Devolution Legislation

Legislative framework governing powers delegated to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including regional autonomy and inter-governmental relations.

The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles Timeframes (Amendment) Regulations 2026

These Regulations amend existing statutory instruments to shorten the mandatory timeframes for the retention and disposal of motor vehicles seized by the police. The order directs that previously varied periods—including 14 days, 21 days, 3 months, or 7 working days—be standardized to 7 calendar days for the purposes of vehicle collection and disposal eligibility.

It applies to police authorities and vehicle storage contractors in England and Wales, with certain parts also extending to Scotland.

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The Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities (Remuneration Panels for Member Allowances and Consequential Amendments) Order 2026

This Order establishes the regulatory framework for independent remuneration panels to recommend allowances for members of combined authorities (CAs) and combined county authorities (CCAs) in England who have special responsibilities.

It directs that panels established under existing 2017 regulations function as the "relevant remuneration panels" for the purposes of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

The Order applies to across multiple regional authorities—including Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and the Tees Valley—by amending their specific constitutive orders to permit certain allowance payments as exceptions to general prohibitions on member remuneration.

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The Scotland Act 1998 (Increase of Borrowing Limits) Order 2026

The Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Modification) Order 2007 extends the duration of the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

It modifies section 7(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 to substitute a later date for the expiry of the suspension period, ensuring that the authorities and restrictions established by section 1 of that Act remain in effect.

This order applies to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the administrative functions of the Northern Ireland Departments during the period of direct rule.

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The Inter-authority Recoupment (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

These Regulations amend the Inter-authority Recoupment (England) Regulations 2013 to establish new procedures for how local authorities in England reimburse one another for the cost of educating looked after children.

The instrument mandates that for education provided from 1st September 2026, a child's 'home' authority must pay a 'providing' authority for costs associated with a child who has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or attends a special school.

If authorities cannot agree on a figure within six months of a claim, the home authority must pay the total expenditure incurred by the providing authority, including transport costs but excluding Dedicated Schools Grant funding.

The Regulations apply to local authorities in England and Wales but specifically govern the financial relationship between English home and providing authorities.

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The Climate Change Act 2008 (Credit Limit) Order 2026

The Climate Change Act 2008 (Credit Limit) Order 2026 establishes the maximum amount of carbon units that can be credited to the net UK carbon account for the 2028-2032 budgetary period.

It directs that this limit be set at zero, effectively preventing the use of international carbon credits to meet national carbon budgets for that specific timeframe, except for units associated with emissions trading systems.

The order applies to the calculation of the net UK carbon account, overseen by the Secretary of State and relevant national authorities in the devolved administrations.

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The Carbon Budget Order 2026

This Order establishes the legal limit for the net UK carbon account during the five-year budgetary period spanning 2038 to 2042.

It directs that the total greenhouse gas emissions, minus removals and credits, must not exceed 535,000,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The Order applies to the whole of the United Kingdom and functions as a secondary legislative instrument under the Climate Change Act 2008 to ensure progress toward the 2050 net-zero target.

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Correction slip

Published: Thu 25th Jun 26

This document issues technical corrections to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (Transitional and Saving Provisions) (England) Regulations 2026.

It modifies Regulation 3 and the accompanying Explanatory Note to replace incorrect references to 'Schedule 18' with 'Schedule 20'.

These changes apply to local government entities and regulatory bodies in England operating under the 2026 Act.

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The Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and State Pension Credit (Carer’s Allowance Reassessment Capital Disregard) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

These Regulations modify several pieces of secondary legislation to ensure that lump sum payments made by the Secretary of State following a recalculation of Carer's Allowance are excluded from capital assessments.

The rules apply to individuals receiving State Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or Universal Credit who receive such payments as a result of the Independent Review of Carer's Allowance Overpayments.

By directing that these sums be disregarded as capital, the instrument prevents these specific payments from affecting a claimant’s eligibility for or the amount of their means-tested benefits.

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