United Kingdom: Government, Public Sector

The UK government's latest annual report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 reveals significant shifts in enforcement patterns, with total notifications rising 15% while remedy decisions...

The UK Cabinet Office's fifth Annual Report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 reveals a striking paradox: while the number of transactions reviewed under the regime continues to grow rapidly, the proportion of deals ultimately subject to intervention has fallen to its lowest level since the NSIA entered into force. This raises critical questions for dealmakers about whether the mandatory notification regime is capturing an increasing number of deals that pose little or no national security co

On 14 July 2026, the UK Cabinet Office published the fifth Annual Report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act) (the Report). The Report provides summary information and statistics relating to the review of transactions and investments on national security grounds in the UK during the period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026.

This July wrap-up podcast examines critical developments in public law, including the Court of Appeal's latest guidance on ECHR property rights and proportionality, practical lessons from recent regulatory challenges, and the Divisional Court's landmark decision on facial recognition technology that offers important insights for AI use by public authorities.

Gowling WLG's public law specialists examine six significant cases from Q1 2026, covering energy price control appeals, procedural fairness in proscription decisions, immigration decision corrections...

The UK Government has introduced an emergency 'visa brake' that automatically refuses visa applications from students and skilled workers from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan. Duncan Lewis Solicitors has filed a judicial review challenging this policy on behalf of three Sudanese women who secured places at prestigious UK universities but are now prevented from accessing their educational opportunities despite meeting all academic and immigration requirements.

Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, raises an intriguing question: could the legendary Trojan Horse have been patented under modern UK or European patent law? This analysis explores the technical and legal challenges of protecting military inventions, from novelty requirements and publication restrictions to the tension between disclosure obligations and strategic secrecy.

On 14 July 2026, the UK Cabinet Office published the fifth Annual Report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act) (the Report). The Report provides summary information and statistics relating to the review of transactions and investments on national security grounds in the UK during the period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026.

The UK Government's £298bn Defence Investment Plan signals major reforms to defence procurement, promising simplified acquisition routes and stronger industry partnerships. As the legal framework evolves through the Procurement Act 2023 and planned reforms to Single Source Contract Regulations, businesses face both unprecedented opportunities and complex compliance challenges in one of the most strategically important periods for UK defence in a generation.

The European Commission has completed its first statutory review of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, three years after the regime entered into force. While declaring the FSR "fit for purpose," the Commission acknowledges that notification procedures impose disproportionate burdens on businesses and signals targeted procedural adjustments for 2027. The review examines enforcement activity across mergers, public procurement, and ex-officio investigations, revealing compliance challenges and stakeholder conce

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has published its response to the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus consultation, confirming the direction of travel for construction sector regulation — but with implementation not expected before 2028.

The UK Cabinet Office's fifth Annual Report on the National Security and Investment Act 2021 reveals a striking paradox: while the number of transactions reviewed under the regime continues to grow rapidly, the proportion of deals ultimately subject to intervention has fallen to its lowest level since the NSIA entered into force. This raises critical questions for dealmakers about whether the mandatory notification regime is capturing an increasing number of deals that pose little or no national security co