Laws of the Land

This Act reforms how children's social care works in England. It updates laws about protecting children at risk, improves training for social workers, allows more flexibility in how councils support families, and creates new rules to make sure children in care are treated fairly and safely.

The Digital Economy Act 2017 is a law designed to boost the UK's digital industry and improve internet access for everyone. It includes powers to tackle online piracy, improve broadband speeds, protect children from harmful content, and help the government understand how to regulate the digital world better.

This Act gives the NHS powers to manage and potentially reduce the costs of medical supplies it purchases. It aims to make the health service more efficient by controlling what suppliers can charge for items like equipment and consumables used in hospitals and clinics.

The Bus Services Act 2017 gives local councils in England greater control over bus services in their areas. It allows councils to run buses themselves, set ticket prices, and plan routes more easily, rather than relying solely on private bus companies to decide.

The Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 gives local communities official tools to have a say in planning decisions that affect their area. Residents can work together to create plans setting out what development they want, which councils must then consider when making decisions about new buildings and changes to their neighbourhood.

This Act reforms technical and further education in England to make it more practical and workfocused. It encourages new types of qualifications and training programmes that teach real job skills, while trying to improve how colleges, employers, and training providers work together.

The Pension Schemes Act 2017 creates tougher rules and oversight for pension schemes in the UK. It aims to protect workers' pensions by preventing fraud and poor management, and gives regulators better tools to step in if a pension scheme is in trouble or treating members unfairly.

This Act creates a system where multiple radio stations can share the same broadcasting infrastructure (called a 'multiplex'). It's designed to make it cheaper and easier for radio stations to reach listeners across regions, similar to how TV channels share broadcasting networks.

This Act allows UK councils to change parking charges (the fees people pay to park) more quickly and easily, without having to follow all the complicated previous rules. It gives local authorities greater flexibility to adjust parking prices up or down depending on their local traffic and parking needs.

The Finance Act 2017 is a law that makes changes to the UK's tax system. It updates rules about how different types of taxes (like income tax and business tax) work, affecting how much money people and companies pay to the government.

This Act sets up an official registration system for farriers in the UK, meaning only trained and approved people can work as farriers. It ensures standards are maintained so horses receive proper care when being shod, and protects the public from unqualified practitioners.

This Act allows courts to appoint someone (a guardian) to look after the legal and financial matters of a person who has gone missing and cannot be found. It ensures that missing people's bills are paid, their property is protected, and their affairs are managed properly until they're found or declared dead.

This Act gives the public the right to access and view documents related to audits of local authorities and public bodies in England. It ensures citizens can see how money is being spent and how decisions are being made at a local level, promoting openness in local government.

This Act makes it illegal to discriminate against or mistreat people working in merchant shipping (commercial ships) because of their sexual orientation. It ensures that LGBTQ+ workers have the same legal protections from discrimination as other employees in the shipping industry.

This Act gives the Faversham Oyster Fishery Company legal powers to manage and control oyster fishing in their designated area around Faversham. It allows them to operate under specific rules and protections, preserving this historic local business that has been part of the community for centuries.

This Act allowed the UK government to formally notify the European Union that Britain was leaving. It gave legal permission for the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50 (the official exit process), which started the Brexit process in March 2017.

The Finance Act 2016 is a law that makes changes to the UK tax system. It adjusts how much tax different people and businesses pay, creates new tax rules, and aims to raise money for the government to spend on public services.

This Act allows the UK government to spend money on public services in advance of Parliament's formal budget approval, and to adjust spending between different departments as circumstances change. It's a practical measure to keep government running, but relies on trust that the money will be spent responsibly.

This Act is designed to protect culturally important items and buildings (like museums, churches, and historical sites) from being damaged, destroyed, or stolen during armed conflicts and wars. It sets out rules and responsibilities to help preserve a country's cultural heritage when fighting occurs.

This Act allows the UK government to continue operating the Commonwealth Development Corporation, which invests in businesses and development projects across Commonwealth countries (former British colonies and current members). It aims to boost economic growth and reduce poverty in these countries.