HLAS

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on Managing Quota in 2023 and Beyond. The UK is now an independent coastal state with rights and duties under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to control and manage the resources in our waters. The UK has left the EU and the common fisheries policy and, over the coming years, Defra will reform how we manage our fisheries. This includes the freedom to negotiate with the EU and other coastal states for a fairer share of fishing opportunities. Defra has previously committed to [...]

If your company places goods on the market in Great Britain, you will need to follow new product marking rules from 1 January 2023. Businesses are encouraged to be ready for full implementation of the new UK regime as soon as possible. However, to allow businesses time to adjust, CE-marked goods in the scope of this guidance that meet EU requirements (where these match UK requirements) can continue to be placed on the GB market until 31 December 2022. This includes goods which have been assessed by an EU recognised notified body. See: Placing manufactured goods on the market in [...]

The Ideas Marketplace is an online networking collaboration platform where innovators can discuss, collaborate and share ideas with like-minded users. The goal is to overcome defence and security challenges and help deliver the next generation of defence and security tools and services. It spans from helping innovators gain expertise and specialist support to develop technologies, to forming longstanding partnerships and finding new funding opportunities. The Ideas Marketplace will help innovators to: Hear about funding opportunities from across the UK Government; Access exclusive competitions; Collaborate with other innovators to make ideas a success; Engage with industry leaders and learn more about [...]

HMRC have started writing letters to some companies that have been making claims for Research and Development (R&D) relief suggesting that they may be fraudulent. This is the result of the system being abused by some spurious claims, but the tone of the letter may alarm some recipients. The HMRC Fraud Investigations Services unit has made the following statement “We have recently seen some concerning claims. To prevent abuse of the Research & Development relief and protect legitimate customers, we have conducted additional checks. Where evidence leads us to believe that fraudulent claims may have been made, we will issue [...]

With the departure of Boris Johnson, the two remaining contenders for the leader of the Conservative Party have started to outline their future policies. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak had stated that there would be tax cuts in the future, but only when inflation has been brought under control. In a recent campaign shift, he vowed to cut the 5% VAT on household energy bills to help families with rising living costs. Liz Truss has suggested that she would reverse the rise in National Insurance that came into effect in April, scrap a planned rise in corporation tax set to increase [...]

In an article first published in the Telegraph newspaper 14 July, Orlando Fraser, the Chair of the Charity Commission has stated the need for Charities to demonstrate the skills of frugality, and restraint during this belt tightening era. He commented that during times of collective challenges, charities come into their own, offering practical relief and other less tangible, but no-less precious commodities: hope, community, and a sense of belonging. We have witnessed this again and again, most recently during the pandemic, and in response to the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. He states he is confident that, as economic [...]

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) Phase 2: Summer 2022. This support will provide up to £70 million of grant funding for the following project types: studies - feasibility and engineering studies to enable companies to investigate identified energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects before making an investment decision energy efficiency - deployment of technologies to reduce industrial energy consumption deep decarbonisation - deployment of technologies to achieve industrial emissions savings Your business must operate an existing site which falls into one of the following categories: mining and quarrying manufacturing recovery [...]

New legislation will ensure seafarers get paid at least equivalent to the UK National Minimum Wage. The UK government has introduced new legislation to make sure seafarers get paid at least equivalent to the UK National Minimum Wage. The changes mean that thousands of seafarers regularly entering the UK will receive fairer pay. The Seafarers’ Wages Bill – introduced in the House of Lords – enables port authorities to deny access to services calling regularly at UK ports who do not pay their workers equivalent rate to the UK National Minimum Wage (NMWe) for time spent in UK waters. See: [...]

People across the UK will have the chance to become owners of at-risk local pubs, theatres, post offices, sports grounds and corner shops with the launch of the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund. Voluntary and community organisations can bid for match funding. The Community Ownership Fund is open for Expressions of Interest applications. Once you have passed the EOI stage you will be sent a link to submit a full application to the Fund. Please note you can only submit a full application if you have received confirmation that your project is eligible at the EOI stage. Your full applications [...]

The Bank of England will be withdrawing legal tender status of the paper £20 and £50 notes after 30 September 2022 and are encouraging anyone who has these to spend or deposit them at their bank or Post Office. As they are returned to the Bank of England, these are being replaced with the new polymer £20 notes featuring J.M.W. Turner, and polymer £50 notes featuring Alan Turing. After 30 September 2022, the new polymer notes will be the only ones with legal tender status. After 30 September 2022 people with a UK bank account will still be able to [...]