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The Data (Use and Access) Bill ("DUA Bill") began its parliamentary journey in the House of Lords on 23 October 2024.  It resurrects many of changes from the previous government's Data Protection and Digital Information Bill ("DPDI Bill"), which fell away before the general election.  This briefing focuses on the package of data protection and e-privacy reforms proposed in the DUA Bill, although the bill's ambit is much wider than data protection, also covering data sharing and digital verification schemes.  Overall, its data protection reforms are more limited than previously, and certain controversial measures from the DPDI Bill have been dropped. 

This article was first published in GLI - Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Regulation 2025.

Earlier this year, the World Uyghur Congress was successful in its appeal in a case which centered on concerns about the importation of cotton products to the UK from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ("XUAR") in the People’s Republic of China¹. In this article we will explore the important legal and practical ramifications of this decision, in light of more recent allegations against large multinational entities for failing to prevent slavery and human trafficking abuses in their supply chains. We will also examine the impacts this decision may have in other areas from a Proceeds of Crime ("POCA") perspective, along with practical steps organisations can take to manage supply chain risk. 

Many B2C businesses face the possibility that services they've agreed to provide may not go ahead as planned – but is it fair for the business to retain or demand any payments where this has happened?  The Court of Appeal has recently ruled that a term in a contract for legal services was unfair, because it required the consumer to pay the full projected fees, even where the relevant hearing was delayed. We explain why the Court reached this conclusion and look at the wider lessons for providers of consumer-facing services.

In its 2024 Manifesto (the "Manifesto"), as highlighted in our post-election Infrastructure Spotlight, the Labour Party made some ambitious commitments towards accelerating the UK on its path to net zero, in addition to overhauling and regenerating the UK's ageing infrastructure, by using public investment "to crowd in private funding".

The Water (Special Measures) Bill (the "Bill") was introduced into Parliament on 4 September 2024 and is currently at the Committee stage in the House of Lords ("HoL"). As part of its announcement introducing the Bill, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs ("DEFRA") emphasised that the Bill is intended to significantly strengthen the power of water industry regulators in the UK – holding water companies to account "where they have failed to deliver for the environment and customers and begin to restore trust in the industry".

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

Find the latest news, views and our analysis of all the key announcements.

Top of the watch-list for most private capital managers at this year's Budget was what reforms the Government would make to the UK's carried interest tax regime.

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In line with expectations, a series of Inheritance Tax changes have been announced by the Chancellor. The three new policies announced at the Budget can be summarised as follows:

It should come as no surprise that measures contained in the Budget replace the UK's current tax regime for non-UK domiciled individuals ("non-doms") with a new regime. Before the general election, the previous Conservative government and the Labour party in opposition both committed to introducing this change.

Prior to the Budget, there was widespread speculation that the Chancellor would make sweeping changes to the Capital Gains Tax ("CGT") regime, either by significantly increasing rates or by radically reducing existing reliefs (or both). However, as it turns out, most will likely view the Budget CGT changes as being relatively modest in comparison with what the government might have introduced. It seems unlikely the measures announced today will cause a substantial change in taxpayer behaviour as, crucially, there still remains a significant delta between the highest rates of income tax (45%) and capital gains tax (24%).

From an incentives and remuneration perspective, the measures announced in the Budget were rather piecemeal.  With no fundamental changes to tax-advantaged employee plans (we are still waiting for a response to the call for evidence on all-employee plans) other aspects of the Chancellor's statement could nevertheless increase their appeal.

On 8 October 2024, the Investment Association (IA) published its much anticipated "Principles of Remuneration" (Principles) to guide remuneration committees over the 2025 AGM season.  

The FCA has published some key findings on non-financial misconduct, including action points for firms. Although the survey was aimed at wholesale firms, the key findings report (Report) sets out some actions that firms should take in order to address non-financial misconduct.