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UK Legislation & Regulations

Plain-language definitions of every UK Legislation & Regulations term that shows up in government tender work.


UK Legislation & Regulations

Concession Contracts Regulations 2016

The Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 transposed EU Directive 2014/23/EU into UK law, establishing a proportionate regulatory framework for the award of works and services concessions, where the concessionaire bears substantial operating risk in exchange for the right to exploit the concession.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Equality Act 2010 (Procurement Duties)

The Equality Act 2010 imposes a public sector equality duty on contracting authorities, requiring them to have due regard to equality objectives when designing and running procurements, and permits the inclusion of equality-related award criteria and contract conditions where they are relevant to the subject matter of the contract.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Freedom of Information Act (Procurement Implications)

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives any person the right to request information held by UK public authorities, including procurement records, tender evaluations, and contract terms, subject to exemptions protecting commercially sensitive material and the integrity of ongoing procurement processes.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations (UK)

The Late Payment of Commercial Debts Regulations give businesses the statutory right to claim interest and compensation when commercial invoices are paid late, with public authorities required to pay invoices within 30 days and prime contractors obliged to pass payment down the supply chain within the same period.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Lord Young Reforms (UK SME Procurement)

The Lord Young Reforms are a series of UK government measures introduced from 2013 to make public procurement more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises, including the abolition of pre-qualification questionnaires for lower-value contracts and the requirement to advertise all contracts above a low threshold on Contracts Finder.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Procurement Obligations)

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires commercial organisations with a turnover above 36 million GBP to publish an annual transparency statement on steps taken to ensure their operations and supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking, with public procurement using the Act's framework to assess supplier supply chain integrity.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 established a statutory framework for public procurement in Scotland, introducing sustainable procurement duties, community benefit requirements, living wage considerations, and a regulated procurement regime for contracts below the EU threshold, going significantly beyond the minimum EU obligations.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015

The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 transposed EU Directive 2014/24/EU for the Scottish public sector, governing above-threshold procurement by Scottish contracting authorities and supplementing the broader Scottish procurement reform agenda set out in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

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UK Legislation & RegulationsPCR 2015

Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015)

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 implemented EU Directive 2014/24/EU into UK law, governing how public authorities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland procure goods, services, and works above defined financial thresholds, setting out procedures, transparency obligations, and supplier rights.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Public Procurement (Northern Ireland)

Public procurement in Northern Ireland operates under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as applied to Northern Ireland, administered centrally through the Central Procurement Directorate, with additional policy guidance reflecting Northern Ireland's unique constitutional position and cross-border trade flows with the Republic of Ireland.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires contracting authorities in England and Wales to consider how the procurement of public services could improve economic, social, and environmental wellbeing in the relevant area, before the procurement process begins.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (Procurement Provisions)

The procurement provisions of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 introduced statutory duties to support small and medium-sized enterprise access to public contracts, including requirements on payment terms in supply chains, the use of procurement pipelines, and the removal of barriers that had historically disadvantaged smaller suppliers.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 introduced statutory social partnership duties and a well-being of Wales objective into Welsh public procurement, requiring contracting authorities to involve workers and trade unions in procurement decisions and to pursue socio-economic outcomes through their purchasing activity.

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UK Legislation & Regulations

Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016

The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 transposed EU Directive 2014/25/EU into UK law, regulating procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport, and postal services sectors, applying a more flexible procedural regime than that governing standard public authorities.

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