Government Regulation and Public Sector Law

HMRC has announced a significant policy shift by publicly naming Petrofac in a £569,157 compound settlement for Russia sanctions breaches, ending its longstanding practice of anonymising offending companies. This marks a fundamental change in UK sanctions enforcement strategy, aligning HMRC's approach with other enforcement bodies like OTSI and OFSI, while potentially altering how companies calculate their response to trade sanctions investigations.

The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) represents a transformative approach to international defence collaboration, uniting the UK, Italy and Japan in developing a next-generation combat air system by 2035. This initiative goes beyond traditional fighter aircraft development, introducing a 'system of systems' approach that integrates advanced technologies including artificial intelligence, secure data networks and multi-domain operations. With potential expansion to include additional partners such as Canad

The UK Government has issued new guidance placing national security at the centre of public procurement decisions in four critical sectors: shipbuilding, steel, artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure. Procurement Policy Note 025 introduces a more interventionist approach, requiring contracting authorities to assess supply chain resilience and consider the national security exemption under the Procurement Act 2023 on a case-by-case basis. In-scope organisations must now engage early with designate