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Defra wants more smaller businesses competing for public contracts nationwide. Its new SME action plan targets procurement barriers, simpler bidding processes, better opportunity visibility and greater participation in major suppliers’ supply chains through March 2028.
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Expanded Iran sanctions now cover wider UK commercial activities directly. New restrictions apply across energy, maritime trade, metals, oil, petrochemicals, software, technology and associated financial services, requiring businesses to reassess transactions and supply-chain exposure.
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Sellafield selected a venture for its £2.1bn nuclear framework programme. The preferred supplier will support spent-fuel management and asset care through engineering, procurement, plant modification, commissioning, dismantling and specialist technology.
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Greggs plans manufacturing consolidation that could affect 740 UK jobs. The bakery chain expects £60m of cash costs from the programme, followed by annual pre-tax operating savings of about £20m from 2028 and 2029.
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Asda has committed £250m to a decade-long British produce partnership. The Len Wright Salads agreement provides long-term demand intended to support investment in growing, people, facilities, and technology.
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Smiths News is rebuilding its network for national distribution growth. Major publisher contracts begin going live from July 2027, while FY2026 performance is expected to beat market expectations.
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Property agents face licensing as leasehold fee controls expand nationwide. An independent regulator would set standards and remove licences, while ministers gain powers to cap selected permission and administration charges.
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England’s water reforms will widen government options over company ownership. Planned legislation will remove historic shareholding caps while ministers retain private investment as part of the sector’s long-term funding model.
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SSE has selected Montrose for its Berwick Bank operations base. The offshore-wind hub would support 100 permanent roles if the 1.4GW project reaches final investment decision, adding to Montrose Port’s existing renewable-energy operations.
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Ionic Technologies has submitted plans for an £89m Belfast facility. The proposed magnet recycling and refining plant would recover rare-earth materials from waste while creating skilled jobs and expanding domestic critical-mineral processing capacity.