Global Scans · UK · Weekly Summary

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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 UK will join a Norwegian programme to develop motherships for uncrewed mine hunting and undersea warfare systems. Space War
• [New] Britain and NATO allies have expressed growing concern about the risk Moscow poses to offshore infrastructure following the suspected sabotage in recent months of several undersea telecom and power cables. Space War
• [New] A small group of peers trying to block the assisted dying bill could send Britain into a constitutional crisis. The Sunday Times
• [New] Some central banks (e.g. the Bank of England) may counterintuitively react dovishly, having recently reacted hawkishly to price spikes on fears of supply-driven inflation. investing.com
• [New] An unusual vaccination rule in Wales has given scientists some of the clearest evidence so far that a vaccine might help protect against dementia. ScienceDaily
• [New] A UK-EU reset could boost UK GDP by as much as 2.2%. Spiked
• [New] A renewed focus on agricultural education could help lift families out of food poverty and secure the future of British farming. Yahoo News UK
• [New] While the increase in the number of industry trials initiated in the UK is positive, the low number of patients taking part is selling UK patients short of the opportunity to participate in studies of the latest therapeutic innovations. Pharmaphorum
• [New] UK inflation is expected to gradually moderate as the temporary factors that pushed up the headline rate fade over the coming months. KPMG
• [New] Ministers are being urged to close a loophole that will allow UK banks and specialist lenders to avoid paying £2bn in tax on their payouts to motor finance scandal victims. The Guardian
• [New] Almost half of all Windows computers still run Windows 10, including millions used in UK businesses, leaving many devices at risk of becoming obsolete overnight as official support falls away and cyber risks rise. Business Fights Poverty
• [New] A groundbreaking trial for a prostate cancer treatment has been launched in the UK, with the hope of reducing the side effects. SKY
• [New] Aberystwyth University scientists have welcomed a major UK Space Agency funding commitment that will keep Europe's first Mars rover mission on track for launch in 2028. Nation.Cymru
• [New] The powerful and advanced Type 26 warships will patrol the strategically vital gap between Greenland, Iceland and the UK, monitoring Russian naval activity and defending critical infrastructure such as underwater cables and pipelines, which carry vital communications, electricity and gas. GOV.UK
• [New] The new Lunna House Agreement will see the Royal Navy and Royal Norwegian Navy operate an interchangeable fleet of British-built Type-26 frigates. GOV.UK
• [New] UK critical infrastructure will be protected from Russian submarines through a first-of-its-kind defence agreement that will see British and Norwegian navies operating side-by-side in the North Atlantic. GOV.UK
• [New] Self-driving vehicles represent a transformative opportunity for Britain - opening up independent travel for disabled people and older adults, whilst driving growth in a cutting-edge industry that will create high-skilled jobs across the UK. GOV.UK
• [New] The UK could face a national shortfall of nearly five billion liters of water per day by 2055. Yahoo News UK
• [New] By 2050, decarbonization in the UK will require an additional 860 million liters of water per day. Yahoo News UK
• [New] The OECD expects two more interest rate cuts from the Bank of England, taking the key rate to 3.5%. BBC News
• [New] The UK will be the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2025, behind the US, the OECD predicts, and the third fastest in 2026 when it is overtaken by Canada. BBC News
• [New] The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will enable local governments across England to establish Strategic Authorities. GOV.UK

Last updated: 09 December 2025