A fundamental review is to be launched into the National Weights and Measures Laboratory. The review will look at: whether the current agency status is the most effective medium for delivering this service; and what additional functions and services can be provided. [2000]Read More

Efforts to raise public awareness about intellectual property are being made by the Creative Industries Task Force established in May 1999. The Force recommends a package to improve awareness of copyright and similar rights. Such laws are widely ignored, and only enforced for the most blatant infringements. Intellectual property generates over £60 billion income a...Read More

A new initiative is to be launched to help the long-term sick return to work, it was announced in 2000. The New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) has been piloted in 36 areas where it has helped 2,500 disabled people back into work. The scheme is to be extended nationwide when it is expected to...Read More

Banter between colleagues is often regarded as normal behaviour between colleagues. Any effort to stamp out banter can be seen as a killjoy measure, and prove counter-productive. However some kinds of banter can be very hurtful to individual employees who may be reluctant to express their concerns. Banter on grounds of sex, race or disability...Read More

Equal pay legislation allows an employee to be paid the same as a comparator of the opposite sex. It cannot be used to support a claim for higher pay, however justified. A female speech therapist successfully established that her work was equal to that of a less experienced but more highly qualified clinical psychologist, and...Read More

An employee is allowed to represent himself at an employment tribunal or to be represented by anyone, who need not be legally qualified. The tribunal rules also give the tribunal wide powers as to how the hearing should be conducted. The Court of Appeal has held that where these two rules conflict, the latter shall...Read More

About 85% of adults of working age in England have a qualification in 2000, according to the Department for Education and Employment. Of the population: 23% have at least a degree, HNC or HND; 41% have at least an A-level; 64% have at least an A to C pass in a GCSE. [2000]Read More

Only 28% of UK small and medium-sized enterprises have a website, according to a survey by Sage Software, even though 59% recognise the business potential a website can bring. In this regard, the UK lags behind its mains partners. In France, 31% of small and medium-sized enterprises have a website. The figure is 37% for...Read More

In the US, Judge Thomas Penfield ruled that Microsoft had illegally exploited its monopoly position against the Netscape Internet browser. The remedies are a break-up of the Microsoft Corporation, or a conduct remedy, such as forcing Microsoft to reveal its codes to other software suppliers. The latter remedy is difficult to enforce. Neither will happen...Read More

Only 10% of the adult population believe that buying a financial product or making an investment is straightforward, compared with 28% who describe it as a minefield, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The same research showed that only 28% had any idea what the state pension is. In terms of advice,...Read More