sanctions prevented payment by an insurer to a non-Russian insured (in this case the...