UK government procurement guidance now designates steel, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure as “national security critical” sectors, allowing contracting authorities to prioritise UK-based suppliers in tenders. The rules, issued under the Procurement Act 2023, also encourage in-house public-sector delivery and require buyers to factor local economic, skills and supply-chain benefits into award criteria. Civil and energy projects using large steel packages, grid assets or AI-based control systems should expect tighter origin scrutiny and potentially revised prequalification and value-for-money assessments.

Government has opened a 12‑week public consultation, running until 17 June 2026, on proposed updates to Approved Document B, covering fire safety guidance for buildings in England. Key proposals include mandatory evacuation lift guidance for residential buildings over 18 m, revised provisions for specialised housing (alarm coverage and sprinklers), new rules on fire spread across external walls, balconies, roofs and roof‑mounted PV panels, and updated fire resistance guidance for car parks. The review also considers implementing Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations via BS 9414 for assessing external cladding systems, with any changes expected to take effect from September 2029.

The UK government has committed £1bn to accelerate electric commercial fleets through Zero Emissions Truck and Van grants and an expanded Depot Charging Scheme (DCS). Truck operators can receive up to £81,000 per heavy zero-emission HGV (covering 40% of vehicle cost) and van buyers up to £5,000 per unit, while depot charging projects for vans, coaches and eHGVs can claim up to 70% of installation costs, capped at £1m per site from a £170m DCS pot. For fleet engineers and depot designers, the package materially improves whole-life cost cases and supports large-scale yard power upgrades.