Laws of the Land

This Act is designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs in the UK by simplifying rules, making it easier to start companies, improving access to finance and information, and reducing unnecessary paperwork. It aims to encourage business growth and job creation across the country.

This Act makes it a crime to own, use, or sell specialist printing equipment and materials if they're intended for illegal purposes like counterfeiting money or forging important documents. It gives police powers to investigate and prosecute people who help criminals commit fraud using these tools.

This Act allows mutual organisations to create and sell special types of shares called 'deferred shares' to raise money. These shares have limited voting rights and don't get the same benefits as regular member shares, helping mutuals finance growth while members keep main control of the organisation.

This Act legally requires the UK government to spend at least 0.7% of its Gross National Income on official development assistance (aid to poorer countries). It locks this spending target into law, so future governments must maintain or increase this level of international aid.

This Act allows Northern Ireland to set its own lower corporation tax rate (a tax businesses pay on profits) instead of matching the rest of the UK. The aim is to make Northern Ireland more attractive to companies and boost economic growth in the region.

This Act gives people the right to have local council decisions reviewed if they think they're unfair or made incorrectly. It sets out the process for challenging these decisions and makes sure councils have to follow proper rules when making them.

The Control of Horses Act 2015 sets out rules for how horses must be controlled and managed in the UK. It aims to improve safety in public spaces and ensure horses are treated properly and responsibly by their owners.

The Finance Act 2015 made changes to UK tax rules that came into effect in April 2015. It adjusted how income tax, corporation tax, and other taxes are calculated, aimed at raising more money for the government while trying to encourage business investment and growth.

This Act improves how the Health Service Commissioner handles complaints about England's NHS. It sets out clearer rules and procedures for patients to complain about poor care, and gives the Commissioner better powers to investigate problems and hold hospitals and doctors accountable.

This Act sets out legal requirements for hospitals, care homes, and other health services to maintain high safety and quality standards. It gives regulators more power to inspect services and hold healthcare providers accountable if they fail to meet these standards.

This Act allows local councils in the UK to hold religious prayers, ceremonies, and observances at the start of council meetings or during council events. Previously, there were strict rules preventing this, but the Act gives councils more freedom to include religious and cultural practices if they choose to do so.

This Act allows voters to trigger a recall election and remove their MP from Parliament if certain conditions are met, such as the MP being convicted of a crime or suspended from the House. It's a way for the public to hold their representatives accountable between general elections.

This Act gives the House of Commons Commission (the group that runs the daytoday operations of Parliament) clearer legal powers to manage staff, facilities, and finances. It aims to make Parliament run more smoothly and ensure proper oversight of how it's managed.

This Act allows the UK government to spend money in advance while waiting for Parliament to formally approve the annual budget. It's a technical law that helps plug the gap between financial years, but it requires the government to later justify and adjust these early spending decisions when Parliament reviews them.

This Act gives UK citizens the right to apply to their local council to build their own customdesigned home, rather than having to buy from a developer. It requires councils to keep a register of people interested in selfbuilding and makes it easier for individuals to access land and support to build their own houses.

This Act allows female bishops of the Church of England to become members of the House of Lords automatically, in the same way senior male bishops have been able to for centuries. Before this law, only male bishops could hold these positions, so it removed a genderbased barrier.

This Act creates a fairer system for armed forces staff to complain about mistreatment and get support. It sets up rules for handling complaints properly and allows the military to give financial assistance to people who have been treated unfairly, helping protect their rights while serving their country.

The Deregulation Act 2015 removes or simplifies hundreds of government rules and regulations that apply to businesses. Its goal is to make it easier for companies to operate by cutting red tape, though it affects areas like employment, health and safety, and environmental protection.

The Serious Crime Act is a law that gives police and courts stronger powers to deal with serious crimes and criminal organizations. It includes tools like asset seizure (taking criminals' money and property), serious crime prevention orders, and enhanced investigative powers to help stop major criminals before they cause harm.

The Childcare Payments Act 2014 allows the government to offer financial help to working parents to pay for childcare. It does this through taxfree childcare accounts where parents can save money to spend on approved childcare, reducing the cost of looking after their children while they work.