Regulation is in the news, with ongoing debates about policing new technology, social media and AI, as well as reforms to the planning system and financial supervision.
There have been numerous initiatives to boost deregulation and ‘regulation for growth’ over the past 18 months, with ministers repeatedly emphasising their wish to promote economic growth and reduce administrative burdens.
This approach has attracted plenty of critics, from environmental and consumer groups anxious that protections are being removed to businesses who feel that reform is not happening fast enough. And it is true that the number of regulators in the UK and the complexity of their rulebooks makes transformation hard to navigate. Issues of risk and unintended consequences abound – particularly where concerns about technological change, national security and online crime are also driving calls for more regulation, not less.
But the government also has its supporters. Europe’s largest banks and insurers recently wrote to the European Commission, praising the UK’s approach to regulation and calling for the EU to recognise growth and competitiveness as core regulatory and supervisory objectives. Regulating for growth may not be easy, but it is increasingly seen as necessary.
The new Regulation nation? report from CMS UK highlights recent regulatory developments, as well as challenges such as promoting growth, managing ESG issues and the impact of AI. It also looks at a sample of 18 regulators in the UK, outlining what they do and some of the key issues facing them in 2026.
Click here to find out more.
