Global Scans · UK · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving Brexit will dominate the UK's agenda up to and beyond 2020 with uncertainty rife until clear decisions are made on the form of Great Britain's future relationship with the EU and the rest of the world.

• [New] The eagerly anticipated Future Homes Standard, set to come into full effect, mandates that most new build homes in England will include solar panels, embrace low-carbon heating systems like heat pumps, and meet far more stringent energy efficiency standards. FocusNews
• [New] While the average targets for each sector could well be achieved within the next four years, the ambition of their targets varies from 33% on average for the global / investment banks to 41% for the UK banks. GOV.UK
• [New] As reliance on space-based infrastructure increases, the threat from space weather, hostile activity, and orbital congestion has prompted the UK to invest in Orpheus. Space Daily
• [New] The UK will be the first country in the world to use an AI system to analyse hospital databases and catch potential safety scandals early. Kent Online
• [New] The UK grocery landscape has evolved over the past few years, transforming from an industry dominated by weekly supermarket trips to one where consumers expect everything from emergency bread to Sunday roasts delivered to their doorstep within hours. SISTRIX
• [New] Multiple Jolly Rancher sweets sold in the UK have been recalled as they contain products that make them unsafe to eat and they do not comply with UK laws, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned. News and Star
• [New] UK businesses will benefit from greater certainty and stability as the UK reached a common understanding with G7 partners on international tax rules. GOV.UK
• [New] Five projects from across the UK will use satellite data to help transform the delivery of public services, thanks to new funding from the UK Space Agency. GOV.UK
• [New] Unless the UK took action to reduce the rebate rates levied on branded medicines sales, it could lose £1.9 billion investment in R&D spending in 2028, with a cumulative £5.7 billion of R&D investment lost between 2024 and 2028. Pharmaphorum
• [New] In the short term, the FTA is expected to drive a sharp rise in trade volumes: more Indian garments, home textiles, and technical fabrics in UK stores, and increased visibility of British fashion and specialty textiles in India. Fibre2Fashion
• [New] India's ~ $300 million in home textile exports to the UK could rise to ~ $ 400-500 million in the medium term, driven by increased share in mid-to-premium segments. Fibre2Fashion
• [New] India's textile and apparel exports to the UK are expected to nearly double by 2030, aligning with the broader objective of doubling bilateral trade by the end of the decade. Fibre2Fashion
• [New] The R&D sector will need an additional 150,000 researchers and technicians by 2030 to sustain its ambitions for R&D. / UK CaSE
• [New] The previously announced £86 billion investment into UK R&D over the Spending Review period will be targeted towards the IS - 8 and will aim to leverage private investment into research, technologies, and commercial adaptation. CaSE
• [New] The high price of the UK capacity auctions for 2027-29 and renewable capacity additions will boost earnings, while the exposure to commodity prices will decline in the coming years. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] Making the PDC sector, which is worth an estimated £1.3bn in the UK each year, subject to Gambling Commission regulation could have a significant positive impact on protecting charity donations and safeguarding customers. Third SectorMainNet
• [New] Trade bodies described themselves as the backbone of the UK economy and warned of job losses if health-focused policies like price increases or marketing restrictions were introduced. Institute of Alcohol Studies
• [New] Doubling the investment in apprenticeships over the next Senedd term could generate an extra £3.4 billion in additional lifetime earnings for people in Wales over the next 30 years. Business News Wales
• [New] With the right policy framework and continued investment, the UK has the potential to establish itself as a global hub for defence tech. City AM
• [New] While Europe will remain the largest destination for UK goods, export destinations are expected to diversify, as growth spreads across regions. GOV.UK
• [New] The UK is expected to retain its position as the sixth-largest economy, even as rapid growth in emerging markets sees the UK's share of global GDP decline. GOV.UK
• [New] The UK government plans to change procurement rules so that businesses working on major public infrastructure projects help create local jobs and provide skills training. Courts Accountancy Services

Last updated: 01 July 2025